Yesterday was day 21

[feadeli]

So, I bought 24 eggs. I candled them at day 16 and removed the eggs that had obviously nothing in them. I was down to 18. Day 20, 5 babies hatched out and one pipped but has done nothing since. The rest of the eggs are sitting in the incubator still.

I had to open the incubator to remove the 5 chicks because they kept hitting their heads on the hot element when they would climb on the eggs. I waited until they were dry, and I removed them all at once and also added a sponge with warm water on it. The temperature did a little dip but nothing major.

Do you think the rest of the eggs died? How long should I wait since today is the 22 day? I am so bummed

Thanks for any advice.

 

[blkwdw]

I would give it another couple of days. If the temp had dipped at all, they could be delayed in their hatching. I hear people talk about the float test, but I hesitate to open the bator any more. My first batch was hatched at day 24... too much fluctuating in temp... I have since got another incubator. Good Luck and keep us posted

 

[feadeli]

Thank you!

 

[Mmmatt13]

Quote:
I am in the same exact boat as you. Started with 25, took out 13 at lockdown, and had 5 hatch on day 21. Took them out of the 'bator this morning, put them in the brooder, and there's no action on the other 7 eggs in there.

I'll follow this thread to see how yours do. Good luck.

 

[cmom]

Yesterday was day 21 for me but I have some still hatching. I did discover my thermometer was off a little.

 

[feadeli]

@ Mmmaddie13: You should keep me posted too. I am glad that there are other people going through this... kind of nerve wracking and little depressing. Who knew hatching baby chicks would be such an emotional roller coaster???

 

[1234duck]

once they pip you really dont want to open bator you dont want the humidity or temp to jump. what is the humidity? ~Julie~

 

[chicken delighted]

i am at day 22 now and i am sicken by the fact they are maybe gone , i was glad to hear some had to wait 24 days due to temp jumping around. gives me hope well we see what goes on in the moring .
good luck and may we all see chicks in our incubatores

 

[Mmmatt13]

Quote:
I just eggtopsied for the first time. The baby was dead and there was a LOT if liquid in there. I don't know what's going on with my incubator but the evaporating pad is SOAKED but the humidity on the bator is reading 73%. I threw in my trusty hygrometer and it read 94%. Not happy with Brinsea so far.

 

[feadeli]

I just eggtopsied for the first time.

Oh, I am not looking forward to doing that! The book I use, Storrey's Guide to Raising Chickens, says that you should so that you become familiar with what goes on during the hatches, so I am going to when I have waited long enough to be convinced they are actually not going to hatch. I think I will wait to day 25... which is Tuesday. Mmmmadie13, are you removing all of the eggs with the supposition that they are all dead?

@ Julie, I don't have a hydrometer. I have one of those Styrofoam incubators with the channel for water and the plugs on top. I think the humidity was okay; I am pretty sure the temp dropped after I took the first batch of babies out (I had to bc they were hitting their heads on the hot elements) and didn't go back up as quickly as it should have. Next time I do this, I will definintly invest in a hydrometer

@ ChickenDelighted, did any of the eggs hatch? Mine are still sitting in the bator making me sad