Backyard Poultry Forum

thanks raf, i may need to tape it down to stop temptation,
should i add an extra container of water? it's about 45%
i also found that when i had my steamer going in the next room that it went up to 60% in the bator, so i should probably get that going too but don't want to drown the poor bubies. oh no, panic setting in, good thing i'll be so busy all week!!!
so many emotions, not enough smilies!

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"You could trace every disease and every ailment to a mineral deficiency."
quote from two times Nobel Laureate, Dr Linus Pauling
http://canberrabackyardpoultry.com/

Oh gee I know exactly what you mean about emotions. I am sooo excited and yet so frustrated. Do we help them out do we not?... This is my first incubation too and up to now I have 3 quails and 6 chicks hatched. The chicks were all put in togther and 2 days ago I opened the incubator to take them out to put in the hatcher and I discovered that 2 had already hatched!!!...Now 4 days later and I am still waiting for the rest.......I see a couple of little holes but nothing more...are they dieing in there?...resting or what?.... Its killing me to think that they are slowly dieing in there when maybe I should have got them out.....
Please advise!
Abbie

i am definitly not the one to advise, sorry.
i have read other posts on the subject and i did some research when i thought i had twins incubating, some may die whether we help or not, this is part of nature and we need to be prepared for it. i know enough to decide for myself when and whether to help but not enough to advise.
hope your hatch ends well, others on here can help, more people might read if you post a "help needed"
congratulations on your new chickies

_________________
"You could trace every disease and every ailment to a mineral deficiency."
quote from two times Nobel Laureate, Dr Linus Pauling
http://canberrabackyardpoultry.com/

Abbie there's nothing you can do but watch and wait. They either will hatch or they won't hatch. If the humidity is right healthy chicks can get themselves out. Chicks can take even up to 48 hours after pipping to make it out. On the occasions when I have helped a chick I have often found that there was a good reason why the chick didn't make it on its own. It might be weak or have a problem. If they don't make it, it won't be because you didn't help them, it will be because something wasn't right with the eggs or the incubation.

If you can't stand the waiting candle one of them and see if you can see the chick breaking into the air sac, and if you can see movement. People say you shouldn't open the incubator at hatch time, but I do it all the time. I'm as quick as possible and I usually give them a light spray with water when I close it up again to help the humidity build up quickly.

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Backyard Poultry Forum

last night candling them i spilt some water on the cord, i soaked it up as fast as i could, is it likely to do any damage? the temp has only reached 36 at 8am this morning, all night the thermo was turning off at 35. i put an extra towl to insulate, felt warm to the eyeball when i added extra water this morning and to turn them for the last time. should i turn them tonight, they were put in wed arvo 2 half weeks ago which makes them due thur/fri.
guess they will have to wait, gotta go to work.

hope your chickies are all out now abbey, bet that was a long night.

cheers

_________________
"You could trace every disease and every ailment to a mineral deficiency."
quote from two times Nobel Laureate, Dr Linus Pauling
http://canberrabackyardpoultry.com/

Aussie,

If you put them in on Wednesday arvo, then 21 days is up on wednesday arvo. They should start pipping and hatching wedneday night Thursday. That makes today (Monday) day 19, so no need to turn any more.

45% humidity is abit low, but I dont know how you are measuring it (with what instrument). Supposed to be 70%

Just close your eyes for 4 days.

Raf

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Breeder of Blue Laced Red Wyandottes.

See www.bluelacedgold.wordpress.com for details

humidity is up to 60% and i put the steamer on, i won't turn them again, glad i put them in their hatching trays sunday, i lost track of time not counting the day after i put them in 'cause it was late in the arvo.
i just hope the temp isn't too low. the thermo must have freaked out when i took half the eggs away.
now i just lost a day

_________________
"You could trace every disease and every ailment to a mineral deficiency."
quote from two times Nobel Laureate, Dr Linus Pauling
http://canberrabackyardpoultry.com/

_________________
Breeder of Blue Laced Red Wyandottes.

See www.bluelacedgold.wordpress.com for details

I think if it's just a one off thing it doesn't matter as much - it's not like the hen will take exactly 30 minutes to leave the nest and wander about daily. I think eggs take a lot more than we give them credit for. They may hatch a bit later than normal but what I've found (with my limited incubating knowledge) is that if the temps are low on average throughout the hatch then they hatch late but if it's just a one off event eg power outage, then they aren't affected as much so long as temps on average hover around 37.7

fingers crossed that they hatch!

chookstarter

Hi
Just thought that I would let you know the outcome...3 quails, 8 chickens. 2 fully formed but died in shell without it seems even trying to get out. 3 VERY rotten eggs and 3 hadnt even started to grow....Just waiting for the ducks now...they due on Sunday:)
To be honest it was quite a daunting experience for me....I was so fanatical about making sure that they were turned and that the temp was ok......Im not sure that I will do it again...might leave it up to my good friend up the hill

It gets easier each time, and you get less fanatical.

Candling and removing ones that have failed to develope macke the hatch alot more satisfying as most should hatch. Expect 80% hatchability (or those that are fertile). Tinker with temp and humidity (and air flow) if you are getting less.

After a while you do relax a bit. Keep trying.

Raf

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Breeder of Blue Laced Red Wyandottes.

See www.bluelacedgold.wordpress.com for details

don't give up, just think about the ones you got, would love to see pics,
i had to remove another one from the bator so only 8 remain and one of those i'm not sure about,
i think i will just try to get fertile eggs locally too, i had a dozen get too shook up in the post and never started.
my incubator hatch starts today, my broody hen on 4 eggs was due yesterday and i only heard one scratching in it's shell this morning, when i candled last night i'm sure only 2 will make it, that's out of 6 eggs and only one was not fertile, she is my best broody and usually hatches 100% so that goes to show that even hens can have a bad run.
was the one you wanted to help get out?

_________________
"You could trace every disease and every ailment to a mineral deficiency."
quote from two times Nobel Laureate, Dr Linus Pauling
http://canberrabackyardpoultry.com/

one barnie has pipped,
my DH pointed out that they went in the incubator when i got home from work, 3 weeks ago.... on a thursday.

the bantam eggs went in wednesday, i put them under the hen when the barnie eggs went in, none of those have pipped and they were due yesterday. candled last night, oh well......if they don't hatch i'll give my silkie hen barnies to raise, how many could she cope with? she is pretty small.
1 has pipped, 1 has pipped, need a singing smilie.

_________________
"You could trace every disease and every ailment to a mineral deficiency."
quote from two times Nobel Laureate, Dr Linus Pauling
http://canberrabackyardpoultry.com/

No sleep for you tonight

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Breeder of Blue Laced Red Wyandottes.

See www.bluelacedgold.wordpress.com for details

not a wink,
i can see more rocking, still only one pipped, starting to see some unzipping, i expect she will be the last out. lol
humidity is about 60-65% hope it is enough.

_________________
"You could trace every disease and every ailment to a mineral deficiency."
quote from two times Nobel Laureate, Dr Linus Pauling
http://canberrabackyardpoultry.com/