Incubator question...

[splatcat]

Hiya, first time for chooks for me...

I popped 30 eggs in the incubator, a mixed batch..

we are on day 6, and very impatiently i candled them today.. now i am puzzled!

in 25 out of the 30, i can see a small black dot floating, slightly bigger than a pinhead... the other 5 are clear... does that mean 25 are developing, or 25 are going off lol?

will leave them till day 10 before having a clear out....

[Munch]

I would confidently say you have 25 developing

Should be a black dot with lots of blood vessel veins coming from it, a bit like a many legged spider

I am about to put 30 in our inccy tomorrow, complete mixed bag too.

Happy hatching

[splatcat]

Thanks Munch, I cant see veins, but i can see what looks like "fluff" for lack of another description so i would say those are the veins.

I cant wait!! first time for hatching for me, theyre a mix of bantys, welsummer and light sussex (so the man said, i got them given, so could be anything LOL) i didnt expect to get quite that many to start off with, but i lined up extra homes anyway to be on the safe side.

Just purchased 12 Quail eggs too... I must be mad!!

[Glutton4...]

Yup. Mad. Well on the way to addiction, I'd say.

[splatcat]

Now i am concerned.... ive read today the black dot is a blood spot and mean the egg is going off. i dont know what to do with them. ive purchased a new high intensity candler from Ebay, should be here early next week, as the dot looks bigger today, but i still cant see any veins, i dont know if this is my home made candler not very good, as i can only just see the black dot as a fuzz in most....

I dont want exploding eggs in the incubator!!, but neither do i want to throw them out for fear of killing them, help!!

is there any definate tell tale signs of these going off, if indeed they arent hatching?

[Glutton4...]

Leave 'em in the Incy. I only candled my eggs on about day 24, after the good ones had hatched. They're not likely to explode unless the incy is at oven temperature!

[splatcat]

I think the candler needs to go into a very high, locked cupboard.... wish i had left myself Blissfully unaware of their development!

Aw well, Half way through day 8..

[splatcat]

Disaster again , someone turned the incubator up to 40!!!!, not sure if these guys will survive now

must have been the kids, though none are admitting to it, we managed to whittle down to the fact it would have been no more than 2 hours. got them cooled back to temp, what do you think their chances are now?


Im just not having luck with these, i will leave them and see tho, but i believe they cant tolerate that temp

[petal]

They might be ok, kids are an absolute pain in the neck interfering with incys.

[Glutton4...]

It would take the incy a while to get up to the higher temperature, unless it is a very efficient one! You may be OK. Time will tell.

Bladdy kids!

[splatcat]

candled 3 eggs today and every egg had a moving chick inside

i know theres a long way to go, but im feeling great at the moment, My candler (home made) was getting a bit hot, so ive left the rest alone until my early xmas pressie to myself arrives... a proper candler!!

yes i said i shouldnt have candled them lol, but now i want to do it all the time.. i wont tho, i know i can do damage!

[Glutton4...]

I think that's where I went wrong, splatcat. Not candling, but frequently opening the incubator to turn the eggs, which affects the temperature and humidity. Next time, I will leave them it their trays, and leave the lid closed. I'll just prop the incubator up one side, and alternate which side, at regular intervals!

[splatcat]

Day 19 nearly over with!! I cant wait!!!

Three more eggs gone out yesterday, one had leaked slightly and smelled a bit! the others candled and showed only half the size.

sooo excited!!