Help please!!

[julesapple]

We've got a Brinsea, but it's a big one. No sign of extra dripping in ours. Do you think yours could have a fault? You could maybe phone them (0845 2260120) and ask about it.

One of Daisy's eggs has pipped today but she threw it out of the nest, and she has cracked another quite badly, so both are now in the bator. I think she's going to be a Joan Crawford type mummy - she keeps getting off the eggs every five minutes. No wonder Marsh Daisies are rare

Jules

[SuzyB]

I'll phone Brinsea about it tomorrow.

I guess its all over now, just candled the four and they all have large air sacks, no signs of movement.

I cant bring myself to open them though. The dark mass in them didnt have any shape to it, just a dark shape. Hoping my dad will do it. I'll look once its done, I just bring myself to open them, I suppose that makes me a right weed.

Oh well, least I know now and can stop worrying.

[di]

Unless you already have don't turn it off yet...there's been many on here with late hatches.
With some of our darker eggs I've not been able to see anything other than the airsac and they've still made it.

Our last lot in the incy almost went horribly wrong when the thermostat broke and I'm sure in the last day or so it was probably damp enough to cause them to drown at times,we got 4 out of (I think) 8.

[SuzyB]

I havent turned off yet, and they are back in til weekend when my dad normally comes. The air sacs were almost half the egg, is that how they are supposed to be?

[SuzyB]

Googling photos now to see if I can find one similar to how they look. Came across this - fascinating!

From Egg to Chick | Animals | EatnineGhost

[di]

I used these pics as a guide...although I only used a torch so mine didn't look anywhere near as clear...hope they're of some help.

http://shilala.homestead.com/candling.html

[julesapple]

Suzy, don't give up just yet. Our last hatch looked just like that, big air sac and darkness, and you do wonder how a chick can be in that tiny space, but there they are are curled up.

We didn't think our last Marans egg under Morag was going to hatch. When I candled him he was a big air sac and a small dark patch. We broke it open at the air sac and there was a live chick. Sadly, he was deformed and had to go, but he was still alive and so might yours be. Out of the three eggs that we removed from Morag after her five hatched, his was the only warm egg.

I've often though of buying a stethoscope to see if it would help in situations like this.

This morning we have one hatched, two in the bator pipped (although one of those looks like it won't make it, and two out of three pipped under Daisy, who is staying firmly put this morning.

Fingers crossed for you (and me)

Jules

[SuzyB]

Thanks for the link. Looking at those pics, they look like the last picture of good eggs but there was no movement. Should I be able to see movement? I've left them in the incubator and will give them til Sunday I think.

[julesapple]

Thanks for the link. Looking at those pics, they look like the last picture of good eggs but there was no movement. Should I be able to see movement? I've left them in the incubator and will give them til Sunday I think.

Sometimes you can't see movement because they run out of room. You could try being in a very quiet place and lifting each egg close to your ear an tapping or scratching on the egg. Sometimes you get a muffled cheap, or scratching or you can hear movement, but not hearing anything doesn't mean much.

Jules

[SuzyB]

Suzy, don't give up just yet. Our last hatch looked just like that, big air sac and darkness, and you do wonder how a chick can be in that tiny space, but there they are are curled up.

This morning we have one hatched, two in the bator pipped (although one of those looks like it won't make it, and two out of three pipped under Daisy, who is staying firmly put this morning.

Fingers crossed for you (and me)

Jules

I'll hang in there a couple more days then, see what happens.

Good luck with yours Jules, I'll wait patiently for the pics - see how optimistic Im being!

[julesapple]

Just put a bid on a stethoscope on eBay...all of £4.99....you never know, might be just the job.

Daisy has hatched all of her remaining three now and we've put the bator chick under her now. We'll keep an eye on her though, check out her mummy skills.

Jules

[jessmorris]

..just a comment on hearing anything in the eggs before hatching on the few times I've done it....my sablepoot and pekin eggs were completely silent yet had good hatch rates, my marans chicks were quite plainly cheeping loudly the day before hatching.......

[SuzyB]

One down 3 to go, noticed one oozing slightly from several spots so have removed it. Read too many horror stories about leaking eggs exploding. I really cant wait til Sunday til its all over and done - have thought about just disposing of them now as Im absolutely convinced they wont hatch but there's that 1% of me that says dont do it!

[julesapple]

..just a comment on hearing anything in the eggs before hatching on the few times I've done it....my sablepoot and pekin eggs were completely silent yet had good hatch rates, my marans chicks were quite plainly cheeping loudly the day before hatching.......

I've bought my 'master cardiologist' stethoscope, but probably won't be able to put it to use until next year. But I'm armed now! Hopefully I'll be able to detect heart beats inside eggs in the later stages.

Jules

[jessmorris]

what day are you on now Suzy? I've had some hatch on day 24....