First Time Incubating Eggs - Candled Eggs Show Movement but Development Seems Delayed?

[InfoJunkie]

Hi. We are trying to incubate some eggs in a DIY incubation box. We have 6 eggs and a few days ago we saw movement in all 6 eggs when we candled them. We're technically on day 17 today but our eggs all seem to be at different stages of development, although none look as developed as all the photos and videos we've looked at online to try and figure out where they are in their development. Some are showing quite a lot of dark area inside (but still not as much as we thought they would for day 17), and one (the only Peking Bantam egg we're incubating) is just showing what looks like the dark eye area (which seems to be moving, but it looks very delayed compared to some of the others). Is it normal please for a batch of eggs started on the same day to be at such different stages? We have been struggling to get the temperature as high as is recommended, so they have generally been incubating at around 36-37 degrees C (96 F). Would that just mean they're taking longer to develop, because the temperature is lower, but generally they are still developing OK if we're seeing movement within the shells? And also, if they're a little behind in development, should we keep turning them for a couple more days instead of locking them down tomorrow (day 18), or would it be best to just lock them down tomorrow anyway and expect it to take a few more days than 21?

Thank you

 

[mcdze]

when i have a mixed batch and have added eggs over several days, i just check them twice a day and stop rotating when i see the first pip .. as far as temp being low, mostly it can slow them down in the beginning stages and kill some in the later stages, id try to get it up to at least 98, 96 i see as the line .. dipping to it occassionally will probably be alright, hanging steady that low will likely terminate some ...