chicks have pecked hole in egg...no progress since 6am HELP

[nutmeg_62]

I am a first timer in incubating and it is day 21 and the little guys are cheeping in the egg and some have poked a hole thru. I am worried because they havent made any progress. My favorite egg....the one that cheeped first has not poked a hole yet. I have peeked at them and opened the bator a couple of times and i have to add water...should I be worried yet....thanks

 

[willowcol]

Nope but I wouldn't open the bator anymore. It usually takes 24 hours or more for first pip to hatch.

 

[MissPrissy]

A chick can take 24 - 36 hours to get out of the egg.

The more you open the bator and disturb the environment the bigger chances are you will have a poor hatch.

 

[rizq]

I use a straw, a syringe without a plunger, and a measuring cup with a small pour spout (could use a funnel) to add water through the vent holes. That way water can be added without opening the bator.

I opened mine after my first hatch started (I didn't know it had started ... saw the pip after I opened the bator ... they were day 19) to add water and ended up with 6 eggs that had been alive the day before that never hatched. Maybe it was just one of those things ... I can't help but feel it was because I opened the bator. From now on, once they are moved to the still air I use as a hatcher, I won't open the lid until hatch is done. Hopefully anyone that needs help can wait until everyone else has hatched ... I just can't see compromising several chicks to help one.

As far as their progress ... I think it can take up to 24 hours from pip to zip. If I am wrong on that, I am sure someone will correct me. Some of mine took many hours to start zipping after they pipped. Some of the seemed to pip and immediately start zipping and were out in a couple hours. I guess it all depends on how tough the membrane is, how much rest the chick needs between pecking, and how strong the chick is.

What do you have your humidity set at?

 

[pips&peeps]

What MP said:

A chick can take 24 - 36 hours to get out of the egg.

The more you open the bator and disturb the environment the bigger chances are you will have a poor hatch.​

 

[nutmeg_62]

Thanks!!!I will be more careful. I have learned alot in last 21 days and I think I am hooked. I did not put water in the bator in the beginning and am figuring I may run into trouble because of that. I am so eggcited I cant stand it.

 

[chicksinthemachine]

I know it is hard being patient and the peeps will teach alot about it! If the peeping and pipping start to really slow down then I would start to worry but they do take breaks too. For now STEP BACK FOR THE BATOR!

 

[rizq]

Different things work for different people, but I don't put any water in my bator during the first 18 days. My humidity stays around 30%, give or take a little. I up it to 70-75% when they go to the hatcher at 18 days. I find that at 60-65% my chicks stick to the membrane and can't get out.

This works well for me in our climate.

 

[gretchenhau]

I bought 10 eggs off of e-bay, 3 hatched, 1 the first day 2 the next day. the rest didn't hatch, today after 10 more days I cracked the eggs, all had fully formed chicks that never hatched, I feel awful, what did I do wrong, I have a stryfoam incu, a small cup with water and on day 18, I added another cup of water to increase the huidity. I now have 16 more eggs from the same supplier, they are Cuckoo Marans again. I turned the eggs 3 times a day and on the last 3 days didn't turn any more, and suggestions? I want a few more to hatch. I love doing this and so do my kids, I am trying to hatch a few for my best chicken buddy for Christmas.

 

[Jamie821]

when you opened the eggs did you look to see if the chicks had pierced the membrane or not. If they didnt prob your humidity was to low if they had then humidity was to high and they drown when they did. The first thing you need to do is get a hydrometer you need to know what your humidity is not just add water. The humidity level is the most important thing the last three days for the chick.