First Attempt At Incubating

[chiknhurder]

I set 12 eggs 21 days ago, all French Copper Marans. Three of the 12 hatched last night and another one had pipped at 6:30 this morning. It's gone no further. Temp is at 100, humidity is around 69%. Since today is day 21, what are the chances that more will hatch? What about the odds of the one that pipped this morning early and has not finished yet? All help is appreciated.

Marc

 

[happyhens1972]

It's not uncommon for chicks to go 24 hours or more between pip and zip. Nor is it uncommon for eggs to hatch beyond day 21, even up to day 25 so hang on in there, you're bound to have more peepers on the way x

 

[chiknhurder]

It's not uncommon for chicks to go 24 hours or more between pip and zip. Nor is it uncommon for eggs to hatch beyond day 21, even up to day 25 so hang on in there, you're bound to have more peepers on the way x

Thanks happyhens..... Number 4 finally made it out 2 hours ago. I had planned on taking the others that have hatched out tomorrow evening. That will be 48 hours since the first one hatched. I've been told not to open the bator or the drop in humidity can affect the others to where they could stick to the shells. What do you think about that?

 

[happyhens1972]

You do have to be careful with that humidity drop but it's always a bit of a judgement call between how crowded it's getting and how detrimental the opening of the incubator would be to the other eggs. Have they pipped yet?

I tend to do a quick 'open and grab' if it starts looking a bit too hectic. My incy is very good at returning to the high humidity level very quickly though. You could always do a swap.....grab the chicks and leave behind a square of clean kitchen towel dunked in warm water....that'll knock your humidity level back up nice and quick.

 

[chiknhurder]

It looks like the sponges hold the humidity for about 24 hours and then it begins to drop off. I have 7 of 12 that have hatched so far and another one that has pipped. Just a while ago the humidity, which was at 58% when I got up this morning, had dropped to 46% so I added another sponge. Fifteen minutes later it was back to 64%. I'll probably start pulling chicks tonight (48 hours since the first one).

My bator holds 42 eggs but I only started with 12. I couldn't imagine 30 or 40 chicks running around in there with the others trying to hatch. It's the Styrofoam Farm Innovators model with turner and circulating air fan from Tractor Supply.

 

[happyhens1972]

Maybe add more sponges? Humidity should be up around 65 to 70% humidity for hatching, then it spikes as each chick hatches and releases moisture into the air. I would definitely chick a couple of extra sponges in there when you grab the chicks, keep that RH up, especially once eggs have pipped as it isn't so much about them getting stuck to the shell, they are inside a membrane and if the membrane dries out, it literally shrink wraps them and they can't get out.

Sounds like things are going well so far though....congratulations x

 

[chiknhurder]

Maybe add more sponges? Humidity should be up around 65 to 70% humidity for hatching, then it spikes as each chick hatches and releases moisture into the air. I would definitely chick a couple of extra sponges in there when you grab the chicks, keep that RH up, especially once eggs have pipped as it isn't so much about them getting stuck to the shell, they are inside a membrane and if the membrane dries out, it literally shrink wraps them and they can't get out.

Sounds like things are going well so far though....congratulations x

They're doing fine. I've got 6 or 7 hatched and a couple more pipped. All is good. Thanks.