First Hatch

[Obsessed With Silkies]

Ok, what should I lower it to? It's been at 50 and 53% before lockdown.

Since that's what you had it on previously go ahead and lower it to that. You don't want a drastic drop in humidity either. May I recommend the hatch method I use for you?

 

[Strawberry74]

I always do my chicken hatches in the last 3 days with humidity of 65 to 70% or there about. You want to keep the membrane moist and avoid shrink wrapping. Not sure where you are located but we are in a very naturally dry climate.

 

[Duckydos]

Baby has made a couple more chips at the shell. It's our all peeping regularly?

I still wouldn't be concerned. If today is day 21, it's officially hatch day. As the other person mentioned it takes time to rest up, finish absorbing the yolk fully before joining the world! It so hard to sit on your hands and be patient. But I definitely wouldn't intervene just yet.

Baby has made a couple more chips at the shell. It's our all peeping regularly?

I still wouldn't be concerned. If today is day 21, it's officially hatch day. As the other person mentioned it takes time to rest up, finish absorbing the yolk fully before joining the world! It so hard to sit on your hands and be patient. But I definitely wouldn't intervene just yet.

I hear it peep occasionally. I see it moving and breathing more than peeping. It seems like now that it broke through the membrane it's taking a little break. I'm pretty sure this is the only egg that will hatch, so I'm anxious about it. I had to rehome my rooster that I just absolutely adored, so I wanted to try and hatch some of his offspring in his honor. Fingers crossed its a female. At what point do would you start to worry? Lol like I'm not already. I imagine this gets easier the more you do it...

 

[Obsessed With Silkies]

Don't worry too much yet since it's officially hatch day. Some chicks take longer to hatch than others. It's always better for a chick to hatch on its own than to step in. That's only a last resort.

 

[Duckydos]

Since that's what you had it on previously go ahead and lower it to that. You don't want a drastic drop in humidity either. May I recommend the hatch method I use for you?

Sure I would love that!

 

[Strawberry74]

I hear it peep occasionally. I see it moving and breathing more than peeping. It seems like now that it broke through the membrane it's taking a little break. I'm pretty sure this is the only egg that will hatch, so I'm anxious about it. I had to rehome my rooster that I just absolutely adored, so I wanted to try and hatch some of his offspring in his honor. Fingers crossed its a female. At what point do would you start to worry? Lol like I'm not already. I imagine this gets easier the more you do it...

If the chick is still chirping and appears to be breathing today and even into tomorrow it will likely be ok and make it out on its own. As another said, since it pipped externally first, it does add on hatch time because it normally pips in the aircell and breathes, absorbs and rests for about 24 hours BEFORE making the external pip. Your baby will need that "24" hours or so to gear up to start zipping.

 

[Strawberry74]

I hope you get a girl! How many eggs do you have incubating and why do you think the others may not hatch?

 

[Obsessed With Silkies]

Sure I would love that!

Through trial and error I have found that a temperature of 99.5 degrees and a humidity of 40-45% the entire hatch, even through lockdown is what got my best hatch rates. I did research, followed another breeders directions when they sold me eggs, but nothing really worked. This first time I tried my method, I got almost perfect hatch rates and still do. However it may be a little different where you are depending on if you're in a dry or wet climate but it should still be for the most part the same.

 

[Duckydos]

If the chick is still chirping and appears to be breathing today and even into tomorrow it will likely be ok and make it out on its own. As another said, since it pipped externally first, it does add on hatch time because it normally pips in the aircell and breathes, absorbs and rests for about 24 hours BEFORE making the external pip. Your baby will need that "24" hours or so to gear up to start zipping.

Ok that makes a lot of sense. Thank you for explaining that to me!

 

[Duckydos]

I hope you get a girl! How many eggs do you have incubating and why do you think the others may not hatch?

I have 3 eggs. Two are splash ameraucana eggs, ( black australorp rooster) and I couldn't ever see through the egg during candleing because it was so dark. I was shocked when I saw one starting to hatch. So maybe the other one will hatch! The third looked like it swooshed around in the egg the last time I candled it, but looked full grown. I guess I'm just trying to not get my hopes up. I would love it if all 3 hatched. I'm in NJ btw for humidity and climate reference.