Newbie Question - Day 20 Incbubation

[SamCox]

Hey, Its now day 20 of incubation (started at 1'oclock). How long should it be until they make there first pip in the shell? I have seen no pips yet just the eggs rocking. And how long should it take from pip to hatch?

I candled all my eggs on day 18 all where developed and I could see movement in some of the eggs, But they still haven't pipped!

Please answer my questions as I'm new to hatching - Thanks

 

[acemario]

Congrats! Rocking is a good sign! What happens is the chicks pip internally into the air sac. When the oxygen in the sac is depleted, the chicks muscles will spasm due to the breathing of CO2. This causes the chicks beak to poke through the egg shell causing the external pip.
You should expect a pop very soon! Just remember that a watched pot never boils and a watched egg never hatches.

 

[Joplus]

Does anyone know how long from the rocking to a pip? They rocked over 24 hours ago on day 17 and were rocking last night before bed. Then today nothing. Did they die? Or maybe resting? Thanks

 

[SamCox]

Congrats! Rocking is a good sign! What happens is the chicks pip internally into the air sac. When the oxygen in the sac is depleted, the chicks muscles will spasm due to the breathing of CO2. This causes the chicks beak to poke through the egg shell causing the external pip.
You should expect a pop very soon! Just remember that a watched pot never boils and a watched egg never hatches.

Thanks its now 6:30 in the morning and I haven't seen any pips yet. So hopefully soon I picked up my new fertile eggs yesterday too! I got 6speckled sussex, 10 light sussex, 4 pekin bantams and 4 pekin frizzles

 

[SamCox]

Does anyone know how long from the rocking to a pip? They rocked over 24 hours ago on day 17 and were rocking last night before bed. Then today nothing. Did they die? Or maybe resting? Thanks

Thats the same with me. They have been rocking in the eggs from day 20 and I still haven't seen any pips

 

[AmyLynn2374]

There is no way to know when a chick will pip. There are too many variables that will affect the hatch times, biggest being temps. Generally if conditions are opitmal you see pips and hatching day 20/21, but it can be as early as 19 or as late as 22 (note: chicks can hatch before or after, but the healthiest generally hatch closest to these times).

It's possible to see moving in eggs at day 14ish as the chicks move to the round end of the egg and again at day 17/18 when they are getting into "hatch position". After this you may not see movement again as they rest and get ready for hatch. I seldom see much movement before the pip.

If you hear chirping from within the egg (before an external pip) you know that the chick has internally pipped into the air cell and generally you will see an external pip with in 24 hours. (Could be two hours, could be 24.) Once you see an external pip it can take another 24 hours before the zip begins. Again, it could start zipping a few hours after pip or 24. After pip the vascular system between the egg and chick has to shut down, it rests and in some cases it may still have unabsorbed yolk to absorb. Can't rush these things.

I seem to average between 12-18 hours for the majority of my chicks. (I also periodically play "chick music" for them after they start pipping.

Now once they start the zip, it should not take hours. Mine are usually out in 15-20 minutes once they start a zip. (I play the "chick music" repeatedly once they start zipping.) If a chick stalls in the middle of a pip and doesn't make progress in half an hour- it is my opinion that it's time to investigate and help out.

 

[Joplus]

There is no way to know when a chick will pip. There are too many variables that will affect the hatch times, biggest being temps.  Generally if conditions are opitmal you see pips and hatching day 20/21, but it can be as early as 19 or as late as 22 (note: chicks can hatch before or after, but the healthiest generally hatch closest to these times).

It's possible to see moving in eggs at day 14ish as the chicks move to the round end of the egg and again at day 17/18 when they are getting into "hatch position". After this you may not see movement again as they rest and get ready for hatch. I seldom see much movement before the pip.

If you hear chirping from within the egg (before an external pip) you know that the chick has internally pipped into the air cell and generally you will see an external pip with in 24 hours. (Could be two hours, could be 24.) Once you see an external pip it can take another 24 hours before the zip begins. Again, it could start zipping a few hours after pip or 24. After pip the vascular system between the egg and chick has to shut down, it rests and in some cases it may still have unabsorbed yolk to absorb. Can't rush these things.    I seem to average between 12-18 hours for the majority of my chicks. (I also periodically play "chick music" for them after they start pipping.

Now once they start the zip, it should not take hours. Mine are usually out in 15-20 minutes once they start a zip. (I play the "chick music" repeatedly once they start zipping.) If a chick stalls in the middle of a pip and doesn't make progress in half an hour- it is my opinion that it's time to investigate and help out.

Thank you thank you that was exactly what I needed to know. I think they are getting into proper position since they started rocking day 17 and again a different one rocking today, day 18. I hope I didn't mess up.

 

[SamCox]

Thank you thank you that was exactly what I needed to know. I think they are getting into proper position since they started rocking day 17 and again a different one rocking today, day 18. I hope I didn't mess up.

My eggs started hatching yesterday I know have 15 of 21 eggs that have hatched and 3 others have got pips !!!! Hows your incubation going?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

My eggs started hatching yesterday I know have 15 of 21 eggs that have hatched and 3 others have got pips !!!! Hows your incubation going?

That's great! Congrats!

 

[Joplus]

I got 18 chicks!