12 hours into hatch and only one chick

[VivaLaChicks]

We've got a dozen eggs in the incubator and yesterday afternoon th first one popped out, one day early. Alas, it's 12 hours in and she's still the only one. I turned down the temp to ~98 degrees to make it more comfortable for her. Should I crank it back up to encourage the others to pip their way out? Should I move her to the brooder even though she'll be alone? Any other suggestions? Thank you!!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

We've got a dozen eggs in the incubator and yesterday afternoon th first one popped out, one day early. Alas, it's 12 hours in and she's still the only one. I turned down the temp to ~98 degrees to make it more comfortable for her. Should I crank it back up to encourage the others to pip their way out? Should I move her to the brooder even though she'll be alone? Any other suggestions? Thank you!!

Some people lower the temp a degree and leave it lowered for the duration of the hatch time. Moving her to the brooder is a personal choice. Yes, she'll be alone, but she's alone in the bator as well. I will acknowledge though that one chick peeping (or even recorded sounds of chicks peeping) in or around the bator is the best motivation for the other eggs. I remove my chicks to the brooder as they hatch, but I continue to play recorded peeping (videos) from my phone at the bator...lol

 

[scflock]

We've got a dozen eggs in the incubator and yesterday afternoon th first one popped out, one day early. Alas, it's 12 hours in and she's still the only one. I turned down the temp to ~98 degrees to make it more comfortable for her. Should I crank it back up to encourage the others to pip their way out? Should I move her to the brooder even though she'll be alone? Any other suggestions? Thank you!!

If she was early, leave her in there to cheer the other ones on

Edit: I would have left the temp, but you should be fine. 1-2 degrees lower at hatching won't hurt anything

 

[AmyLynn2374]

If she was early, leave her in there to cheer the other ones on

Edit: I would have left the temp, but you should be fine. 1-2 degrees lower at hatching won't hurt anything

I leave mine alone as well...especially w/the little giants...you don't want to adjust them unless it's neccessary...lol

 

[Titanpaul726]

The last batch I hatched took three days. Two hatched on day 20. Over the next two days, 28 more hatched at intervals lasting until the morning of day 23. When one would become dry, I would put it in the brooder. I actually put 3 or 4 in the brooder that hadn't completely dried yet. They did fine. One seemed to be struggling (I watched him for 6-7 hours) so I helped it out. It's alive and kicking now at two weeks old.

I have been wondering why they hatched over such a long period? If anyone has an idea, I would love to hear it. My Niece is in her last year of veterinarian school and she suggested it could be temperature fluctuations. I'm voting for different sized eggs (several eggs were substantially smaller). Unfortunately, I'm not sure if those smaller eggs hatcher first or not as I didn't keep track.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

The last batch I hatched took three days. Two hatched on day 20. Over the next two days, 28 more hatched at intervals lasting until the morning of day 23. When one would become dry, I would put it in the brooder. I actually put 3 or 4 in the brooder that hadn't completely dried yet. They did fine. One seemed to be struggling (I watched him for 6-7 hours) so I helped it out. It's alive and kicking now at two weeks old.

I have been wondering why they hatched over such a long period? If anyone has an idea, I would love to hear it. My Niece is in her last year of veterinarian school and she suggested it could be temperature fluctuations. I'm voting for different sized eggs (several eggs were substantially smaller). Unfortunately, I'm not sure if those smaller eggs hatcher first or not as I didn't keep track.

Cooler spots in the incubator causing the development to progress at different rates. Smaller eggs are known to develope faster and hatch earlier, so both of those factors can contribute. Also when you open the bator frequesntly the eggs near the opening get more "cool down" than teh ones away from the opening, so their temp isn't as steady.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

This last hatch they started hatching day 19 and were almost completely finsihed by end of day 20, (yeah, early hatch signifies slightlly higher than normal average temps). When we went into lockdown I made a note about my egg #6 that I'd be surprised if it hatched because it still appeared behind developmentally compared to the rest. (I had about 4/5 that had looked a bit behind and I rotated them to the warmer areas. Yes, I have my share of hot/cold spots, even w/a fan,) All but that one seemed to catch up.) Well at day 20 after everything else hatched (except the two silkie eggs that I knew were goners and a third that wasn't moving and was malepositioned in the egg and didn't make it to pip) that one egg remained. I pulled it out expecting to eggtopsy it with the rest, but when I candled-it had internally pipped! I knew I had to give it another 24 hours to see if it would externally pip, but I was doubtful. I was surprised to find that before I went to bed that little squirt had externally pipped! Ok, I still wasn't too hopeful, but was set to give it 24 from pip to zip if I had too.... I woke the next morning to him hatched out and yelling in the bator. He was the ONLY one that actually hatched within day 21....lol

 

[scflock]

The last batch I hatched took three days. Two hatched on day 20. Over the next two days, 28 more hatched at intervals lasting until the morning of day 23. When one would become dry, I would put it in the brooder. I actually put 3 or 4 in the brooder that hadn't completely dried yet. They did fine. One seemed to be struggling (I watched him for 6-7 hours) so I helped it out. It's alive and kicking now at two weeks old.

I have been wondering why they hatched over such a long period? If anyone has an idea, I would love to hear it. My Niece is in her last year of veterinarian school and she suggested it could be temperature fluctuations. I'm voting for different sized eggs (several eggs were substantially smaller). Unfortunately, I'm not sure if those smaller eggs hatcher first or not as I didn't keep track.

My smaller eggs are always the first to hatch, but after two drawn out hatches I increased my incubation temperature by 1/2 a degree. Now the smaller eggs hatch mid-late day 20 and all of the rest pop out on day 21

 

[Titanpaul726]

So I was right! Well, kinda right! I guess we were both right. That makes perfect sense to me. We hatched 30 out of 42 eggs. After we gave up, I checked all the un hatched eggs. Ten were never fertilized (no development at all) and two had failed for some other reason. Now I candle them all and get rid of the ones that aren't developing.

 

[Titanpaul726]

My smaller eggs are always the first to hatch, but after two drawn out hatches I increased my incubation temperature by 1/2 a degree. Now the smaller eggs hatch mid-late day 20 and all of the rest pop out on day 21

Good idea. I had discussed doing that with my niece. I'll definitely give it a try now. Thanks.