1st hatch lockdown- Did I mess up?!

[WVduckchick]

Good morning! We finally have 1 tolbunt out! Still waiting on a GL wyandotte to zip. Then we're left with 3 other eggs that have yet to pip (internally or externally ? Idk).. Man I hope they are alive in there. What are the chances of them still hatching if all the other chicks are already out? Since everyone else came on time, is it normal to have a few stragglers?
And I'm wondering since the majority of the eggs pipped and hatched in about a 27hr period starting day 20 through 21, does that mean my temperatures during incubation were overall spot on? My hatch is right on tract right? Or A touch early? I was worried my temps were slightly too high a few too many times while im learning my equipment. Thanks everyone!

sounds like you've done a great job! especially first time!!
what kind of incubator are you using??

Oh, 48 hours from first hatch (not pip but actual hatch) to last is usually average. Some stragglers are normal. so don't give up on them yet!

Did you get to see the polish zip?? Those were my favorite to watch. Nice wide zip, I could actually watch them turning inside the egg!

Congrats!! Best of luck for the rest.

 

[igorsMistress]

Congratulations. I've been watching from the sidelines. Very happy for you

 

[Ridgerunner]

Some of my hatches are totally over in less than 24 hours of the first one coming out. I’ve had hatches drag on or well over two 24-hour days. That’s both in the incubator and under broody hens. When a hatch drags on like that it’s mainly due to differences in individual eggs, not something you did. I can remember one hatch a few years back where one chick hatched late in the day. I finally saw a pip just before I went to bed the next night. 24 hours and nothing. Yes, I was getting worried. The remaining 16 chicks were all hatched before lunch time the next day.

There are a lot of things that affect how close to 21 days the egg actually hatches. Average incubating temperature is a big one but there are many other things that have an influence. That’s probably why Nature has the chicks absorb the yolk, they can live off of the contents for three days or more so the early ones to hatch can wait on the later ones without starving or dying of thirst. That’s why they can be mailed.

Since your chicks hatched within 24 hours either side of that 21 days, I consider your hatch spot on. Don’t mess with the settings on the heat.

It can be hard to know when the hatch is over because of the way hatching can be spread out. You do not have to take any chicks out until a full three 24-hour days have passed from the first one hatching. Many people do though, they just pop the incubator open and grab a chick whenever it has dried off and they hardly ever shrink wrap an unhatched chick. Shrink wrapping can happen but it’s not as common as you’d expect from a lot of comments on here. If the egg has not external pipped you should not worry about popping the incubator open long enough to grab some chicks. Even if an egg has external pipped you probably won’t cause it to shrink wrap but the risk goes up. I don’t open the incubator after lockdown unless I have a good reason, which for me means some kind of an emergency. If I need to open it I do. The risk of actually shrink wrapping a chick is so low that I’m willing to take that risk if necessary, especially to save one that has hatched.

With all those chicks in there chirping away you will not be able to tell if an unhatched egg is peeping. The way they move around you probably cannot be sure if an egg is moving on its own. The way I determine when to take the chicks out is to wait several hours after the last one has come out and the chicks have pretty well dried off and are moving well. In high humidity like you are seeing that can take a while to dry off, you may have to settle for still a little damp. Don’t let them get a chill on the way to the brooder. If I don’t see an external pip on another egg I take them out and put them in the brooder. I usually put the lid back on and wait another day before I clean out the incubator but I cannot remember ever getting another one to hatch doing that.

A test you can run just before you toss the unhatched eggs is a float test. Put warm water in a basin and put the unhatched unpipped eggs in it. If the egg moves on its own there is a live chick in it, put it back in the incubator. At this stage if the egg does not wiggle on its own there is nothing alive in there. Some people candle the eggs before they toss them but with my dark green eggs candling looking for movement is problematic.

Congratulations on a good hatch, you are now a pro.

 

[amunk01]

Sorry ive been so busy today with the kids! Thanks everyone! I couldn't have done this without all of you! The community on this site plus the endless information is incredible! So thank you!
WVduckchick- I'm using a Farm Innovators 4250 forced air w/ Turner. I added a layer of smooth river rock in the bottom tray for heat sinks. 3 analog calibrated thermometers and 2 calibrated hygrometers in different places in the bator. Maybe a bit overkill, but I tried to cover all my bases lol Only one of my polish has hatched, but I saw the beginning of the zip and it was distinct from the others. I could clearly see the chick. Very cool! I really hope the other polish egg i have isn't dead, but I can't tell and plan to not open the bator til my last chick fully hatches. Pretty sure it's a quitter.
Ridgerunner, thanks for the info. I'll try a float test for sure. I keep hoping there will be a new little crack any second!
Once everyone dries off, I'll transfer them to the brooder I built! I'm trying the mama hen heating pad this time, with a backup lamp in case they don't seem happy.
One thing that's really fun is one of my silkies turned out to be a Showgirl! I had completely forgotten that was a possibility so that's fun.
Ok, The last GL Wyandotte is about 70% zipped, but I can see that thin interior membrane has turned yellow and looks dry. Humidity is still high 80's. That chick pipped with everybody else so it's been over 24hrs.. It's made quite a bit of progress but seems exhausted. I feel like I should break that membrane or something? What do you guys think?

 

[Granny Hatchet]

How long has it been zipping ? Not the pip

 

[WVduckchick]

If the zip isn't complete within an hour (I can usually tell within 45 minutes) or stops for a long time with no progress at all, I finish the zip. Don't pull the chick out, just help it finish the zip.

 

[amunk01]

Probably been zipping 12-14hrs id guess? Its still moving but i can see it straining against that spot.. its driving me CRAZY...

 

[amunk01]

If i help. Any suggestions on what to use? Just my clean hands? Should i glove up? Mist it with water?

 

[Granny Hatchet]

ya it needs help. dont pull it out just finish the cap /top half. Hopefully it will wiggle itself out of the bottom half.

 

[WVduckchick]

Fully zipping that long?

I just wash my hands well, but whatever you feel. I use Vaseline, if necessary, but it will likely kick out in your hand. Coconut oil works great too.