1st time hatching...

[ladybyrd3]

We are on day 22 1/2 and at 4:20am my husband woke me up and asked me, "honey did you break one of the eggs?"

I said, "of course not, why?"

and he said, "Cause one of the eggs is cracked" and jumped out of bed and said, "Yeah....it pipped!!"

About and hour later nothing has happened but while I was sitting there with my face plastered to the glass I did see the cracked shell move

I am soooo excited!!

This is me -

and

This is my husband -

all calm and patient!!

This is our kids -

Since this is my first hatch how long from "pip" to actual "hatch" does it normally take??

 

[SarahFair]

I think it could take up to 24 hrs.
You should probly leave the house now on a day trip

Dont you like how SOs act like they dont care, yet they are always catching a peek

 

[gamebirdsonly]

Congrat's

 

[calicokat]

You have now reached the hardest part. . . . . . the waiting

 

[bigstack]

Congrats!!!

It can take 24 hours from pip/zip to hatch! Most don't take that long but it can. Once the first one is out its like popcorn! I think all the cheeping makes the others hurry! In nature they know that if they don't all get out within a spacific time they might be left by mom. Some times you will have the stragler... LOL Just don't open the bator until you have too. Then if you need to this is what I do....Take a small room heater into the bathroom. Crank it on high! Try to get it up to 100. Crank the HOT water in the shower! Fill the room with steam. Then turn off the shower but keep the heat cranked. This will keep the humidity from dropping when you open the bator. Then you can open the bator remove the DRY chicks, shells, and add water if needed. Close the bator and put it back where it was. Just make sure the steam is not condensing on the eggs! You don't want the eggs to be wet. When i do this...and I have every hatch..... I have NEVER lost a chick do to shrink wraping! If you have a chick in an egg that you can see the membrane is dry you can use a q tip to wet the membrane when the bator is open. As long as you keep the humidity at 75-90% you should be fine!!!

P.s. YES, I know you are not supposed to open the bator! This is just the safest way to do it if you have too!

Good luck and God Bless!

 

[ladybyrd3]

Thank you all for your very helpful posts!!! Bigstack - I will definetly keep the bathroom idea on the forefront of my mind (if I need it) Thanks!!

I will NOT open the bator unless I absolutely neeed to!!

 

[ladybyrd3]

Yeah!!! We have our first chick hatched

Now I can stop stressing

At least till the next ones start pipping ha ha ha