1st timer (with questions) Just started pipping!

[Texan Chick]

Hello!!

I have 3 of 35 eggs that have just begun to pip!
I was fast asleep but woke up to peeping and now I'm afraid I can't go back to sleep. So-- I've been reading quite a lot of what y'all have to say (over these past two weeks) but I thought most chicks pip at the narrow end of the egg, around the "bottom" of their air sac. True? These three that are pipping at the moment have begun, basically in the middle of their eggs. One has begun closer to the larger end of the egg. Does it not matter?

And is it normal for exposed membrane to look dry or bloody? I can see one chick through his tiny hole that he has begun but it looks dry and the color of blood at the same time. Normal?

Also, as much as I know not to adjust the humidity and temp now that they're getting busy in there- The humidity went up to 82%. The temp is 100. I have both holes plugged on this still air LG.

Is 82% humidity a bit much?



Thank you SO much for your support! This is FUN!

 

[cherprit]

I'm another newbie, so I don't have answers, just wanted to wish you good luck!! Too fun! I'm on day 18 and just saw 2 eggs rocking!

 

[Texan Chick]

Neat!
Feel free to post your progress here with me. I'll be interested to see what our hatch rates are as newbies.
This is just the beginning of day 20 for me so I'm a bit surprised that they are hatching already.

I now have 3 that have pipped (hurry up!) and another that is rocking. LOTS of peeping going on and it's true what they say! I am nervous!! (and I'm going to be so tired after not sleeping tonight!)

I must say that after reading so many "failed hatch" stories and seeing some sad photos- I'll be happy if just one healthy, cute fluffy chick comes out of that incubator.
I seriously thought I'd have to discard ALL of these eggs at about day 9 when I checked and saw that the temp had gone up to 112 degrees!!!!!!!! But after candling on day 16 all 35 of these eggs had movement in them. So, I've beat the odds so far and I'm just hoping these chicks make it out of their shells and don't look...uh.... weird.

The suspense is killing me.

 

[cherprit]

Sounds great! I have had to get rid of quite a few...............so, I haven't been so lucky. I know that's the chance you take. I had shipped eggs.................
So, only five in the hatcher.

Next week I'll have more for the hatcher (silkies)

what kind of chicks do you have?

 

[Texan Chick]

I have no idea what kind of chicks!
I picked up 18 eggs from my friends ranch (and I don't even know what kind of chickens she has). I do have pictures of her chickens so perhaps I'll google image and try to figure it out (while I'm just sitting here waiting). Couldn't tell you which chickens are the moms though.
Then we picked up another 18 eggs from a feed store. I called the feed store a few days later and they said they didn't know what breeds they had either.

So... it's a grab bag I suppose. I do know that I have lots of brown speckled eggs. 3 smaller white eggs (bantam?) and two green eggs. The one and only egg I had to throw out was extremely porous and had extra bumps of calcium on it. It's name was Poachie. It stunk really, really bad by day 17.

I've heard LOTS of people mention they have silkies.

 

[kstaven]

Chicks pip at the large end where the air cell is. That is normal. Eggs should be large end up when incubating.

Blood on the membrane is normal.


You really should not open an incubator in the last 24 hours before pipping begins and should have raised humidity levels going in to this period. That membrane you are looking at can dry out very quickly when an egg is pulled from an incubator.

 

[kstaven]

80% is not to high.

 

[bucket04]

I just got my third chick tonight (3:20am) out of I think 25 eggs.... (I started with 35....) Homemade incubator, 2nd attempt. I got 4 out of 7 in my first attempt. It is very nerve wracking waiting, waiting, waiting... lol

My humidity jumps up to 80 also.... seems fine to them.

Congrats chicken momma!

 

[Gypsy07]

Quote:
Hi there! I don't have any experience with LGs so please check what I'm saying before you do anything, but remember that fresh air is every bit as important as high humidity for eggs once they get to the pipping stage. I think I've read on here that at the pipping and hatching stage with still air bators you're supposed to take out the plugs to let more oxygen get in. Have a look at your bator's instructions and see if they say anything about it. Or maybe someone with an LG can give you some advice...

And 82% humidity isn't too high. As long as your humidity has been good the first 18 days, once you get to lockdown it can get up past 90% without doing any harm to the hatching chicks. Chicks drown when the humidity ahs been too high the whole incubation, not just cause it's haigh the last couple of days. So don't worry about that.

 

[snazzyboots]

i don't have any answers for you just want to wish you luck. i'm on day 21 with my first hatch so i'm having the waiting nerves too

happy hatching to you