Anyone wanna help the newbie? Tips or some advice would be so appreciated!

[InsaneChicken]

Thanks guys.

I have one more question.. Is it at all possible to hear a chicken... "peep" inside the egg? Because I swear to god I just heard something peep softly in my room and I have nothing on! Maybe I'm just crazy.. Who knows.

 

[DirtCreature]

no im pretty sure you can hear them peeping from inside the shell.

 

[LillyBantam]

Thanks guys.

I have one more question.. Is it at all possible to hear a chicken... "peep" inside the egg? Because I swear to god I just heard something peep softly in my room and I have nothing on! Maybe I'm just crazy.. Who knows.

You can always hear them chirping in the egg, in fact I have only hatched twice in an incubator and they always chirp within 24 hours before hatching. The mother hen would also cluck to encourage them out, so infact, leaving the hatched chicks in there is a good idea as they'll encourage the slower ones out. It's best to leave them in there at least until they are dry, but I also never move a solo chick into the brooder, they like to huddle together.

That leads me onto another point about the brooder, hang your heat lamp above one end of the box, if your chicks are constantly huddled under it they are a little cold so lower the lamp, if theyre scattered around the box they may be too hot. I also offer my newly hatched some very mashed cooked egg, they love it! then when theyre a couple of days old they go onto chick crumbs.

Keep that humidity up, and if you do need to snatch a couple of chicks out (which is very tempting!) have a warm bottle of water so you can quickly spray the other eggs to stop them being shrink wrapped. But try and avoid opening where possible. Its best to raise the humidity a couple of days before hatching and leave it all closed (a phrase commonly called 'lock down').

Good luck, post some pics when theyre hatched!

 

[InsaneChicken]

One of them is starting to hatch!!! It was peeping away and it woke me up. I checked and it's started to peck it's way out. ^___^

 

[InsaneChicken]

You can always hear them chirping in the egg, in fact I have only hatched twice in an incubator and they always chirp within 24 hours before hatching. The mother hen would also cluck to encourage them out, so infact, leaving the hatched chicks in there is a good idea as they'll encourage the slower ones out. It's best to leave them in there at least until they are dry, but I also never move a solo chick into the brooder, they like to huddle together.

That leads me onto another point about the brooder, hang your heat lamp above one end of the box, if your chicks are constantly huddled under it they are a little cold so lower the lamp, if theyre scattered around the box they may be too hot. I also offer my newly hatched some very mashed cooked egg, they love it! then when theyre a couple of days old they go onto chick crumbs.

Keep that humidity up, and if you do need to snatch a couple of chicks out (which is very tempting!) have a warm bottle of water so you can quickly spray the other eggs to stop them being shrink wrapped. But try and avoid opening where possible. Its best to raise the humidity a couple of days before hatching and leave it all closed (a phrase commonly called 'lock down').

Good luck, post some pics when theyre hatched!

Thanks for the tips! It's my first time hatching eggs so all of that is very helpful! I will definitely post some pictures when they hatch

This was the perfect way to start my day

 

[InsaneChicken]

How long does it take a chick to hatch? I'm not being impatient or trying to rush anything I was just wonder how long it takes. right now another one has broken a small hole from the shell and the first one keeps poking it's beak out and chirping

 

[emtdiv]

Good luck, seems you are going to get a few chicks! Could be 2-24 hrs I hear for them to zip and come out of the shell...someone correct me if i'm wrong!
Hang in there lol

 

[jb1jord]

My website should help you http://rylah.webeden.co.uk/#/incubating-and-hatching-chicks/4555163740

 

[InsaneChicken]

If a chicken in an egg (It's trying to hatch) is upside down is it OK to flip it over?! Do I leave it? I don't know why but it's upside down... >.<

 

[jb1jord]

Hi, i had the same problem last year, and i flipped it over, because if it is upside down, it will be impossiblle to pip, and it would possibly give up an die, so i would flip it over