August Hatch-A-Long!

[BY Chicken Lady]

Should I remove the dry chicks or leave them? They are knocking the other eggs around quite a bit.

Just leave them in. Knocking the other eggs around wont hurt them. It has been said that such newborn chick behavior actually helps the not yet hatched chicks get motivated. Opening the incubator when an egg has pipped could kill that chick. The temp is perfect for newborn chicks...just leave them inside,

 

[BY Chicken Lady]

It is all very emotional!!!
I will wait until Sunday then. That would be day 24.

What day did you set them? I set mine on August 1st, today is day 22...mine just started hatching late last night, and they are still just starting to pip....give them more time. 21 days is just a base figure. Depending on temps in your incubator they could hatch earlier or later than 21 days.

 

[Doodle777]

I set mine on the first as well. I will definitely give them until at least Sunday. Did your move around at all before they started piping or make any chirps?

 

[Heidisgran]

They are almost on day 22. I got them on eBay from a person who said she has a good hatch rate and her birds are from the HJ line. I don't know...ugh! I did candle and the air sacs look good on 8 of them but I see a lot of veins and it looks like the chicks only take up half the egg. It's hard to see in them though. I didn't see any movement but then again I'm not really sure what to look for. I'm thinking I will leave them in there until Sunday?

if your seeing veins then there is hope...you didn't say what breed....if there was the kind of movement related to hatching you would notice the chick would be in the air cell...if you had low temps at anytime during incubation your hatch would be delayed....shipped eggs have a low hatch rate...keep us updated

 

[sweetappleacres]

I'm sorry but as I recall you mentioned it not having black skin right? And he wants to have an attitude? No way! He has to know that he didn't give you just what he said or he wouldn't habe reacted that way. You were right to call and let him know that the chicken is not correct! So sorry he was rude about it

He apologized but still claims it's a true purebred from the top silkie breeder in the nation. blah blah blah. I'm taking it back for a refund if it doesn't sell by MOnday.

 

[Heidisgran]

Quote: remember I said that too...I mean it this time ...last hatch for me until spring...I'm excited at the prospect of my turkey's hatching! and I'm still working on peafowl...I've got 2 due next week

and I set 8 yesterday

 

[Heidisgran]

Well, it's been another 24+ hr.s and no noticeable movement, and no peeping. The other chicks,( placed in the incubator the same time), are now 3 and 4 days old! I don't see how his one could have enough yolk to sustain it. But I'm leaving it alone
until I get home Monday evening. Has anyone ever had an egg survive in this condition before?
I'm so glad that others in this group seem to be having a good percentage of luck. Yeah!

that's a long time! is it still alive?

 

[Heidisgran]

I set mine on the first as well. I will definitely give them until at least Sunday. Did your move around at all before they started piping or make any chirps?

you don't always see the wiggle because it's sporadic you can't always hear chirping! I hope at least 1 hatches for you!

 

[Doodle777]

I opened one up and this is what it looked like.
They basically all look the same.

 

[BY Chicken Lady]

I set mine on the first as well. I will definitely give them until at least Sunday. Did your move around at all before they started piping or make any chirps?

Nope, I didn't see any activity at all. At about day 21 and 10 hrs, I left the house and when I returned about 5 hours later I discovered two freshly hatched chicks and one pipped. At about day 22 and 4 hours the third one hatched and a fourth one pipped. I had 8 eggs in lockdown.

I have to leave the house for about four hours so I wonder what I will find when I return?