Bobwhite eggs pipped 17-31 hours ago but not hardly any changes since then

[Bryce227]

Hey guys, I currently have 84 bobwhite eggs in the incubator on day 22 today. Yesterday a lot of them pipped (kinda), more like the shells are pushed up just a little bit, almost looks like a little mountain, but no actual hole through the membrane yet. Anyways I was wondering if that’s normal at all for bobwhite to pip on day 21 and then not hatch for another two days, seems weird to me but this is my first time with bobwhite. Thank you!

 

[007Sean]

Depends on the temperature of the incubator and how you started counting the days. The day you set the eggs is considered day 0, only 24 hours later does day 1 begin.
Do you have independent, calibrated thermometer(s) and a calibrated hygrometer in the incubator or are you relying on the instruments sensors?

Bobwhites take 23 to 25 days to hatch, day 24 being the normal incubation time.
If they are piping on day 21, then your temperature has been running a little high during the incubation.
This will cause them to pip early, sometimes they will rest for up to 24 hours before continuing....but not always!

Just make sure you're temperature is steady and you're humidity is around 50 to 55%Rh. at this point, don't try to make adjustments to the bator this late in the process. They should be 'zipping' soon.

 

[Bryce227]

Depends on the temperature of the incubator and how you started counting the days. The day you set the eggs is considered day 0, only 24 hours later does day 1 begin.
Do you have independent, calibrated thermometer(s) and a calibrated hygrometer in the incubator or are you relying on the instruments sensors?

Bobwhites take 23 to 25 days to hatch, day 24 being the normal incubation time.
If they are piping on day 21, then your temperature has been running a little high during the incubation.
This will cause them to pip early, sometimes they will rest for up to 24 hours before continuing....but not always!

Just make sure you're temperature is steady and you're humidity is around 50 to 55%Rh. at this point, don't try to make adjustments to the bator this late in the process. They should be 'zipping' soon.

Temp and humidity are perfect it just makes me nervous because they haven’t done any progress in a day now. Just a little iceburg crack in the egg and nothing since then. Candled one and was still moving and alive in the egg

 

[MGG]

I agree with Sean.
My bobwhites always take forever from pip to zip. I had one take three days one time. They're by far the slowest hatchers of anything I've ever hatched, and I've hatched a lot. Just give them time.

 

[MGG]

Is the membrane still nice and white? I usually up the humidity to 65-70% for my bobwhites at lockdown because they seem to dry out very easily.

 

[Bryce227]

Is the membrane still nice and white? I usually up the humidity to 65-70% for my bobwhites at lockdown because they seem to dry out very easily.

Yes I can only see the membrane in one that’s how small the hole is. It really isn’t even a hole it’s more of a pushed up little portion of the egg. The outside is cracked but that’s it on almost all the eggs. Humidity is at 70% for lockdown currently

 

[Bryce227]

I agree with Sean.
My bobwhites always take forever from pip to zip. I had one take three days one time. They're by far the slowest hatchers of anything I've ever hatched, and I've hatched a lot. Just give them time.

I hope that’s what the deal is then, does what I said sound like what typically happens with bobwhite?

 

[007Sean]

I hope that’s what the deal is then, does what I said sound like what typically happens with bobwhite?

Yes, and the next time you check they may have started to hatch out or are zipping, it happens that fast when they start zipping. It's like popping popcorn, just all the sudden it happens.

 

[Bryce227]

Yes, and the next time you check they may have started to hatch out or are zipping, it happens that fast when they start zipping. It's like popping popcorn, just all the sudden it happens.

Awesome, thanks a ton for all the information I really appreciate it!!

 

[Bryce227]

You all were exactly right. Checked at 2 am and nothing changed. Woke up at 10 am and there were 31 hatched out and more on the way