Chirping from inside egg in incubator

[Tilly56]

Good morning all,

This is my first post - and I know that this question has been asked many times, but I'm still not sure what to do..... if anything!

I have a small incubator in my kitchen. This morning I noticed that there was a very small chip on the shell of one of the eggs, but it looks as if the membrane is still intact. There is no noise from inside the egg and it is not rolling. Do I wait? Make a hole in the membrane? Help the chick out?

I have also noticed chirping coming from inside another egg.... no cracks in the shell. Again - should I just wait?

This is my second batch and I think I did everything wrong with the first batch as only one chick hatched, but he did not survive and it was really sad!

My husband decided that the other eggs were never going to hatch (this was a few days after the one that did hatch) and got rid of them - however, on cracking open one egg, there was a fully formed chick inside and that made me feel awful.

I would be very, very grateful for guidance!!

Many thanks

Tilly

 

[rooster58]

I would wait and give it about 12 hours personally. Check if any progress after that. You didn't say what day this is though.

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi again - I'd suggest leaving it be, for the time being, but this link should be helpful - https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching

It's normal for a chick to chirp before hatch - no problems with that

 

[Tilly56]

Many thanks for both replies.

I just heard it this morning....so I shall be patient and wait - and keep fingers crossed!

I'll let you know what happens.

Tilly

 

[Tilly56]

Just HAD to come back and tell you that I have a third egg hatching in my little incubator!! I noticed a couple of bits of shell and when I turned the egg over, there was a hole in the shell - with this egg, the membrane is broken and I can see the chick's beak moving.... Am I right in thinking that I should not intervene (even if my fingers are itching to help it out!!).

Of the other two eggs I told you about, one is still chirping, but no pipping, the other no change.

Exciting!!

 

[Tilly56]

So - was in the kitchen and heard a loud crack and the chirping chick has pipped his shell. So now three pipped eggs. I reread the step by step guide and am going to be patient!

 

[Pork Pie]

Congratulations! Yep, keep yer mitts off 'em

Often times, chicks take a breather part way through hatching.

 

[Tilly56]

It's soooooooooooooooooooo tempting, though!!

Can I sneak in another question, please? One of my hens has 8 eggs of which one hatched, I think a couple of days ago (she's outside, so I didn't see it happen, just saw the little chick yesterday). She doesn't seem particularly bothered about the remaining eggs, leaves them all day - although she did go back to them yesterday evening until this morning. Do you think she has abandoned them? Wondered whether I should put a couple in the incubator with the others.....

 

[Pork Pie]

It's soooooooooooooooooooo tempting, though!!  

Can I sneak in another question, please?  One of my hens has 8 eggs of which one hatched, I think a couple of days ago (she's outside, so I didn't see it happen, just saw the little chick yesterday).  She doesn't seem particularly bothered about the remaining eggs, leaves them all day - although she did go back to them yesterday evening until this morning.  Do you think she has abandoned them?  Wondered whether I should put a couple in the incubator with the others.....

You can remove them and candle them / put in your bator - if you see any signs of movement. Even if you cannot detect signs of life, you have little to lose

 

[Tilly56]

I've taken a couple - I can't see movement, but the egg seems to be "full" with air pocket. So I'll see what happens.

The chick in the original chirping egg from this morning is slowly but surely making its way out. I'm going to call him Byc (pronounced "Bick")

Thank you again for your help

Tilly