Day 0 - couple of questions

[Scatterknit]

Early morning day ) -

One of my 7 is hatching - he's in there chirping and has a nice line started. I see one other tiny pip in a second egg but nothing yet in the others.

1. I can't see much in the incubator - it's small (little Brinsea). Can I open the top? Can I pick up the eggs and examine them? Even candle them? Or should I leave them completely alone?

2. If so should I lay them a particular way? They're all laying narrow end out.

Thank you!!

 

[Scatterknit]

Nevr mind I found the answer - don't touch them. That's what lockdown means! Duh!

UGH anxiously waiting.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Yup, hands off for a few days and let them do their thing. I take chicks out as they get balance after hatch but with a tiny Brinsea I don't think it would keep humidity high while doing that so would leave them until hatch is over then remove.

 

[Bryam]

Oh, so you are on Day 21, not day 0? Lol, nothing happening that you can see on day 0. Just, leave them alone, take them out tonight or tomorrow morning.

 

[Scatterknit]

No I'm day 0. Actually I'm confused about that. I set them on a Saturday. Shouldn't the hatch also be on a Saturday?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

No I'm day 0. Actually I'm confused about that. I set them on a Saturday. Shouldn't the hatch also be on a Saturday?

If you are counting down then you can call it day 0...lol Most of us count up. If you set on a Saturday then you expect to see hatching on a Saturday 3 weeks later, yes. However. 21 days is a guidline. Temps can and do effect how "on time" that a chick hatches. Lower than normal average temps (or eggs sitting in "cool spots" of the bator) can cause them to be slightly delayed. Slightly higher than normal average temps (or eggs sitting in "hot spots" of the bator) can produce chicks hatching a day or two early.

As for counting the days (in general) a chick needs 21 days OF INCUBATION. That is why when we count our days we start 24 hours AFTER they were put in the incubator. A chick doesn't have a days incubation when you set. You don't get a full day of incubation until after 24 hours, then you start your count at day one. After another 24 hours, you have day 2.

 

[Scatterknit]

Thank you!!