Day 17 and no air cell

[Newchickgrandma]

I was worried about this egg because it had a slightly large egg cell, but I looked at it tonight and... there is no air cell! The entire baby is in the air cell! The egg when candled was almost entirely dark. I heard faint cheeps and thought it was tapping on the shell! What do I do now?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sounds like it's starting to hatch. First they internally pip, than externally pip, before hatching. I would leave it be. Not sure if you are using an incubator or a hen.

 

[Newchickgrandma]

Sounds like it's starting to hatch. First they internally pip, than externally pip, before hatching. I would leave it be. Not sure if you are using an incubator or a hen.

Nurture right 360

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Nurture right 360

I use hens so I'm no help with an incubator. Eggs can hatch early if the temps are slightly higher. They also can take 2-3 days to fully emerge sometimes. Hopefully someone more experienced with incubator hatching can help out.

 

[Newchickgrandma]

Progress! 1pm today external pip. So excited and hopeful

 

[Newchickgrandma]

One of our Sicilian Buttercup bantams went broody. So we gave her 3 eggs. Apparently one was unfertilized, one got eaten by another hen, and so while I was gone my son gave her another egg. Now there were 2 eggs a week apart. The last one from the first group was a late death inside the egg. This is my son's egg! Welcome to the world little one, finished in the incubator. Hopefully Mom accepts it! She has been sitting on 2 ping pong balls for over a week! I notice this one is trying to stand up so tall already

 

[Newchickgrandma]

Any advice for getting our broody hen to accept the chick?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Any advice for getting our broody hen to accept the chick?

I just stiff them under, and wait and watch. She should start talking to them. If she pecks or growls she may not accept them.