Day 21 - first hatching & worried!

[JediJinx]

Newbie here! So it is Day 21 of incubating. I am using a Hovabator with forced air. I added a little extra water on days 18-19-20, and water candled on day 18. 10/11 eggs were moving in the water. Yesterday (day 20-21) one tiny chick hatched (way smaller than I have seen chicks!). It piped and hatched out within one hour and was super feisty all last night. It was amazing, my little 6 year old got it hatching out on video! I also heard peeps from at least one other egg, so I know there is/was life.

I had the eggs all laying down, but since the little chick was knocking into them and rolling them all around, I set them up in an egg tray. Is this OK??? I saw a youtube video where someone set her eggs in a tray and they hatched out like that, so I thought it was ok, but maybe it will hinder them???

When I awoke this morning, the chick is still fine, but there are no other pips in the other eggs. Do you think it is ok to leave them set in the tray? Should I leave the one chick in there? The humidity is dropping so I am going to probably have to add water sometime this morning. Any thoughts?? TIA

 

[bobbi-j]

By egg trays, do you mean egg cartons? I have hatched both ways and they will hatch in the carton or laying down. Do you hear any peeping or anything? I'd let them be for at least a couple of more days. If the chick is dry and fluffy you could take it out when you add more water.

 

[JediJinx]

Yes, egg cartons. So far, there are three hatched, one that is piped, and 7 eggs that are sitting there with no pips. I do hear some peeping from inside the egg, but I think it is the one that is piped.

I was just worried that the egg carton set up might mess them up - constrain them as they maneuver out of the shells. ??

Does the size of the egg have anything to do with the time it takes to hatch? The 3 that hatched were pretty small eggs, the others are more normal size. The chicks are TINY. Not quite half the size I was expecting for the breed.

 

[ginbart]

Do not open the bator. did you cut up the egg carton so there were holes in it? No the size of the egg has nothing to do with the time it takes to hatch. It takes 21 days for chickens, but, I would give them a couple more days. If you moved them after day 18 it may take them a while to figure out what way is up. And you have the small end at the top right?

 

[JediJinx]

I thought the air cell (large end) goes up. Still have just three chicks out and one pipping. The one that is piping is still alive, I can see the hole moving from time to time, but it has not started unzipping (been about 8 hours like this.) Humidity is around 75%.

No there are not holes in the tray - however, the eggs are not fully seated so there is some air space since they are smaller than a large egg size. I did not think to do this - ugh

I realize all the moving things around may have jeaparodized the hatch. Hopefully we will get at least the one pipping out.

 

[JediJinx]

Oh, and I forgot to ask - if you cannot move them at all after Day 18, then why is it safe for the other chicks to knock them around? Does a brooding hen keep them still later into incubation? Do other people leave their eggs in the turner at level position? I have read this somewhere, but I was concerned that the hatched chicks would get tangled up in the turner. Sorry for all the questions, just very curious!

 

[darkbluespace]

The fat end definitely goes up!

 

[JediJinx]

Ok, now it's Day 22-23 (I started these 3 wks ago on a Thurs evening). Four of 10 eggs have hatched. The #1 and #2 chicks are doing great. #3 is weak and not moving much. These three are in a small brooder. The 4th chick hatched late last night, so he is still in the incubator. There is one egg with a pip on it (15 hrs), but not much movement. The remaining eggs are not doing anything.

Any advice? Just wait?

 

[WeeNicole]

Wait. Im also on day 23 and have had a hatch from hell (see thread below)

Anyway I was going to call quits this morning then noticed 2 pips in eggs I thoight wers goners. One Iis zipping now.

Just give it a little more time as these things happen

 

[darkbluespace]

Can you give chick #3 some combination of yogurt/hard boiled yolk/brewers yeast/vitamin water to a runny consistency and see if that perks it up some?