Day 21

[latb611]

This is my first hatch and we are now on day 21. Of course I would love it if at least one would hatch today since it is ny daughters birthday lol. My question is do I leave them alone or should I open up the bator and candle agai? I had seventeen go into lockdown. Of those 7 of them I for sure saw movement, 3 of them was unclear and the other 7 I really couldn't tell.

 

[AmericanMom]

This is my first hatch and we are now on day 21. Of course I would love it if at least one would hatch today since it is ny daughters birthday lol. My question is do I leave them alone or should I open up the bator and candle agai? I had seventeen go into lockdown. Of those 7 of them I for sure saw movement, 3 of them was unclear and the other 7 I really couldn't tell.

Personally as long as there are no external pips I do open and candle from time to time, but that is me, not everyone would agree and its a personal decision one needs to make on their own. 21 days is just a guideline, they can hatch a day before or several days after. Even if you candle and find an internal pip the chances of it hatching today is slim, it take 12-24 hours from internal pip to external pip and then another 12-24 hours after that to hatch.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Personally, I wouldn't mess with them until the end of day 22. 21 days is a guidline. I think at 21 days they need to be given uninterrupted time. However, like American Mom, I believe that things like this is a personal choice (wether the rest of us agree or not). I would advise that you take one thing into consideration though in making the decision. Your humidity. It is important to have your humidity up for the hatching. If you can keep your humidity up (past the least recommended range) and your bator can quickly get the humidity back up once it's opened or has dropped, then it shoudn't be muchof an issue. However, if you struggle to have high enough humidity or to regain your humidity after opening, I would not open any more than absolutely necessasry. Good luck with the hatch and as hard as it is, try to be patient. I know it's hard not knowing what's going on in there.

Here's something you may consider trying first: If you have a mobile device or computer close enough to the incubator, bring up a youtube video of baby chicks cheeping and play it. (I do this periodically through the day at hatch time and once my first one has pipped.) It motivates them to hear the chirping and if any have internally pipped you may hear it respond or you may see them move to try to pip.

 

[AmericanMom]

Personally, I wouldn't mess with them until the end of day 22. 21 days is a guidline. I think at 21 days they need to be given uninterrupted time. However, like American Mom, I believe that things like this is a personal choice (wether the rest of us agree or not). I would advise that you take one thing into consideration though in making the decision. Your humidity. It is important to have your humidity up for the hatching. If you can keep your humidity up (past the least recommended range) and your bator can quickly get the humidity back up once it's opened or has dropped, then it shoudn't be muchof an issue. However, if you struggle to have high enough humidity or to regain your humidity after opening, I would not open any more than absolutely necessasry. Good luck with the hatch and as hard as it is, try to be patient. I know it's hard not knowing what's going on in there.

Here's something you may consider trying first: If you have a mobile device or computer close enough to the incubator, bring up a youtube video of baby chicks cheeping and play it. (I do this periodically through the day at hatch time and once my first one has pipped.) It motivates them to hear the chirping and if any have internally pipped you may hear it respond or you may see them move to try to pip.

I have a room humidifier that if I am concerned and feel the need to candle I can plug it in and get the humidity up past what it reads in the incubator, I should have mentioned that, also your right, the less you mess with them at this stage the better chance you might have of a successful hatch. Patience is key here, hatching is not an exact science and to give them the best possible chance, leaving them be is best. . Great idea with the recorded chirping

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I have a room humidifier that if I am concerned and feel the need to candle I can plug it in and get the humidity up past what it reads in the incubator, I should have mentioned that, also your right, the less you mess with them at this stage the better chance you might have of a successful hatch. Patience is key here, hatching is not an exact science and to give them the best possible chance, leaving them be is best. . Great idea with the recorded chirping

I usually have 75% in my bator because I am not a Hands Off person. I remove my chicks periodically during hatch and if I feel it's absolutely neccessary I will assit, so I am more comfortable with a higher humidity. My bator regains humidity easily, (usually) and hold it pretty well. I love watching, especially the pippers, when you play chicks chirping. It's awesome to see their reaction and how it motivates them.

 

[AmericanMom]

I usually have 75% in my bator because I am not a Hands Off person. I remove my chicks periodically during hatch and if I feel it's absolutely neccessary I will assit, so I am more comfortable with a higher humidity. My bator regains humidity easily, (usually) and hold it pretty well. I love watching, especially the pippers, when you play chicks chirping. It's awesome to see their reaction and how it motivates them.

I shoot for 65 in the incubator and no, I am not hands off either, I remove chicks also..

It never fails, I always strain my back during the hatching period, My nose is stuck so close to the window its amazing I haven't just kept that posture lol. I will for sure start playing the recording on Wed or Thursday this week!!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I shoot for 65 in the incubator and no, I am not hands off either, I remove chicks also..

It never fails, I always strain my back during the hatching period, My nose is stuck so close to the window its amazing I haven't just kept that posture lol. I will for sure start playing the recording on Wed or Thursday this week!!

I know, I saw one of the homemade cooler bators (from like a store cooler with the glass front) and started drooling thinking how nice it would be to sit in the recliner and watch the hatching instead of bent over squinting....lol

 

[AmericanMom]

I know, I saw one of the homemade cooler bators (from like a store cooler with the glass front) and started drooling thinking how nice it would be to sit in the recliner and watch the hatching instead of bent over squinting....lol

If I even mention to DH making one of those he would for sure put 28 years of marriage in question

 

[AmyLynn2374]

If I even mention to DH making one of those he would for sure put 28 years of marriage in question

LOL

 

[latb611]

Ok so on to Day 22 now. No pips but I see movement when I play chick sounds at the bator. Really wishing they would hurry up lol.