Day 22 Still No Pips...

[chickens38]

Hi,
I'm really looking for some help with my issue right now with my eggs.
I have six eggs in my incubator (xcellent global incubator; not the best incubator).
Three eggs are Dominique eggs from MyPetChicken.com, two of which that I candled looked exactly the way they should on day eighteen before lockdown. The other three are Easter Egger eggs from the same place, and again, two of which I was sure had chickens in them. Today is day 22 and I still have no signs of pipping, and I'm beginning to worry now. I have kept the temp steady at around 100.5 days 1-18, and I've kept the water and humidity steady. Should I candle them to see if there's any movement or just let them be just in case? I also set the eggs very late on the first day if that helps at all, somewhere around 11-11:30pm. I'd just like to know if there are any specific hatching rates for these eggs or if I should be expecting a hatch or not.
Please help!!!

 

[annmarie33]

The first day is supposed to be 0- so day 1 would be the following day you incubated around 11-11:30 pm. So you might not be on day 22 like you are thinking if you count the first night as day 1. This is my first time incubating and I didn't know that. But my small bantam eggs hatched early on day 18 though

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi

I agree with annemarie you may not be on day 22 yet. Day 1 is a full 24 hours after setting. Day 21 is just a guide and nothing is set in stone when it comes to hatching. Did you double check your temps and humidity with a seperate thermometer and hygrometer? I have read about the incubator you are using and it can't always be reliable on the readings it gives you. Have your air cells grown adequately? Have you got your humidity up to at least 65% now? If it were me I would leave them for now and see what happens, some do hatch later.

Good luck

 

[chickens38]

I did not count that day as 22, and counted it as 21 after I got your reply, and then I waited until today to judge whether or not I should REALLY be worried. Today is the real day 22, still no pipping, but however, if it means anything, one of them seems to be moving, one minute it's against the side of the incubator, and then another it's not. Another egg has also seemed to have gotten bigger, but despite these small specks of hope, still no pipping. Any more advice?

 

[chickens38]

Referring to my post above, do you have any advice?

 

[CGilbert]

Referring to my post above, do you have any advice?

Patience Give it to the end of day 23, then candle to see if they have pipped the air cell or can see movement.

 

[FarmerMac]

Patience Give it to the end of day 23, then candle to see if they have pipped the air cell or can see movement.

X2 , what was your humidity during day 1-18 and what is now? High humidity pre-lockdown is bad. Low humidity during lockdown is bad too.

 

[chickens38]

If I candle them at the end of today, day 23, and I see movement, will taking the egg out to candle it effect the hatch/growth?

 

[chickens38]

My humidity is definitely higher on lockdown than it was days 1-18, I'm just a bit nervous because I haven't used seperate tools to test the humidity percentage

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Do you think your air sacs grew adequately? Here is a chart ~

As long as they were there or there abouts they should be ok. Average humidity over the entire incubation period is key to good air sacs.

If you have no external pips it will be fine to get them out to candle. Opening the incubator after lockdown is a risk but only a risk. There is no way to tell for sure that any chicks would get shrink wrapped. There are many hatchers who open after lockdown with no ill affects. There is no way to tell for sure.

Your incubator may have been running slightly cool and that is why they are a little late in hatching.

If you have no action by the end by the end of 23 I would certainly go ahead and candle them to check for movement and any chirps.