EDUCATIONAL INCUBATION & HATCHING CHAT THREAD, w/ Sally Sunshine Shipped Eggs

[Pensmaster]

I have another pip in the wrong spot! What did I do wrong, guys?

I was so excited about this hatch because they were fresh, local eggs. I thought this could be my 100% hatch. But now I have at least two malpositions.

The second one is in the middle of the egg, on the opposite side of the dip. The egg is rolled away from the others, because the chick that hatched knocked it around. Could the knocking and rolling have caused the chick to get misaligned?

And why are they taking so long to hatch? My last hatch, when I didn't know what the heck I was doing, they were all out (the ones that hatched) in 24 hours from when the first pip appeared. It's been 24 hours from my first pip, and only one is out! I have 4 pips, but 2 are malpositions.

Nothing you’ve done wrong. I’ve had upside down ones as well. They seemed to do fine. When a hen hatches her own they get rolled about quite a bit at the end.
I will say that I don’t candle too many times anymore. As Phage says once to cull duds and once at lockdown. I don’t draw lines anymore, or weigh them. Manually turning them needs to be done of course if you don’t have a turner.
What was this batch starting date?

 

[Uff Da]

Nothing you’ve done wrong. I’ve had upside down ones as well. They seemed to do fine. When a hen hatches her own they get rolled about quite a bit at the end.
I will say that I don’t candle too many times anymore. As Phage says once to cull duds and once at lockdown. I don’t draw lines anymore, or weigh them. Manually turning them needs to be done of course if you don’t have a turner.
What was this batch starting date?

Today is day 22. I started them on July 20.

So, without candling and weighing, how do you manage humidity? I was adjusting mine based on air cell growth that I tracked with candling and drawing.

 

[Uff Da]

OK, I think my pip-at-the-wrong-end needs assistance. It has been over 30 hours since it pipped, and the membrane is dry. I've read the assisted hatching info several times, and will take another look. But if it doesn't make progress by this evening, should I intervene?

 

[BullChick]

Moisten with oil, vaseline or water. Then slowly open where it’s pipped. Stop the second you see veins or blood.
If it’s trying, let it try. If not, and you’re not seeing danger, keep going.

 

[Pensmaster]

Today is day 22. I started them on July 20.

So, without candling and weighing, how do you manage humidity? I was adjusting mine based on air cell growth that I tracked with candling and drawing.

I check at day 7. If there’s any that are questionable as far as alive I put a ? Mark on them. At lockdown I’ll check all again. I usually run 40% first 18 and 60% last 3. It’s usually spot on for me.
But you are also fighting elevation something I don’t have to worry about at 400 feet elevation.
I used to draw as well but after a few hundred you just get used to how they should look I guess.

 

[Pensmaster]

Today is day 22. I started them on July 20.

So, without candling and weighing, how do you manage humidity? I was adjusting mine based on air cell growth that I tracked with candling and drawing.

I have you at day 21 with a start of 7-20. Unless I’m not seeing something right.

 

[Uff Da]

I have you at day 21 with a start of 7-20. Unless I’m not seeing something right.

I set them early in the day, so I was counting 7-20 as day 1, since they incubated the whole day. But it makes more sense in my timeline if today is day 21!

 

[Pensmaster]

I set them early in the day, so I was counting 7-20 as day 1, since they incubated the whole day. But it makes more sense in my timeline if today is day 21!

I would still count it as day 21. Just this morning would have been the start of 21

 

[Phage]

You may also need to take into consideration all the cooling that occurred each time you opened the bator to turn, and the multiple times you took out all the eggs to mark the air cells. That may delay hatch.
As for the dry membrane- it is going to get dry if the bator gets opened to check on it, as each time you do the humidity plummets inside the bator and that increases the risk of shrink wrappage.
I really do feel the longer you leave them alone now the better these and the rest of the hatch will do.
Usually the “not right” chicks won’t hatch naturally but these should be few and far between. Most hatching problems I find are are due to us messing with the eggs, especially in the last 2-3 days. Best of luck

 

[Uff Da]

Ok, both of my malpositions are out! I did help one of them, as it started zipping 15 hours ago. I pulled the half-zipped top back and then left it alone, and it came out an hour later. It has membrane stuck to its back, but I'm just going to leave it alone for now. I only opened the bator to help it out because the humidity was reading 96%. It dropped to 84% and is back to 89% now. The only other time I've opened the bator since lockdown was on day 19 (I thought it was day 20) and I just carefully candled one egg. So right now I have 5 healthy chicks out, and three more pipped. It doesn't look like I have any other malpositions, so I am content to leave them all alone until tomorrow!