Egg 'pip' - up the humidity?

Feb 17, 2021
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I am incubating 22 eggs and today is day 21. This morning I saw a faint 'pip' on the egg but I havn't seen the egg crack any more. Does the embryo take this much time after it's first pip? I am following the incubators instructions on the incubation process but I have seen some people turn up the humidity level on day 21 or when they see the first pip on one of the eggs... Do I bypassthe incubator instructions and turn up the humidity? If so, to what? I have it at around 70% humidity and 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit (the incubator instructions says to do so) Is it too late to turn up humidity? I'm so nervous!! Please help!
 
I am incubating 22 eggs and today is day 21. This morning I saw a faint 'pip' on the egg but I havn't seen the egg crack any more. Does the embryo take this much time after it's first pip? I am following the incubators instructions on the incubation process but I have seen some people turn up the humidity level on day 21 or when they see the first pip on one of the eggs... Do I bypassthe incubator instructions and turn up the humidity? If so, to what? I have it at around 70% humidity and 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit (the incubator instructions says to do so) Is it too late to turn up humidity? I'm so nervous!! Please help!
I wouldn't follow what the incubator Hygrometer, & thermometer. Usually they're off by quite abit.

Humidity is supposed to be boosted at around 55% - 65% at day 18 - 21.
 
So my humidity level is too high? I don't have a hygrometer nor a thermometer. Will the humidity level that I have it on right now affect the hatch? The Amazon reviews for this incubator( i just got it) says that it kept it's temp and was accurate.
 
So my humidity level is too high? I don't have a hygrometer nor a thermometer. Will the humidity level that I have it on right now affect the hatch? The Amazon reviews for this incubator( i just got it) says that it kept it's temp and was accurate.
Can't always trust it. Always confirm accuracy of the incubator with separate hygrometers, & thermometers before incubating.

I've made that mistake.
 
Unfortunately you cant believe what every thermometer or hygrometer reads. You should always calibrate to see. The temperature must be in the ballpark for the chick to make it this far on time. 70% humidity at that temp should start producing condensation on the window. If you don't see that then the hygrometer is probably a bit low.

I have hatched at 70% humidity when incubating at 40% humidity.

They can take a break after pipping to rest for a bit so that is normal.
 
What humidity did you use for first 18 days?
Did you candle and observe the air cell or weigh them?
 
They're supposed to pip - absorb yolk and blood - zip - pop. Pip to zip might take hours and hours (but no rule - they can go fast, they can go real slow).

Post a picture for the experts to see + see if you can see movement from behind the pip (a moving beak).

A question for the experts; Assuming that humidity was too high for the first three weeks, isn't it too late to correct that now? And; if humidity were too high for that long, wouldn't that mean that the chicks wouldn't be able to pip? I.e for the one(s) that has pipped, possible high humidity should NOT be an issue? 🤔

From what I read 70% is on the high side + once one hatch it will rise further (temporarily). If you have seen condensation/fog at any stage while at 70% then maybe the reading is accurate (if so ideal would be to reduce it to 60-65%).

If you have NOT seen condensation/fog at all - at any stage - while it has been reading 70% all the time, then the reading might have been to high and your real humidity might have been closer to what is normally recommended. In that case you do not want to reduce humidity.

Hopefully some experts will chime in, but I (as a noob that is) would say keep as is and watch what happens once your current pip hatches (in 0-24 or more hours). If you get condensation/fog when that chick dries, your reading is probably accurate. If you do NOT get condensation/fog when it hatches, then your reading is probably too high (they might be of by a lot).
 
For first 18 days I had it at around 50% and I candled but did not weigh them. I see a small spot of condensation but its very small. I can see the beak now of the chick and it seems to be getting ready to zip... but what is zip exactly? Is that where it's beak starts going around the egg, all the while making a little circle to pop out of? Sorry, new to this hatching business
 

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