First Hatching

[7Maples]

This is the first time we've ever hatched any chicks out. We have some that are starting to hatch but I'm not sure we know what we're doing. Today is day 21 and we have 5 eggs that have holes where beaks are poking through. Can hear the cheep occassionally. There's also another egg with a crack where one's poked the egg I think. What I'm really wondering is it okay to help them hatch? Just let nature take its course? If you help them hatch, do you just break little bits off or get them out completely? We keep going in every couple hours to check because our incubator doesn't have a good thermometer and no humidity reader thingy. Is there anything important to look out for in case they need help?

We usually let our girls hatch their babies out but we lost our good brooders to a fox before they could start hatching them out. So we took over. Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[bds613]

I would leave them alone. If you open the incubator you are risking shrink wrapping the babies because of the loss of humidity.

 

[BooBear]

Remain calm sit on your hands.
Only open if it is an emergency.
It can take up to 24 hrs from the pip to the zip. Zipping is fun to watch as it looks like they are zipping themselves out.

 

[7Maples]

24 hours! Oh my... I think I may lose my mind hearing those peeps and not being able to do anything!

I would sit on my hands but the peeping is getting my cat's attention and I have to shoo him off every time he thinks I'm not paying attention. He thinks hes so sly.

 

[7Maples]

So four are now mostly hatched. They're trying really hard to get out and really cheeping. One's not doing so good, for about 12 hours there wasn't anymore than a little chip out of the egg so we helped him out mostly. He's still hanging in there but not really doing anything more than breathing. I've also seen four more eggs showing signs there's life within!

 

[BooBear]

grats on the ones that hatch and hope the others join your new chickie family soon.