First pips!

[schambo]

I'm just really excited! This is my first attempt incubating eggs. It's more of a fertility test than anything, to see if my blue copper marans boy has the goods, and to practice with my incubator. I set 6, at day 18 two were obviously not viable on candling and 3 seemed good, and one seemed good but farther behind? I don't seem to have a lot of luck with candling, maybe because of the brown eggs? I don't really see much.

Anyway, this morning (day 20) two were peeping, and this afternoon two had pipped!!! I'm so excited!

You can’t make out the pips in the photos, but I promise they're there!

 

[Debbie292d]

Wow, congrats! Keep us posted. We'll want pictures!

 

[schambo]

Two babies overnight, and a third pip! If #3 comes out, that will give me a 50% hatch rate, which isn't GOOD, but isn't bad for a first attempt!

 

[schambo]

Okay, so #3 has looked like this for at least 2 hours, and still isn’t out. They’re still moving a bunch and trying to push. At what point do I intervene? Their siblings have knocked them about a bit, will that make a difference?

 

[HappyHippyChick]

Okay, so #3 has looked like this for at least 2 hours, and still isn’t out. They’re still moving a bunch and trying to push. At what point do I intervene? Their siblings have knocked them about a bit, will that make a difference?

let them be. intervention probably not a good idea

 

[schambo]

She made it! I gave her a little help before bed and loosened up the top - the shell of the egg was unusually hard and thick - and she pushed out sometime overnight.

 

[schambo]

3 chicks hatched out of 6!

Now cross your fingers that after all that, they're girls!

 

[Debbie292d]

Okay, so #3 has looked like this for at least 2 hours, and still isn’t out. They’re still moving a bunch and trying to push. At what point do I intervene? Their siblings have knocked them about a bit, will that make a difference?

Congrats! For future though, they can take up to 24 hours from pip to hatch. Some of mine pop right out so fast it shocks me, and others have taken about 8 hrs, never longer though.