First poult hatch

[the simple life]

Yesterday was the 25th day for the White Hollands so I went to take them out of the automatic turner when I hear a peeping from one of the eggs, on closer inspection I realized one had already pecked a tiny hole in the shell.
My son was holding that egg and I hadn't even noticed when I handed it to him while I moved the others.
I quickly finished the transfer from the eggs and added more water for the humidity because I was afraid the one that was already hatching would become shrink wrapped.
Well it just hatched a few minutes ago, which is now the 26th day. It seems fine but I was very shocked to have one hatch this early.
I have had chickens hatch on the 20th day and even a couple on the 19th day but never start pipping on the day they are suppose to come off the turner.
I am very sure of the dates too because I have never hatched turkeys before and was a little anxious about it and had it all worked out on the calendar.
So anyway, I am very happy and also relieved that I haven't screwed up this hatch, I don't know why I was nervous about hatching turkeys when I have literally hatched hundreds of chicks, just that its something different I guess.
So anyway, has anyone else had turkeys hatch this early? It is a cute little thing for sure.
I have some Bourbon Reds enroute to my house right now so I guess by the time I hatch them I will be an expert

 

[chickenannie]

Here's a pic of a day old poult (Bourbon Red) from my hatch last year:

 

[the simple life]

Very cute, its amazing they can look so sweet and grow up to be so different looking.
I have had a few poults hatch now, the bourbon red eggs arrived this afternoon. I am letting them sit for 24 hours and then I will put them in the incubator, by then the other poults should have hatched. It looks like there are a couple pipping now.
Have you ever noticed that you can stare and obsess over one egg that is taking forever to hatch after pipping and then you check the bator again and there is a chick/poult walking around that you never saw a single pip in the shell?!
I swear I don't even see a pip and then then the little bugger is running around the bator.
It happens to me every single time!

 

[turkey guru]

early hatch incubators to warm!! tom 1/4degree

 

[chickenannie]

I let my hens do all the incubating, turning, humidifying, worrying, etc. Too much work for me, and they're better at it than I am! I still get anxious though and check in on her a lot. Usually I think oh dear, they're not hatching. Then I go out one day and see 10 or 12 little faces staring at me from under momma's feathery self.

I'm always amazed at how dark their eyes are. Like lipid pools of black. You can see it in the pic I posted.

Sorry, I haven't ever incubated eggs in a machine!

Here's another pic:

 

[the simple life]

Love that picture!

 

[chickenannie]

Quote:
Thanks!

 

[cqnguyen]

Hi,

I wanted to incubate some eggs too, what was your temp and humidity when you started incubating these turkeys?

 

[the simple life]

My incubator was set in the factory as far as temperature goes so I have never adjusted it but I believe its 99.5 and the humidity is suppose to be up around 60 percent but sometimes getting it there can be tricky for alot of people.
I stopped obsessing over all that and just fill the water wells and keep them full during the incubation period and as long as you don't open the incubator all the time then the humidity stays constant.
I have never had a problem doing it this way. I had more issues when I was constantly trying to adjust things going by the temp and humidity gages.