I have 2 full incubators and a game hen setting on eggs. I have her "unauthorized" eggs that I got from her when I switched her eggs with ones I bought and put them in a bator - candling suggested they were about 2 wks old at the time..they've been in there 8 days. Tonight, we can hear peeping and I think I see a small "pip?" in one egg. How long does it take and when do I know if these guys need help? I turned up the humidity a couple of days ago, but I'm not convinced everything is o.k. What happens after you hear them cheeping? I am very ignorant on this. Thanks in advance for your help....
When you hear peeping, that generally means that they have pipped into the internal aircell, and you should be seeing pips in the shell in the next couple of days. Once they pip the shell, it can take up to 24 sometimes even 48 hours for them to fully hatch. It is best to leave the bator closed, and let mother nature take it's course. Good Luck and I can't wait to see pic's of your babies when they hatch.
About 24 hours after pipping. I for one very rarely help them out. Just wait you should be fine. You will have chicks tomorrow.
Well, 2 of 10 have broken through their shells!! They are mutts and I didn't incubate them for the first 2 weeks, but I am still excited! I'll post pics when their done. Also, since they are "free range" and in with my other eggs that still have 2 wks left, should I remove the other eggs to sanitize the bator and put them back in short time? You guys are great! I really appreciate having somewhere to go with all my questions!
Well, of 10 due to hatch with 24 others in the bator not due for 2 more weeks, one is pipping and one hatched while we were gone today, but was dead when we got home. I don't know what happened - he was just lying on the bottom of the bator. The other hasn't done much yet, though you can see his beak and a few feathers....nothing yet on the other 8 - I think I can hear peeping from one of these 8......
whats your temp and hum at ?? The one that hatched and didnt make it did he/she absorbe all its yolk sac ??
It's still air - temp at 102 - hum at 65% right now.... We have a hatch!! He's doing great, so far He/she has 4 toes on one foot and 5 on the other... We have 3 more pipping! Pics coming!!
Quote:I don't know how others think about putting eggs in at the same time that are weeks apart from hatching. For the last three days you have to kick up the humidity and you stand the chance of drowning the others. You can put eggs in that will hatch within days of each other, but those last three days are critical. It is best to space your hatches or have more than one bator.
LOL! Are you hatching silkies? I have a Dorking with 4 toes on one foot and 5 on the other... supposed to be 5, but it doesn't always work out that way. I'm sorry you lost a baby... sometimes it is nothing you did, they just failed to thrive. I lost two quail to that just the other day. It is possible there was something wrong with it that you just can't see. Congratulations, though on the rest of the hatch!