First time hatcher help please!

[g30rg13]

Hi there

Long time chicken owner but first time hatcher! All our hens are pre-loved usually from neighbouring farms but recently chosen to specialise in rare breeds and hatch a few ourselves!

Candled the eggs on day 14 - one not developed so removed it from the incubator.

Day 20 - one pipped. Now on day 22 and after much debating and pondering and staring I decided to intervene and help it out of its shell. Long story short it was externally pipped for over 36hrs and membrane started drying out. I removed half of its shell and it eventually extricated itself from the rest. It's enormous! I think it was malpositioned at it was so big - it wasn't able to unzip.

It has been hatched entirely for about 1.5 hrs now, and is just laying on its side. Cheeping and breathing lots! Is this just exhaustion? When should it try and stand? Am leaving it to do it's thing for now but am worried about it because I did have to help it out. Does it take a while for them to stand? Have attached a pic


Also none of the other 8 eggs are showing any signs of pipping yet. I'm worried that by opening the incubator to help the first that I've disrupted the others. How long should I leave them? No other signs of chirping or pipping yet

 

[nuthatched]

Did you calibrate your incubator? What's your flock diet?

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

You would not hurt the other eggs by opening it with no external pips
Sometimes ones they struggle at hatch take a little longer to be uo running around
Your later hatch can be from temps lower then the bator readings
They can be off so it’s recommended we calibrate thermometers and place inside
You can candle those eggs in place to see what’s going on
Meaning don’t move the egg just take a light and set it to the egg moving the light not the egg
If babies are in position we don’t want to disturb that

 

[g30rg13]

You would not hurt the other eggs by opening it with no external pips
Sometimes ones they struggle at hatch take a little longer to be uo running around
Your later hatch can be from temps lower then the bator readings
They can be off so it’s recommended we calibrate thermometers and place inside
You can candle those eggs in place to see what’s going on
Meaning don’t move the egg just take a light and set it to the egg moving the light not the egg
If babies are in position we don’t want to disturb that

Thanks. I didn't calibrate the incubator specifically, it's got a mercury thermometer in it. But I do have a hygrometer placed next to the incubator and it gives the same humidity readings.

Thanks for your reassurance. Will give the others another 24 hrs before I candle them again

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Thanks. I didn't calibrate the incubator specifically, it's got a mercury thermometer in it. But I do have a hygrometer placed next to the incubator and it gives the same humidity readings.

Thanks for your reassurance. Will give the others another 24 hrs before I candle them again

How’s the little one doing now ?

 

[g30rg13]

It made it through the night! Still lying on its side though and not standing

 

[BastyPutt]

It made it through the night! Still lying on its side though and not standing

Hmmm. If say this is where it is a little concerning. Usually if I don't see some general movement in an hour or two, I can conclude something more serious is wrong.

Any activity from the other eggs yet?

 

[g30rg13]

I fished him out this morning and gave him a little drink of water and he seemed to perk up and popped him back in. He's up on his feet and moving around now -although quite wobbly!

Nothing from the other eggs yet no chirping / movement from just observing.

I will leave it another 24hrs I think and then might try to candle / float test the remaining eggs

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

It made it through the night! Still lying on its side though and not standing

A little water with some vitamins like Nutridrench or poultry cell may hejo as well
I would go ahead and check those eggs
It’s not going ti hurt them for you to candle

 

[g30rg13]

Just thought I'd share a pic of this cutie! Isn't he doing well? Just wish he had some friends to join him!

The other eggs have all developed this funny speckled pattern which has me doubting they're any good but planning to candle later on when it's a bit darker