First Timer...LOTS of questions...

[AlivianAcres]

Someone please give me a crash course...I am not finding super consistent info...

I have a still air incubator without an egg turner...I know I should be turning at least 3 times a day...always an odd number....

do I let the eggs sit out 1 or 2 days before putting them in?

Temp at the top of the eggs should be? I have seen varying answers from 99-101...

Do I stop turning at day 17 or day 18???

its 21 or so days later that they hatch, correct?

What is peeping? Is it when the chicks start peeping inside the egg?

How long after that before hatching starts?

Average time it should take for the chicks to come out completely?

Should I help them past a certain length of time?




oh also, I only have 2 hens laying right now and 1 rooster (they are about 9.5 months old)....I am only getting 2 eggs a day, is it ok to date them as they go in and have a series of eggs in the incubator...like have all the eggs from 5 days go in and then hatching in succession...I assume this is ok but wanted to be sure

My rooster is my Americauna and then I have a Cinnamon Queen and a Red Star...will all the babies be considered Easter Eggers???


Thank you!!! <3

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

Someone please give me a crash course...I am not finding super consistent info...


I have a still air incubator without an egg turner...I know I should be turning at least 3 times a day...always an odd number....
Eggs must be turned. Even if you do it manually.

do I let the eggs sit out 1 or 2 days before putting them in?
This depends on if the eggs were shipped or not. Always be sure to bring eggs to room temperature prior to placing them in the bator.

Do I stop turning at day 17 or day 18???
Stop turning on day 18.

its 21 or so days later that they hatch, correct?
Yep. Most chickens take 21 days to hatch, though sometimes bantams hatch a couple days sooner.

What is peeping?  Is it when the chicks start peeping inside the egg?
I think you mean "pipping". There is internal pipping and external pipping. Internal pipping is when the chick pecks through the air sac located on the fat end of the egg and takes its first breathes. This is when you will begin to hear the chick chirping from inside the egg. External pipping is when the chick pecks through the eggs shell and makes a little hole using its egg tooth.

How long after that before hatching starts?
From pip to hatch can be up to 24 hours- sometimes a little longer, sometimes sooner.

Average time it should take for the chicks to come out completely?  

Should I help them past a certain length of time?
It really depends on the situation. Try not to help unless absolutely necessary. Before hatch, chicks need to absorb their yolk sac which is full of essential nutrients for the chick. By helping chicks too soon you can potentially puncture the yolk sac-which could be fatal to chicks.




oh also, I only have 2 hens laying right now and 1 rooster (they are about 9.5 months old)....I am only getting 2 eggs a day, is it ok to date them as they go in and have a series of eggs in the incubator...like have all the eggs from 5 days go in and then hatching in succession...I assume this is ok but wanted to be sure
As long as the eggs are set at the same time. Never do staggered hatches.

My rooster is my Americauna and then I have a Cinnamon Queen and a Red Star...will all the babies be considered Easter Eggers???


Thank you!!! <3

 

[Sweetlilbaby]

Okay for still air incubators (see instructions first) i do 99.5 F Make sure to measure humidity as well. Humidity i keep between 35 and 45.
Turn eggs 3 times daily (or buy an egg turner)
Stop turning on day 18 (same time of day that you put eggs in the incubator)
It takes About 21 days to hatch.
when a chick internally pips it gets into it's aircell, When it "pips" it has started to break out of the egg (made a small hole)
From pip to out of shell can take 1 minute to 12+ hours. It depends on the chick
NEVER help a chick out of it's shell. If you do you will likely kill it or injure it. If it cannot get out of it's shell there is likely something wrong with the chick.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Sounds like they have you covered!

come over and say hello a bunch of us have eggs in...... and we have serama in this week and adding a bunch of others next week too!! we are on thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/704328/diary-notes-air-cell-detatched-shipped-eggs ya all are welcome to come say hello and join us! Plus most info from the thread is saved in an article at https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101 ALOT of INFO in the ARTICLE!!! its alot easier than reading the entire thread! LOL

 

[AlivianAcres]

Thanks for the great answers! I can NOT wait to get started!!!

 

[stevetone]

I would just add that where you measure the temperature is important in a still air incubator. Most measure at the top of the egg, which would be the warmest part in most incubator setups. The bottom of the egg may be as much as 1-3 F cooler than the top.

I have used 101 F in a still-air incubator with success, measured at the top surface of the egg.

99.5 F is the usual recommendation for a fan-circulated incubator. If you use 99.5 at the top of the egg in a still-air incubator, the egg will likely be too cold for optimum development.