First Timer!

[Micky D]

Ok this is my first time hatching eggs and I am on day 20 today and I woke up and two are peeping one is moving around a lot the incubator is set to stay around 99 degrees Fahrenheit and I have a bowl of water inside.

Just wondering if it is normal for some to hatch on day 20?

What should I look for to make sure they are healthy?

they are a mix of Jersey Giant hens and a mix rooster that I am not entirely certain of what he is a mix of.

 

[nchls school]

Ok this is my first time hatching eggs and I am on day 20 today and I woke up and two are peeping one is moving around a lot the incubator is set to stay around 99 degrees Fahrenheit and I have a bowl of water inside.

Just wondering if it is normal for some to hatch on day 20?

What should I look for to make sure they are healthy?

they are a mix of Jersey Giant hens and a mix rooster that I am not entirely certain of what he is a mix of.

It is not unusual for chicks to hatch on day 20; especially in an incubator. Do not open the incubator until the hatch is complete. It is very important at this time that the temperature and humidity not change. Should the humidity drop chicks might die in the egg unable to hatch correctly. Does the incubator have a window? Hopefully it does so you can observe what is happening.

 

[Micky D]

OK thanks it has two windows but I have other eggs in the incubator I need to turn so what should I do with them?????

 

[AmyLynn2374]

OK thanks it has two windows but I have other eggs in the incubator I need to turn so what should I do with them?????

How many days are the other eggs at? I often open my bator during hatch with no ill effects, but I take precautions such as making sure that my humidity is 75%+ and that it comes right back up after opening. There are varying philosophies and things that work with different people and as long as your methods are working for you, that's what matters. I'm not a big advocate of staggered hatchers with just one bator, but people do it. If your other (chicken) eggs are at least 14 days into incubation, they do NOT need to be turned. If they are less, then turning is a neccessity and thus so is opening the bator. My biggest worry would be the elevated humidity on the earlier developers and not opening the bator (as long as you have your humidity up there in the 70% range.)

 

[nchls school]

How many days are the other eggs at? I often open my bator during hatch with no ill effects, but I take precautions such as making sure that my humidity is 75%+ and that it comes right back up after opening. There are varying philosophies and things that work with different people and as long as your methods are working for you, that's what matters. I'm not a big advocate of staggered hatchers with just one bator, but people do it. If your other (chicken) eggs are at least 14 days into incubation, they do NOT need to be turned. If they are less, then turning is a neccessity and thus so is opening the bator. My biggest worry would be the elevated humidity on the earlier developers and not opening the bator (as long as you have your humidity up there in the 70% range.)

X 2

Or you could do this-when eggs are stored to be hatched later they need to be turned too. I put the eggs in a carton an then I put a small block under one end; a couple times a day I move the block to the other end of the carton in effect turning the eggs. What needs to happen is that the the embryo be turned enough so it does not stick to the shell. If that should happen the chick can not turn in the egg to hatch. Also if the eggs are not turned they do not develop correctly. Depending on your incubator this might work, otherwise, do as AmyLynn2347 suggests. Staggered hatches pose problems. I avoid this whenever possible.

Is the bowl situated so chicks can not get in and drown? A common mistake first-timers make sometimes.

 

[Micky D]

Well I have some egg put in every weekend as for the bowl I have it in the opposite side I have the peepers with a few eggs in the way and it is the same bowl my boyfriend's mother used with hers and it is the same incubator and I will be here all day so I hope drowning won't be a problem so I do have some that don't require turning but I have some that do!!!!!!!

 

[Micky D]

Just looked in and one chick is almost done hatching it just needs to get its butt out of the shell and it will be hatched!!!!!!!!!

 

[Micky D]

This is what the chick looks like right now it is finally hatched!

These are what the eggs look like!

 

[nchls school]

This is what the chick looks like right now it is finally hatched!

These are what the eggs look like!

Good luck. I hope you have many more hatch. Keep an eye on that water bowl. Chicks are quite capable of making eggs in the way move out of the way.

 

[Micky D]

thanks and I am it went over there looked in then left and has not gone back over there since and the bowl is as tall as the chicks back still don't know if they will try going in it but I am watching closely!!!!!!!