Guinea hatched in 21 days?

[bantiesrule]

This is the first time I ever hatched guineas. I started them May 7th and there is one hatched today! I don't see any other pips right now but I'm wondering if they will all hatch early or will it be another week for the rest of them? Anybody got a clue why it would be this early? I've kept the temp between 98 and 100 except for one morning when I got home from work and the power was out. The temp was down to 74 and I thought they might not make it but at least one did! I tried candling, but with the thicker shells I couldn't see if there was any movement.
Here he is:

I put him in with my OEG bantam that hatched on Thursday. He has a wider beak and bigger, thicker toes but otherwise he's smaller and longer.

Anybody know what color he'll be when he's all growed up?

 

[PeepsCA]

Going by the wide brown stripe and narrow tan stripes on his head that looks like a Pied Pearl Grey keet to me, adorable

Cute lil OEG Bantam too!

If your Hen that laid the eggs had gone broody on them a few days before you set them in the incubator that may explain the way early keet. Only other thing I can think of is that egg was in an exceptionally warm area of the incubator, and if that's the case it's lucky it hatched normally without any defects! 21 days is pretty out of the norm, occasionally I'll get one that hatches on day 23, but never on day 21.

Hard to say if the others will hatch early or not, you could have an all early hatch, or they could be spread out and last all the way thru day 28! Candling each egg with a bright flash light in the dark is your best way to try and predict how it'll go. It helps if you can use a piece of cardboard with a nickel sized hole cut in it taped over the head of the flashlight and then sit the egg on the hole that the light's coming thru, so it directs all of the light into the egg. Slowly/gently spin the egg around a little and look at different areas of the egg. The eggs may be completely dark and you may only be able to see light thru the air cell at the big end of the egg. The air cell may be slanted if they are close to hatching. If they still have a few more days to go you will still be able to see some light areas with possibly some veins being visible.

Good luck with the rest of your hatch

 

[bantiesrule]

There was another one hatched this morning and another pipped. I have a fan in this incubator plus I rotate the eggs when I turn them so it really couldn't have been a hot spot. I got the eggs from my sister's friend and it was a few days before she got them to me and I put them in the bator so I don't see how they could have started early. When I candle, all I see is completely dark. I hope that means the rest will hatch soon. I'd hate to have them strung out for a week.

 

[PeepsCA]

I'm not sure how far long the eggs can start to develop, then stop and start again before that kills the embryo, but apparently some early development is what has happened. But 21 days is so early!

Oh well at least it has some company. Hope the rest all hatch together for ya. Completely dark eggs is a good sign. Watch for slanted air cells and internal pipping to get a better indication of whether they will hatch on time or early. Good luck!