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Guineas are starting to hatch. I have questions

Discussion in 'Incubating & Hatching Eggs' started by friskebluegills, Aug 6, 2010.

Most Liked Posts
  1. Aug 6, 2010 #1
    friskebluegills

    friskebluegills Chirping

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    Jul 17, 2010
    This is not the first time that I have hatched guineas, but I have some questions. Today is only day 25 and you can hear them in the shell pecking or moving. Plus 2 are broken open already. I found this out when i went to turn the eggs last night, since they weren't supposed to go into lock down until today. My questions are: What should the humidity read? I've kept it at 65 now am getting it up to 80. Their shells seem so hard. How long do I wait until I try to help them out? The ones that you just hear moving, could they have not obsorbed the yolk yet? I have a hard time keeping my husband away from them. he wants to help them right away and I know that's not good for them. We had 21 out of 24 hatch succesfully last hatch, but I'm afraid that we are doing it wrong and will end up having issues. My other question is why do you find some that have just pecked a small whole in the shell and other ones you come home from being gone for less than an hour and the shell is completly broken in half and their running around all over the place? Can they die trying to get out?
    this is the only part about incubating I don't like It's just so nerve racking. [​IMG]
     
  2. Aug 6, 2010 #2
    mrslb333

    mrslb333 Songster

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    Jun 15, 2010
    Halifax, Nova Scotia
    I was lokking up the same thing earlier and found this on the net, hope it helps [​IMG]


    I also found that the humidity was best at 60% and not increased just before hatch. I stop turning the eggs at 25 days and most hatch at 27 days, although they can be a day or two either side.

    After 27 days the keets begin to hatch. They need to be carefully watched at this point as old broken egg shells need removing from the incubator, otherwise they can get wrapped around a whole egg and give it a double layer, preventing hatching. Guinea Fowl eggs are 4 times harder than hen eggs which means that only fit, healthy keets will hatch. Sometimes keets need a little help after chipping, under the shell is a membrane which quickly dries out and traps the keet inside, I gently prise bits of shell off with my fingernail until the keet can get out of the shell.

    Good luck [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
  3. Aug 6, 2010 #3
    featherz

    featherz Veggie Chick 8 Years

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    Mar 22, 2010
    Saratoga County, NY
    All mine hatched very early, at day 23 and 24! I kept my humidity at about 70% but still had to help some out because my long hatch time made me have to open the incubator and I had some shrinkwrap issues. Guineas are just like that I think. [​IMG] I didn't help until after they had pipped and waited 24 hours AND after I knew I had messed up the humidity by over-opening the incubator.

    Oh and all the ones I 'helped' are doing terrific today!!
     
    Last edited: Aug 6, 2010
  4. Aug 6, 2010 #4
    bigdawg

    bigdawg AA Poultry

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    Jun 28, 2009
    middle tenn
    mine always hatch early. do not help them. trust me the one you might save will only shrink wrap the ones that havent hatched. been there done that. if its gonna hatch it will. i know its heart breaking not helping but just think about the ones you kill by opening it up to save one that might not make it anyway. i dont mean to sound cruel, but if it happens, you will understand what i am saying
     

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