Hands on hatching and help

[green egg]

Hatching puzzle I could use some help with.Today is day 21. Half the eggs in my incubator are mine and 1/2 a friends. Hers hatched out easy and started at day 20. All in brooder now. Mine are still working at it very slowly. I just have pipping in 5 of 6 chicks and it has taken all day, and now one chick starting to work its way out. All my eggs pipped in the middle away from the air space and none of hers did? Hers all at the correct end.
No real difference in egg size or age of eggs. I have never had all pip in the wrong areas. I am giving mine the night to see if they can hatch on their own as they do not seem to be in distress at all and have air holes except for the unpipped one. I am just leaving the unpipped egg alone as I would have no idea of how to help with no pipping.
Does anyone know what the problem with my eggs might be?

The only thing I can think of is that my shells are much harder and hers were more breakable. I am wondering if it is a diet issue of some kind. Could the hard shells be the problem. Does it explain all pipping in the middle ?
All of the eggs were turned the same and I have circulated air so it shouldn't be the temperature or any other variable I can think of?
I am really baffled and would like to know how to not have this happen again.

 

[Sarkchick]

Hi guys. Just wanted to let you know that this thread is great. I also have a hard time not candling or opening bator to take out hatched chicks/lings. I have had a lot of help from some on this thread. Thank you so much.
I have 2 batches of shipped ducklings in bator now. First are Runners from Idahl on day 9.

And Silver Welsh Harlequins from NC on day 7. They had a rough trip.

I have veining in 18 of 21 Runners and 8 of 12 SWH. These are my first shipped eggs. I have read that shipped eggs may need extra
help hatching. So I will be calling on you all in about 3weeks.
Linda

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Hatching puzzle I could use some help with.Today is day 21. Half the eggs in my incubator are mine and 1/2 a friends. Hers hatched out easy and started at day 20. All in brooder now. Mine are still working at it very slowly. I just have pipping in 5 of 6 chicks and it has taken all day, and now one chick starting to work its way out. All my eggs pipped in the middle away from the air space and none of hers did? Hers all at the correct end.
No real difference in egg size or age of eggs. I have never had all pip in the wrong areas. I am giving mine the night to see if they can hatch on their own as they do not seem to be in distress at all and have air holes except for the unpipped one. I am just leaving the unpipped egg alone as I would have no idea of how to help with no pipping.
Does anyone know what the problem with my eggs might be?

The only thing I can think of is that my shells are much harder and hers were more breakable. I am wondering if it is a diet issue of some kind. Could the hard shells be the problem. Does it explain all pipping in the middle ?
All of the eggs were turned the same and I have circulated air so it shouldn't be the temperature or any other variable I can think of?
I am really baffled and would like to know how to not have this happen again.

Shell quality could definitely be a factor and yes, nutrition of layers can be a factor in that. (I still find this fascinating.) Have you ever checked your bator for hot/cool spots. If one side of your bator is warmer than the other, and hers were grouped together on a warmer side/spot that could attribute to the time difference in hatching.

Pipping in the middle doesn't always mean that they have pipped below the air cell. After lockdown the air cells generally draw down on one side and believe it or not sometimes they draw down half way down the egg. So they could be in the air cell still. Only way to know for sure is to candle, but regardless I'd give them the 18-24 before starting an assist.

This is a fascinating case.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Hi guys. Just wanted to let you know that this thread is great. I also have a hard time not candling or opening bator to take out hatched chicks/lings. I have had a lot of help from some on this thread. Thank you so much.
I have 2 batches of shipped ducklings in bator now. First are Runners from Idahl on day 9.





And Silver Welsh Harlequins from NC on day 7. They had a rough trip.





I have veining in 18 of 21 Runners and 8 of 12 SWH. These are my first shipped eggs. I have read that shipped eggs may need extra
help hatching. So I will be calling on you all in about 3weeks.
Linda

Good development! Welcome to the thread and good luck!

 

[RubyNala97]

Hi guys. Just wanted to let you know that this thread is great. I also have a hard time not candling or opening bator to take out hatched chicks/lings. I have had a lot of help from some on this thread. Thank you so much.
I have 2 batches of shipped ducklings in bator now. First are Runners from Idahl on day 9.

And Silver Welsh Harlequins from NC on day 7. They had a rough trip.

I have veining in 18 of 21 Runners and 8 of 12 SWH. These are my first shipped eggs. I have read that shipped eggs may need extra
help hatching. So I will be calling on you all in about 3weeks.
Linda

Those air cell shapes look great for shipped eggs!! So glad you got a good batch and usps didn't play soccer with the box!

Shell quality could definitely be a factor and yes, nutrition of layers can be a factor in that. (I still find this fascinating.) Have you ever checked your bator for hot/cool spots. If one side of your bator is warmer than the other, and hers were grouped together on a warmer side/spot that could attribute to the time difference in hatching.

Pipping in the middle doesn't always mean that they have pipped below the air cell. After lockdown the air cells generally draw down on one side and believe it or not sometimes they draw down half way down the egg. So they could be in the air cell still. Only way to know for sure is to candle, but regardless I'd give them the 18-24 before starting an assist.

This is a fascinating case.

X2. Took the quote away because you covered both things I was gonna say!

 

[ShanandGem]

Well, we have 2 external pips with membranes still intact! Looks like it 's going to be a loooong night. lol

 

[Sarkchick]

Good development! Welcome to the thread and good luck!

Thank you. I read so may articles on incubating shipped eggs that they all ran together in my mind. So I left them sitting, just looking at them. I was so afraid
To touch them. But so far so good.
Again, I enjoy this thread. Good information.
Linda

 

[green egg]

Thanks. I have a small incubator that circulate air. I did have them divided on the two sides so I could easily keep track. It could be that perhaps.
My eggs were Ameraucana and the others were EEs. I wonder if it could be related to breed.Just don't know. Will see tomorrow how it looks

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Well, we have 2 external pips with membranes still intact! Looks like it 's going to be a loooong night. lol

How's it looking this morning???

Thanks. I have a small incubator that circulate air. I did have them divided on the two sides so I could easily keep track. It could be that perhaps.
My eggs were Ameraucana and the others were EEs. I wonder if it could be related to breed.Just don't know. Will see tomorrow how it looks

I have circulated too and I still have prominent hot/cold spots and if I don't keep the mass balanced out between sides of the bator, the side with the less mass will run hotter.(LG9300) so I have to make sure that the eggs are balenced and not in a known ""hot or cool" spot for the entire incubation.

 

[ShanandGem]

This morning I have one beautiful strong baby who hatched very quickly and three more on the way! The other 7 eggs aren't doing a thing so far but the day is young.
I moved the first chick to the brooder but he cries unless he can sleep on my hand. He needs a sibling to hatch!