hard shells

[FoxhallFarm]

Hi there. Can any one shed some light on my problem please. I have 18 guinea eggs in the incubator which are due to hatch today. Having checked last thing last night with no sign of pipping having taken place, I checked again this morning to find 2 pipped but only 1 of these showed any sign of life. I don't like to intercede too soon but the live one seemed to be struggling and on the point of giving up. so I decided to try zipping the shell a little but when I tried this I found the shell to be very hard, harder than any other breed I have encountered. The humidity seemed ok. Is this normal for guineas? Please advise, thanks.

 

[DulcyDoll]

Guinea egg shells are extremely hard. I have incubated guinea eggs twice, they took about 26-28 hours after pipping to hatch completly. They will sit for a long while just with a small pip resting and absorbing the yolk. They do not all hatch like chickens, all around the same time. I had 2 pip at 7 am and the others didn't do anything for another 5-6 hours..

If you feel that they are in danger of dying, help a little, pick a few little pieces of shell off, and put them back. I've never had an issue with guineas not hatching on their own.

 

[rooster0209]

I have had issues with hard shells too on my first attempt.

The second batch wasnt as bad. I did have to carefully peel back the shell on a few but left the rubbery white casing alone. They usually made it the rest of the way out ok.

If it had been a long time and the beek had not broken the white casing and I could hear it peeping, I would open the casing at the beak area and leave it to hatch after that. ***Now I did end up killing a few in my first hatch by helping too much*** Follow this rule **step away from the bator

***

chickens hatch much easier

 

[Heather J]

It's probably because it's early in the season, my duck eggs shells are super thick the first bit too. I just hatched out 8 guineas, and they all managed okay on their own. Well, except the last one who zipped, then rested too long and got wrapped up in the dried out lining. I've had good luck with rescuing chicks and ducks if it gets to the point that the baby is too stuck to the lining to be able to hatch out. I usually leave them in the bator for longer though, because they need more time to strengthen up before adding them to the brooder with the other babies. I'd let it go at least until tonight if you can stand it, and then help as little as possible while still giving the keat a chance to get out on their own.

 

[FoxhallFarm]

Thanks everyone for your useful comments. Unfortunately so far only one other has pipped and isn't making much noise. Should I leave them to Nature or should I try opening the shells? I don't want to interfere too much if it might damage the keets but neither do I want to leave them to die in the shells. Please help, I have never hatched Guineas before. Incidentally, the one from this morning and has joined a bunch of 2 day old silkie babies under their Mammy.

 

[rooster0209]

If they haven't pipped, leave them alone. They will most likely pip over night.

I only help once they have pipped and seem to have trouble breaking the shell or the membrane is tough.

 

[Debbienmousey]

If you see that the membrane around the keet is drying out you should either wrap him in a wet paper towel, mist him with water lightly, or help him. It's very hard for a keet to hatch if the membrane is dried to him.

Good luck! (I have guineas pipping/hatching right now too!)