HELP! First hatch!

[Pennyfeather]

Hi everyone, after a disastrous first ever hatch where nothing hatched I decided to try again and now it's day 18 and one egg (of eight) has signs of external pipping. Mega excited! Isn't day 18 a bit early to be pipping out? Also I have read that a chick can be left in incubator for up to 48 hours after hatching. Is this 48 hours after first pip or 48 hours after being totally out of egg? Make sense? Sorry for being a dumbass but I just really want to get it right this time!

 

[ChicKat]

Congratulations.....

As I understand it, left in incubator clock starts ticking after the chick is completely out of the shell. I have even heard 72-hours......

Also I have heard that pip to hatch can easily take 24-hours or more. Be patient, "keep calm and carry on" --- LOL. Hope you will have a great success with this hatch. You also can remove DRY chicks during the hatch process, to the brooder if they are tramping on the ones that are still struggling to get out of the eggs. I have heard that very close to hatching chicks are starting to generate their own heat so incubator temperatures are less "sensitive". That said you wouldn't want a cool down.

What an exciting time.

There was a live-cam hatch in a class room where chicks were removed after a few hours (those chicks were dry). I removed mine before the final egg hatched..but it turns out it wouldn't have hatched anyway. I also had moisture building up so that chicks that had once been nearly dried started to moisten up again.

Hope you get lots of good advice and answers to your queston.

 

[bargain]

Your incubator is running a bit warm if the chicks are hatching that young. Yes, your chicks should make it about 48 hours. Please don't open that incubator and loose heat and humidity and great luck to you!

 

[Pennyfeather]

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wow speedy response thank you so much, so grateful to this forum!
Thank you for the advice, all really interesting info, feel more prepared now. Couldn't believe it this morning when I went to turn them for the last time and as I turned it there was a pip, nearly dropped it lol!
Hope you don't mind if a few more questions come your way over the next few days . . .

 

[Pennyfeather]

I promise not to open it! It has a little peep hole so I can spy on them that way ha ha. The temp has seemed to be very correct and constant apart from the last 3 days when it has risen half a degree. Not sure what the reason for that would be?

 

[ChicKat]

I'm like you....I have eggs that will hit day 21 on Labor Day..... :O)

I came to this forum with every question during my first hatch....like 'how long from pip to hatch' and lock down questions. You can use that search bar at the very top of the page and often get instant answers. I love BYC forum. LOL

 

[Pennyfeather]

Chickat- that's helpful thank you, will have a search through previous ones. Have you got any signs of hatChing yet?

 

[mulia24]

wow, congratulation..

keep it closed and running smooth. Don't forget to check the humidity too, they need high enough humidity at the end of incubation days..

and don't forget to share the pics.. good luck

 

[Pennyfeather]

wow, congratulation..

 
keep it closed and running smooth. Don't forget to check the humidity too, they need high enough humidity at the end of incubation days..

and don't forget to share the pics..   good luck

My humidity is at about 70%. That ok?
Will certainly try to get as many picks as poss!

 

[Margitas]

My humidity is at about 70%. That ok?
Will certainly try to get as many picks as poss!

70 is way to high , chicks getting so big and not able to move so they will die in the eggs.
first 18 day 40-45 last 3 day 55-60.
don't listen the instruction, this is my experience and i share .
Good luck