Help! Immediate concern, egg hatching as I type.

[SummerTheAnimalGirl]

We added some water, humidity at 65 right now. How often should I manally turn the other eggs now that we removed the Roller?

Well, I’d say that depends. Have you had any more pips? Is that one done zipping? How is the chick? After that one is done hatching, candle the rest of the eggs (except the ones with pips, if there are any.). If the chicks fill up the entire egg (besides the air cell) or most of it, then stop turning those. The ones that haven’t filled up that much, keep turning. I turned mine 5 times a day. But 3 times a day also works. When you candle the rest of the eggs, how do they look? Are they all alive and growing? My best wishes!

 

[SummerTheAnimalGirl]

How has the hatching been going? How are the chicks?

 

[affacat]

UPDATE:

Our first is still trying to get out of the egg..is it time to help yet?

We candled all of them last night... More than I thought, we have 18 eggs in the incubator...

Only one seemed like it was unfertilized (can we still eat this one now?)

The rest all seemed viable (ie, looked like something bigger than a yolk or saw veins), with a couple seeming like they might be quite soon. We don't have the knowledge to really know for sure.

Our two broody hens each have another 4 or 5 eggs. None are cheeping yet.

 

[affacat]

Well, I’d say that depends. Have you had any more pips? Is that one done zipping? How is the chick? After that one is done hatching, candle the rest of the eggs (except the ones with pips, if there are any.). If the chicks fill up the entire egg (besides the air cell) or most of it, then stop turning those. The ones that haven’t filled up that much, keep turning. I turned mine 5 times a day. But 3 times a day also works. When you candle the rest of the eggs, how do they look? Are they all alive and growing? My best wishes!

Thanks for the tips, this actually helps us a lot because we weren't sure how to turn, etc. We probably weren't turning enough for the past 48 hours (since we removed the autoturner) but we will start.

We seem to have quite a staggered collection, but as posted just above 17 likelies. The first to crack is still in it's egg, but we read 48 hours isn't too unusual.

 

[affacat]

Baby chicks will eat anything they can get in their mouths until they figure out what is food and what isn't. I wouldn't risk exposing them to Styrofoam.

Before the eggs hatch a hen may be more attached to the location than the eggs. Moving a broody and eggs can cause some confusion for the hen and she may abandon the eggs and try to go back to the original nest. After they hatch she will be attached to the chicks and will be fine as long as she is with them. Once the chicks start to hatch you can move the hen, chicks, and unhatched eggs and she should stay with the chicks.

Another alternative is to wait until all eggs that are going to hatch have hatched and then provide them with an alternative nesting spot. The chicks should be able to get out of the nest safely even if it is several feet above the ground but they won't be able to get back in so they will need a new location at that point.

Whether they can get in/out of the coop depends on your setup. Can you post pics?

Ok, we will wait till the mamas hatch. This takes some stress off.

We are thinking we will use some netting and chicken wire to secure one end of the run, then just use the containers with shavings (no inner styrofoam). The weather should be nice enough the momma's will be fine, we think.

I will add pics in a bit.

 

[affacat]

Taken just now, hatching began when I posted. Slower than I expected.

I'm thinking these, in a secure part of run, will be the momma's new temporary homes. As per advice of @JubileeFarmer we removed the styrofoam insulation we had used for cat shelters and will wait until momma's hatch their eggs before moving.

We will also try to sneak in any incubator chicks to these mommas once they hatch. Any tips on this? We have introduced chicks to fake egg brooders before both successfully and unsuccessfully, but these mommas will hopefully have self hatched as well.

 

[affacat]

This is all quite unplanned, by the way. We have 8 turkey poults in our normal chick area, and a dozen meat chickens in our secondary, makeshift chick area, and didn't plan on hatching any eggers this year... And now we might have up to 27 new eggers. Life comes at you fast

 

[SummerTheAnimalGirl]

Thanks for the tips, this actually helps us a lot because we weren't sure how to turn, etc. We probably weren't turning enough for the past 48 hours (since we removed the autoturner) but we will start.

We seem to have quite a staggered collection, but as posted just above 17 likelies. The first to crack is still in it's egg, but we read 48 hours isn't too unusual.

I am very glad I was able to help! I hope the baby’s are healthy and you have my best wishes!

 

[SummerTheAnimalGirl]

And if you have any more questions I am happy to help!

 

[affacat]

And if you have any more questions I am happy to help!

I do. I posted this thread Tuesday morning and that poor chick is still in her egg. It's cheeping and rolling a bit as we speak.

Ivd read a couple articles and a help thread here that seem to suggest we needed to wait 24 to 48 hours before we help... It's been over that, now.

I also read, though, to be very careful opening the incubator too often to avoid hurting other eggs.

What should I do? Honestly, despite having reas a couple articles I don't totally understand how to help it more than hurt it.