help losing sleep first time chickener

[livelifebyluck]

This is my first time having chickens and I'm starting them from egg. They have been in since Nov 14 so any day now but I was told to put them in an egg carton so this way they wouldn't hurt each other once they start to hatc. Well my question is which way should the egg go skinny side up or down? I have had them skinny.side up should I change it or is it to late :/

 

[Quyen Le]

Air sack up, skinny side down.

 

[livelifebyluck]

Thank you so much I just flipped them(hopefully that wont hurt them) and i heard peeping so now I'm really wide awake at 4am

 

[nurse_turtle]

You may have problems with feet or other deformities due to having the eggs in there upside down. The chicks may have a lot of trouble opening the shell properly form the small end. Flipping them now will not make a difference. I place mine in egg cartons to hatch because it makes clean-up easier. The chicks will walk and climb all over the other eggs in the incubator, and that's okay. Were your eggs in an automatic egg turner or were you hand turning them? If they have been in since Nov 14th, they are already a week over due which is quite concerning. That would indicate that your temperatures were too low which can also cause deformities. You will not be able to help the chicks out of the egg during hatching because they will most likely bleed to death unless you have some experience doing that. I strongly suggest reading through the hatching page here in the learning center. Also, have you candled your eggs at all?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-and-raising-chicks

 

[livelifebyluck]

Probably should have stated they have not been in a carton the whole time just a day. I have been hand turning them 3 times a day, with a consitent temp of 99.5 nd humidty around 50-60 then I bumped it up to 75 these last 2 days. Yes I have candles and the lighter shells we saw a lot of movement. I did a lot of reading on the incubating and hatching page, so I'm a littte confused how are they a week over due if the incubation process takes 21 days? Did I miss read something?

 

[midwest]

They are not a week over due. Today is 21 days for them.

 

[chicken pickin]

Probably should have stated they have not been in a carton the whole time just a day. I have been hand turning them 3 times a day, with a consitent temp of 99.5 nd humidty around 50-60 then I bumped it up to 75 these last 2 days. Yes I have candles and the lighter shells we saw a lot of movement. I did a lot of reading on the incubating and hatching page, so I'm a littte confused how are they a week over due if the incubation process takes 21 days? Did I miss read something?

Sounds like you have everything right. Keep us posted as they start to hatch.

 

[aoxa]

They are not a week over due. Today is 21 days for them.

Tomorrow is due date.

 

[nurse_turtle]

I guess I shouldn't try to do calendar math at 3am. Due date is now indeed. I do hope you get some hatches even though the eggs were upside down the entire time. I don't mean to insult your knowledge, but remember to stop turning the eggs. Watching this post for updates! Very excited for you. Do you have your brooder all ready?

 

[Sally Sunshine]

This is my first time having chickens and I'm starting them from egg. They have been in since Nov 14 so any day now but I was told to put them in an egg carton so this way they wouldn't hurt each other once they start to hatc. Well my question is which way should the egg go skinny side up or down? I have had them skinny.side up should I change it or is it to late

Looks like they have ya covered!!! Anything else happening???

what breed are you hatching?


I have an article full of info, links and pictures...... it can keep ya busy reading and watching some videos of hatching and understanding whats really going on!
here is the link.....https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101

This is a paste of my notes, an interesting read while your waiting!!!
HOW THE CHICK EMERGES FROM THE SHELL http://chickscope.beckman.uiuc.edu/resources/egg_to_chick/procedures.html
The head of the chick develops at the large end of the egg. Between the 15th and 16th days, the chick orients itself so that its head is near the air cell at the large end of the egg. Not long before the chick is ready to attempt to make its way out of the shell its neck acquires a double bend so that its beak is under its right wing and pointed toward the air cell. About the 19th day the chick thrusts its head forward. Its beak quickly breaks through the inner shell membrane, and the chick's lungs begin to function. Complete breathing by the lungs usually does not occur until the 20th day of incubation.
Using its egg tooth (a tiny, sharp, horny projection on the end of its beak), the chick pecks at the shell thousands of times. Finally, the young bird pips its way through the shell and begins to breathe air directly from the outside. After the chick has made a hole in the shell, it stops pipping for three to eight hours and rests. During this time, it is acclimating its lungs to the outside atmosphere. After the resting stage is completed, the second stage of pipping begins.
The chick begins to turn slowly inside the egg. As it turns, usually counter-clockwise, the cutting edge of the chick tooth continues to chip away. In two to five hours, the chick has made about three quarters of a turn inside the egg. As the chick progresses in its movement around the shell, it begins pushing on the egg cap (large end). Squirming and struggling, the chick works feverishly for about 40 minutes pushing at the cap. Finally with a vigorous shove, the chick breaks free from the shell, still wet and panting.
When the chick is freed completely from the shell, it lies still. Its energy has been virtually exhausted, and it is extremely tired. After a rest of some few minutes, the chick begins to rise to its feet and gain coordination of its muscles. Within a few days the egg tooth, its usefulness over, will disappear.

After 21 days of incubation, the chick finally begins its escape from the shell. The chick begins by pushing its beak through the air cell. The allantois, which has served as its lungs, begins to dry up as the chick uses its own lungs. The chick continues to push its head outward. The sharp horny structure on the upper beak (egg tooth) and the muscle on the back of the neck help cut the shell. The chick rests, changes position, and keeps cutting until its head falls free of the opened shell. It then kicks free of the bottom portion of the shell. The chick is exhausted and rests while the navel openings heal and its down dries. Gradually, it regains strength and walks. The incubation and hatching is complete. The horny cap will fall off the beak within days after the chick hatches.http://msucares.com/poultry/reproductions/poultry_chicks_embryo.html