Help!!!! Opened incubated egg too soon! Chick's still alive?!?

[loveourbirds]

patience and nerves of steel LOL. getting through the first hatch without helping to soon is most people's biggest issue

 

[Cheyen]

Okay, I need some advice. I am new to this site, and I am hoping someone can give me some advice. I'm sorry if I'm not posting in the right place, but this topic is a "help" one, and I could use it.

I have nine chicken eggs in my incubator. One has pipped. In searching for how long the pip to zip process takes, I noticed that pictures of pipping and zipping had the eggs upright in an egg carton. I have my eggs on a layer of paper towel lying on their sides. Should I prop them up? They are on day 19. Have been out of the turner about 24 hours. The one that has pipped did so about 4 hours ago.

I have a classroom of second graders who are going to be thrilled if we are successful in hatching some chicks.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

People will always have different hatching methods. I, for one, always lay my eggs flat once they're ready to hatch, just like you. I've never had an egg that pipped that couldn't zip on its side. While some people do leave their eggs sitting up in a carton, remember that mama hens don't have cartons... and it's not like she can just squish them in her bedding and hope they stay up.

Your chicks should hatch just fine the way they are.

 

[kitkat2498]

Whew!

Thanks a bunch!

I guess at this point, patience is the key.

Lots of patience! The waiting is the absolute worst part. Minutes seem like hours and days seem like years...but the end product is so worth the wait

 

[kitkat2498]

Someone has way too much time on their hands!!!

adorable digs though! I just hate to see them poop on their lovely white carpet thou.

Their "carpet" gets changed out every couple of hours. Man,do they poo a lot! lol I'm thinking about changing to shavings...may be a bit easier to keep clean

 

[new2thisstuff]

I'm happy to report that three of our nine eggs have hatched! The first one took FOREVER... but when it started chirping, the next two came out pretty quickly. I'm hoping that some of the remaining eggs will take their sweet time so that my second graders get to see them hatch tomorrow. I have a video, but seeing the real thing will be even more exciting.

Thanks a bunch for your advice!

 

[kitkat2498]

The girls' box was looking a bit cramped, so I got creative..

 

[Cheyen]

You have way too much time to yourself.

That's too cute!

 

[Araucana16]

Wow. Well I have no time whatsoever to do something like that, but it's darling, and I'm sure they are happier than those who end up on factory farms... by far.

Where do you get all those wonderful little furniture pieces?

 

[kitkat2498]

You have way too much time to yourself.

That's too cute!

Is there any better way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon then building a giant dollhouse? lol

 

[kitkat2498]

Wow. Well I have no time whatsoever to do something like that, but it's darling, and I'm sure they are happier than those who end up on factory farms... by far.

Where do you get all those wonderful little furniture pieces?

Hobby lobby sells an abundance of doll house furniture. These were just pieces I had lying around the house,though.