Help! stopped turning eggs too early

[aroostercalledBrownie]

Thank you!!!

 

[aroostercalledBrownie]

Yes, that's normal. It may take several hours before the chick starts to zip. Once you see an external pip the chick will often rest and take time to absorb the rest of the blood and yolk sac before proceeding to hatch. Once you see a pip you're in good shape though! Once they're getting oxygen there is very little worry and more of just a waiting game, it could be tonight, it could be tomorrow.

You may have heard that broody hens will eat some of the shells while the chicks are hatching but chicks do not eat their shells, they might peck at them out of curiosity while drying and waiting to go into the brooder.

Could you please explain what the chicks are doing when they wobble around? I would like to know.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Could you please explain what the chicks are doing when they wobble around? I would like to know.

Before or after hatching?

 

[aroostercalledBrownie]

Before or after hatching?

Before hatching, when they are in the eggs, sorry for the inconvenience.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Before hatching, when they are in the eggs, sorry for the inconvenience.

Not an inconvenience at all! When you see the egg rocking it could be a number of things but early rocking is often as the chick is rotating in the egg to get into position to hatch. You may also see movement when the chick is pipping, there is actually an area on the back of their neck that fills with fluid and gives them the strength to push through the shell with the help of the egg tooth which you may still see on the tip of their beak after they hatch. You will then see more wiggling as the chick turns in the egg and continues to peck holes all the way around the air cell in order to "zip" and push out. I hope that makes sense.

 

[aroostercalledBrownie]

Not an inconvenience at all! When you see the egg rocking it could be a number of things but early rocking is often as the chick is rotating in the egg to get into position to hatch. You may also see movement when the chick is pipping, there is actually an area on the back of their neck that fills with fluid and gives them the strength to push through the shell with the help of the egg tooth which you may still see on the tip of their beak after they hatch. You will then see more wiggling as the chick turns in the egg and continues to peck holes all the way around the air cell in order to "zip" and push out. I hope that makes sense.

It makes a lot of sense. Thank you!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

So how many chicks hatched for you?

 

[aroostercalledBrownie]

So how many chicks hatched for you?

So far, 2 out of 3! Can you tell the gender of them when they are chicks? they are pecking each other and I am afraid they are roosters. I wish I could tell because there are laws against roosters where I live. We found this out when the neighbors sued us last year.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

So far, 2 out of 3! Can you tell the gender of them when they are chicks? they are pecking each other and I am afraid they are roosters. I wish I could tell because there are laws against roosters where I live. We found this out when the neighbors sued us last year.

There are some breed that are autosexing or sexlink breeds that you can tell apart at hatch but for the most part it's just, wait and see. Pecking each other isn't because they're roosters though. Have you moved them to the brooder? It has been a long hatch so I just wanted to make sure you moved the babies to the brooder with food and water.

 

[aroostercalledBrownie]

There are some breed that are autosexing or sexlink breeds that you can tell apart at hatch but for the most part it's just, wait and see. Pecking each other isn't because they're roosters though. Have you moved them to the brooder? It has been a long hatch so I just wanted to make sure you moved the babies to the brooder with food and water.

I moved the first one into the brooder, the second one still has a wet spot on it's back. When can I introduce them to my flock of two hens?