Help with hatching!

[chicken4prez]

One of my eggs is at Day 15 and I've been reading up on hatching but they're all with incubators and not broody hens. I've seen slangs like "pipping" and "zipping" and more. What do these mean? When my egg hits day 19 or so should I bring up a broody and the egg and keep an eye on it?

I'm totally new with hatching and I just want a sample of what to do and expect.

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

An internal pip is when the chick breaks into the air cell to breathe. It usually happens between Days 18-21. You will know if there is an internal pip if you hear the chick peeping, or if you candle and see a beak in the air cell. After an internal pip, it could be hours or days before the chick finally hatches.

An external pip comes after the internal. The chick breaks the shell - if it's a good pip it will be up by the air cell. It usually looks like a little bump. It might be hard to see. The chick could hatch a few hours or over a day after an external pip. They have to soak up the rest of that yolk and blood.

Zipping is when the chick finally comes out of the shell! They start at the pip and use their egg tooth to tap the shell, breaking it usually in a zig zag pattern going around the egg. They might take some breaks during this, but it usually happens pretty fast. Once they've gone all around the egg's end, they push the top off and come out!

I would leave the egg where it is. Broodies might abandon their nest if it moves.

Hatching is very exciting! I hope yours goes well - please keep us updated!

 

[chicken4prez]

Ok great!!!!


The hens hatching my eggs are new mothers though... do you think they'll know what to do and expect? Is it common for the mother to kill the chick?

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

There's a first time for everything - I've had many, many broodies hatch chicks and don't remember any killing their chicks on purpose the first time they hatched or any time after that. It happens, but it's not common. What is more common is the mother accidentally stepping on the chick.

 

[chicken4prez]

Ok KFG one of my eggs is hatching.... it's just an internal pip but...

 

[chicken4prez]

@TheKindaFarmGal

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

That's an external pip! You could have a chick within 12 hours! Is there a problem I'm not seeing?

 

[chicken4prez]

That's an external pip! You could have a chick within 12 hours! Is there a problem I'm not seeing?

It hatched successfully!!! Ahhhhh! It's so cute and tiny!

What should I do now? I blocked off my broody hen so she can't go out and hens can't get in. Should I give her some food? And what about the chick?

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

It hatched successfully!!! Ahhhhh! It's so cute and tiny!

What should I do now? I blocked off my broody hen so she can't go out and hens can't get in. Should I give her some food? And what about the chick?

Awesome!!

I'd put a little dish of water on the side of the nest. Make sure it can't spill and that the chick can drink from it. Dip her beak in just to make sure, though mom would probably show her anyway. If you have chick starter or an all flock food, put some in there as well. Mom will feed the chick.

 

[chicken4prez]

Awesome!!

I'd put a little dish of water on the side of the nest. Make sure it can't spill and that the chick can drink from it. Dip her beak in just to make sure, though mom would probably show her anyway. If you have chick starter or an all flock food, put some in there as well. Mom will feed the chick.

Ok great! I'm going to start making a brooder when some friends get here. I have to be extra careful because we have a neighbourhood sports game thing here this week and I don't want any kids sneaking off to look at the chick.