How long between chicks? *Updated again post #15!

[PotterWatch]

I'm wondering how long of a time usually passes between chicks hatching. We had one hatch last night around 7, another hatch this morning around 7, and then another one hatch around noon. There are no other pips or anything in the other 18 eggs. Is my hatch probably done or can there be that big of a spread between hatch times?

 

[Akane]

It depends. If you are using a still air and pack it with eggs the ones on the edges will hatch later than the ones in the middle due to temp differences. My still air can have as much as a 6F difference between on the eggs in the center and on the mesh along the edge. If you don't rotate them from the edge to the middle while incubating they can hatch days apart.

If you just have one pip and possibly hatch early it's usually because they skipped the air sac. Sometimes a chick will not get lined up right and break right through the side of the egg. They can be 12-24hour ahead of the rest if they do that.

Sometimes if you get all the temps even and all the chicks hatch the correct way they'll all pop out within minutes of each other and your hatch will be over in a couple hours.

 

[Chef]

Hey Heather... I would give it until tomorrow just for the heck of it. It wont hurt to let them go one more day and you never know you may get a few more. Usually I just end up cracking a small hole in the fat end of the egg to see if they are still alive. You can also hold the egg up to your ear to see if you hear any peeping. I figure I might as well help if its getting to late. At least its worth a try. Good to hear you hatched a few babies! I hope you get some more

Good Luck!


Chef

 

[beverlyl]

I am on my first hatch....so this is in noway an expert opinion, my first egg hatched on Saturday morning and I have two pipping now. I had some hatch Saturday, some on Sunday, and two yesterday. I am going to let them go till tomorrow afternoon before I toss.

 

[PotterWatch]

Thanks everyone. I will definitely let these sit until tomorrow at the earliest and probably until Thursday afternoon. This is only day 21 so I hope I will get at least a couple more to hatch. I'm really glad to have gotten the three so far and I can't wait to get a better incubator and have a better hatch next time.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I'd give it more time. (although not an expert, obviously) My first pip was Friday and my last one hatched Saturday night at about 11pm.

 

[PotterWatch]

The more time that passes without any more pips, the more I'm thinking my hatch is done. At candling on day 18, there were five that had no descernible movement (one of these hatched), 2 that had movement but looked like they weren't nearly as developed, and 14 that had great movement and filled most of the egg (two of these hatched). So what could cause so many that looked good on day 18 to not hatch?

 

[PotterWatch]

Just wanted to add; the three chicks that did hatch seem strong and healthy. I'm assuming I would get a better hatch with a better incubator, I'm just curious what about this hatch probably caused the late demise of so many chicks.

 

[jenjscott]

I had a chick hatch as late as day 24, don't count them out yet.

 

[Jolynn191978]

I had no pipps, nothing until day22. Then, all of a sudden , I have 4 chicks hatch out. Don't count them out until day 24.