How long to keep unhatched eggs in the bator?

[jdgrell]

I just hatched one chick this morning (22 days). There are no chirps or movement or pips from the other 9 eggs. How long do I continue to incubate the other 9 eggs?

Is there a way to check them before I pull the plug on the process? I have heard people tapping on the egg or some such. Does that work, and what will it tell me?

The hatched chick is running all over the bator and rolling the other eggs around. I have not taken it out because the bator is in "lockdown", but that can't be good for the unhatched eggs?

Your knowledge is most appreciated!

Thx!

 

[Mahonri]

at the end of day 22, I will listen carefully to each egg. If I hear anything I will make the tiniest pip with a pin to the air sac so that they can get needed oxygen. If they haven't gotten out on their own in 4 hours after that I help them. I know most folks frown on this but I've gotten some pretty chicks that othewise wouldn't have made it. Some say I'm breeding weakness into the flock when I do this. Perhaps, but if they'd been under a broody mama instead of my imperfect incubator, they might well have made it.

If I don't hear anything at the end of day 22, I still make a small hole in the top (fat end) and look to see if there is anything alive.
Most of the time there is not and so I do an eggtopsy to see what they would look like.

A couple of times I did that and with the oxygen added the chick thrived and worked their way out within an hour.

Good luck.

Perhaps you can go to the feed store and buy another chick so your solo chick has company? you know, if none of the others make it.

 

[Dingo]

I usually wait an extra 2 days, then I open the eggs to see what went wrong. If they've piped and made no progress after 24-36 hours I usually help them a little bit.

 

[GrannysRoost]

Quote:
I am starting to think the same, at first I thought I can't do that....now if a chance and don't go overboard....I will...I got my last Bargain's silkie out that way, I helped a little and she popped out on her own

 

[Chinchilla2]

Chickens normally hatch in 21 days. A slightly cooler than optimum incubator can slow the process down to 22-24 days, sometimes 25. Since you have one that hatched on day 22, I would wait until day 23 and water test them. Do a search here on the forum for "float test" and follow the directions there. You only have to float them for about 30 seconds after the water stops moving. If that sucker goes bobble bobble bobble, wipe it off and pop it back in the bator.

I float test on the second late day and toss on the fifth day.

 

[cmom]

I usually leave them in the incubator until day 25. A few hatches ago on day 23 when I was going to take the 3 eggs that were left and toss them but I hadn't turned off the incubator yet. I thought I would candle the eggs first so I took them out and when I went to candle one it started peeping I turned the egg over and there was a little hole on the bottom that I couldn't see when it was in the incubator. I picked off the shell around the same line the chick would normally zip and placed the egg in a moist paper towel and a little while later it hatched. I was so happy when it hatched more or less unassisted.