I NEED HELP!!!!

[Christina1071]

I have a chicken egg in my incubator that is now on day 22 today. Last night I checked the egg and it was chirping and pecking on the egg so I know it got through to the air pocket so I put it back in the incubator to do its thing... This morning I checked on the egg and it was silent and no more pecking. I candled it and didn't see any movement and the baby didn't make a hole in the egg to get out... I hate to ask this but I need to know. Did it die overnight or should I do something or what ??? This is the first time I have incubated eggs and I'm freaking out!!! Please help!!!

 

[Pyxis]

Take a small sharp drill bit or a screw and gently make a hole in the top of the air cell. Then you can look inside to see if the chick is alive or not and we can go from there.

 

[PD-Riverman]

I have a chicken egg in my incubator that is now on day 22 today. Last night I checked the egg and it was chirping and pecking on the egg so I know it got through to the air pocket so I put it back in the incubator to do its thing... This morning I checked on the egg and it was silent and no more pecking. I candled it and didn't see any movement and the baby didn't make a hole in the egg to get out... I hate to ask this but I need to know. Did it die overnight or should I do something or what ??? This is the first time I have incubated eggs and I'm freaking out!!! Please help!!!

I had that to happen a lot in my earlier days of incubating. I figured out opening the incubator Here where I live caused a lot of deaths in my eggs. Some say it does not hurt them to open at will. I do nothing different now except for Not opening the incubator for Nothing---NOTHING-- till all the eggs that are going to hatch----have hatched-----usually day 22----Now I have great hatches----100% many times. Might not be your problem----might could be something you can try next time. Good Luck!

 

[Christina1071]

How can you tell if it is alive or not from a tiny hole?

 

[PD-Riverman]

How can you tell if it is alive or not from a tiny hole?

As long as it does not start bleeding you can break more of the shell away. Problem is if its not ready to hatch breaking it our can cause problems. That's your call. I feel if you can not hear it anymore---its either to week or has passed. I have never tried to help a unpipped egg hatch---I feel if it has not pipped---something is wrong with it anyway. Good Luck

 

[Pyxis]

How can you tell if it is alive or not from a tiny hole?

You can break more of the shell off if you're having trouble seeing. As long as you stick to just breaking pieces off from the air cell area, you will not cause it to bleed.

 

[Christina1071]

Sadly the baby died guys I'm going to try again and see how it goes so I'm trying to stay positive

 

[PD-Riverman]

Sadly the baby died guys I'm going to try again and see how it goes so I'm trying to stay positive

I am sorry. It happens---I hatched over 6000 chicks in a little over a year----I had some eggs and chicks that did not make it for sure.

Stay Positive and at least re-read my post #3 above and give it some thought. Good Luck

 

[Christina1071]

I am definitely going to try not to open it as much + I think my humidity was too high... Do you know what the best level is to keep it at by chance in Oklahoma?

 

[PD-Riverman]

I am definitely going to try not to open it as much + I think my humidity was too high... Do you know what the best level is to keep it at by chance in Oklahoma?

I never lived in your state, but if I moved there tomorrow, my first hatch would be around 75% the last 3 days and see how it goes.

Edited to add----for me there is no reason to open the last 3 days----I got to where I do not open till some time around mid morning of day 22. If I need to add water its done through a vent hole with a tube any syringe. I went from hardly none hatching to real high hatch %. Several of my family and friends had the same problem and they tried what I do and started having great hatched. Like I said above----this might not effect you at all, but it does here! If a chick looks like it needs help now----I tell it through the view glass to just hang in there till day 22 and I will help. Not before.