Incubating & hatching questions

[cookiesdaddy]

My first experimental incubating and I have some questions - please help:

1. I got 36 eggs from a local guys, incubating for 8 days now. 24 seem to develop and 8 "glow" when candeling. Should I toss the 8 glowing eggs? (the other 24 are just dark or show a faint air space. A couple eggs show air space along the side or at the pointy end - should I worry about this?)

2. In preparing for "lockdown" in a week, I wonder what type of liner to use. I prefer the shelf liner on top of my hardware cloth - easier to see the water tray underneath, plus the shelf liner has larger holes for humidity and air flow. The problem is my hardware cloth is 1" x 2" grid, too big for the eggs to roll around freely. I'm concerned that during hatching the chicks may need to roll the eggs around to the best position to break out of the shell. Is this true? Since the rubbery shelf liner is very soft, it will conform to the shape of the wire grid. Once the eggs are in place it takes a bit of force to roll them around. Is this OK?

My other option is to use a bamboo placemat which is flatter and the eggs can roll around freely. But it's denser, can't see water level on the tray below, and it will be harder to clean afterward.

When you set up for "lockdown" do you leave space between the eggs so they can roll? or just push them together?

3. And another dumb question: What is "pipping"? I read about it here, supposedly a day or two before hatching. I guess I will find out, but would like an explanation so I can recognize when it happens.

THANK YOU!

 

[dheltzel]

I never throw out eggs until I'm sure. Unless you are cramped for space for new eggs, just leave them in there. They won't explode without a lot of warning. If you smell rotten eggs or see one seeping moisture or changing color, then remove it (carefully !). That almost never happens, so the better thing is to leave them all until after the good ones hatch.

Rubberized shelf liner works well, I use it. They don't need to roll around at all, it's more natural for them to be immobile while hatching (think of a hen sitting them in a straw filled nest). They can be pushed together or apart.

Pipping is when the chick first makes a hole to breathe through. Some people can candle and see when they "internally pip", meaning they poke their beak into the air space. I never bother, just wait until the "externally pip", and I can see the first break in the shell. I've got 2 eggs doing that right now - very exciting!

 

[cookiesdaddy]

Thank you for your response. Very helpful!

 

[dc3085]

My first experimental incubating and I have some questions - please help:

1. I got 36 eggs from a local guys, incubating for 8 days now. 24 seem to develop and 8 "glow" when candeling. Should I toss the 8 glowing eggs? (the other 24 are just dark or show a faint air space. A couple eggs show air space along the side or at the pointy end - should I worry about this?)

Glowing eggs aren't fertil you can toss them

2. In preparing for "lockdown" in a week, I wonder what type of liner to use. I prefer the shelf liner on top of my hardware cloth - easier to see the water tray underneath, plus the shelf liner has larger holes for humidity and air flow. The problem is my hardware cloth is 1" x 2" grid, too big for the eggs to roll around freely. I'm concerned that during hatching the chicks may need to roll the eggs around to the best position to break out of the shell. Is this true? Since the rubbery shelf liner is very soft, it will conform to the shape of the wire grid. Once the eggs are in place it takes a bit of force to roll them around. Is this OK?

You don't turn the eggs during lockdown so it doesn't matter. The chicks don't roll the egg around the turn themselves inside the egg. It's a non issue just put all the eggs on the floor of the hatcher and don't touch anything again until you have dry chicks in the bator. Unless you have to add water of course.

My other option is to use a bamboo placemat which is flatter and the eggs can roll around freely. But it's denser, can't see water level on the tray below, and it will be harder to clean afterward.

When you set up for "lockdown" do you leave space between the eggs so they can roll? or just push them together?

Touching or not, doesn't matter. As they hatch they will just kick them around everywhere anyway.

3. And another dumb question: What is "pipping"? I read about it here, supposedly a day or two before hatching. I guess I will find out, but would like an explanation so I can recognize when it happens.

Pipping is the first break in the shell by the chick. They pip first, then they "unzip" which is them pecking a pretty perfect circle all around the top of the egg for an exit door. It'll open like a lid when the chick comes out.

THANK YOU!