My first eggs are incubating!!!

[FloorCandy]

So much for that, just walked out to see if I could tell how many eggs were moving; 4 eggs were externally pipped. Since they're so early, is there any specific health issues or deformities I should look out for?

They aren’t that early, it can still take 24+ hours for them to hatch. I think they’ll probably be fine.

 

[Ravenlover]

Some times they can get a lil head start during shipment

 

[birdnoob]

Some times they can get a lil head start during shipment

These eggs were picked up off of craigslist on the 11th, and according to the seller they were laid on the 10th.

 

[Ravenlover]

These eggs were picked up off of craigslist on the 11th, and according to the seller they were laid on the 10th.

And temps have been perfect ? Then could just be early's cant watch to see what u get

 

[birdnoob]

FIRST CHICK IS OUT!!!

 

[FloorCandy]

FIRST CHICK IS OUT!!!

Congrats!

 

[birdnoob]

#2 is out.

 

[Ravenlover]

#2 is out.

The excitement and the cuteness when u hatch ur own !

 

[birdnoob]

5 are out now, but 2 pipped last night sometime and still haven't come out. One just expanded the pip into a little hole this morning and hasn't done anything since (there's also what looks like poop on or coming out of the hole), the other stopped after unzipping 1/3 of the way around, and IIRC it actually pipped yesterday evening. Should I intervene and when? I'm worried that the one that pipped yesterday will starve if I wait till tomorrow morning.

I must admit I did open the incubator twice; what I've read is that you shouldn't leave chicks in the incubator for more than 24 hours so I took out the first 3 after dinner, #4 hatched not long after (it was out when I checked on the brooder before bed) and since #4 hatched fine, I pulled out 4 and 5 this morning. The visible membrane of the 2 eggs still seems to be moist and translucent, though it looks like the poopy one might be starting to dry out on one side of the hole in the past few hours.

The last 4 don't show any signs of hatching, how long should I let them go?

 

[Nabiki]

Congratulations!

It's okay to open the incubator as long as it's reasonably quick. I keep a paper towel under the shelf liner that I hatch my chicks on. When I open the incubator, I put a pipette of water on the paper towel so the humidity bumps right back up very quickly.

In all of my hatches, the first to pip has been the first to hatch once. Don't worry that it's not out yet. Keep an eye on the one that has created a hole, but not zipped further. It might be having problems hatching. If it has problems, it's up to you whether or not to try to help. Usually if they have problems hatching there are reasons.

For the last 4, try candling them. You will get a good idea if they're still alive at that point, so you'll know whether to wait or not. I know someone who unplugged her incubator on day 21, came back a couple of hours later to a really late hatcher. It was even healthy.