My hatch is VERY staggerd...Advice?

[Tatianna]

Hi Everyone~
My first time hatching and between two incubators my hatch is really staggered. The first one hatched was yesterday at 10;00 am and I can hear one in the egg now....did I do something wrong? I have taken some of the chicks out because they were rolling the eggs all around and I thought that was bad for the un hatched chicks......what could have caused this stagger and when do I stop incubating??

 

[bobbi-j]

It's normal for a hatch to span at least a couple of days. In my experience, it seems to be that way more with artificial incubation than with a broody. I would give it another day or so. Then, if there are no more signs of life (peeping or rocking eggs) turn off the incubator.

 

[Tatianna]

Thanks Bobbi!
That gives me hope. The eggs I candled before lockdown that looked good, still haven't hatched.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Thanks Bobbi!
That gives me hope. The eggs I candled before lockdown that looked good, still haven't hatched.

I know I preach this alot----"Lockdown" means Keep the incubator Closed for the duration. Opening it during this time to remove chicks etc can SOOOOO much affect the other unhatched eggs-----maybe not in some area's where the humidity is good enough where opening it does not affect it----like it does in other area's. There is no reason to open it during lockdown. I have chicks some times that hatch out on day 19---they stay in the incubator till day 22. I am no pro, but I hatch alot of eggs every week---usually 50 to 150 per week. I have a high 90's% hatch rate. I threaten to break a arm if family members were to open mine during lockdown. I have it set-up where I can add water to the styrofoam incubators during lockdown without opening them. My cabinet hatchers hold enough water for the hatch. If your eggs rolling around bothers you, you can cut thin pieces of paper towel cylinders to set the eggs in or do one of the many other ways to stop them from getting rolled around. Wishing you the best hatches!!

 

[Tatianna]

Thanks so much....I was taking them out after about six hours and putting them in the brooder because they were so disturbing the other eggs....I wasn't sure which was worse, moving the eggs or opening the incubator...Now I know!
Thanks so much

 

[spotsplus]

As was already said, it's normal for them to take a couple days to hatch. Once the chicks are fluffy and moving around I take them out of the incubator. I just double check that my humidity stays up. It will go down a little whenyou open the incubator but should go back up within an hour. Congrats on your babies!

 

[jcbrownacu]

This thread is worthless without pictures!!!

We want fluff butts!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Staggered hatches can be for a number of reasons; various ages of eggs when set, difference in size, hot/cool spots in incubator/s, different incubators among others.