Need Advice.. pip and then nothing

[KickingChicken]

Hi-
Sorry, I am not sure of the rules on starting a new thread when there are probably a million just like this. I am just hoping someone is online and can help a fellow chicken lover out. As you can tell by my frantic post... i am new to this.

I only have two eggs in the incubator the rest I put under a broody (first for me and her). The two that I have in the incubator piped around 10:00 to noon. Since then nothing has happened. Is this normal. I am seeing on other blogs that 12-24 hours in normal. However, they didnt explain if that was 12-24 hours till the whole chick is out, or 12-24 hours form pip to zip.

I was feeling good about the whole thing till my husband tells me that he opened the incubator!!! AHHHHHHH

.

I dont know what DH stands for, but I have a good word for the D part!

I immediately through in a warm wash cloth. For the past few hours there has been little movement for one egg, none for the other. Also there is some chirping, but not much.

The intervention thread is very confusing for me. I am wondering if I should intervene. They dont say how long I should let it go before intervening.... Does someone have some clarification oe the "12-24 hours" for a chicken to normally hatch that I am reading on some posts vs intervening post saying start intervening when there is no more movement or peeping.

would pictures help?

 

[valley ranch]

Do you mean the chick chipped the side of the egg or made a sound?

You should be alright. give them time.

Let us know how they come out.

 

[KickingChicken]

Sorry, I can see how that would be confusing. Both of the eggs have made an external pip and one of them is still peeping (making noise).

 

[cackydoodledoo]

Give them time. Once they zip it takes no time for them to come out so the time from pip to zip can be very long. Go to bed and when you wake up in the morning you will hopefully have beautiful fuzzies waiting for you!

 

[kvmommy]

Its often 12-24 and even longer from pip to starting to zip. Zip is usually faster. Lots of people reach in to take chicks out when its full even though there are pips with no problems. I think they say never do it so people don't get into a habit of it. I've had shrinkwrapping from an unopened incubator and have chicks hatch just fine after opening it. I wouldn't worry. It takes alot out of the chicks to pip...they sleep alot. I just wouldn't yet...but I also say go with your gut. Good luck! PS DH stands for DEAR Husband. LOL

 

[cackydoodledoo]

Quote:
Only if that's what you want it to stand for!

You can insert any other d word that comes to mind at the time if you like! We won't tell!!

Please let us know what happened!!!

 

[KickingChicken]

Thank you for all your advice. You were all right, just leave them be. They all hatched this morning. 2 in the incubator, three under mama and one left under her to hatch. They are all so cute, and I think mama hen is wondering how she is going to handle 6 chicks!

They are all orpingtons. Can anyone tell me what colors I have. Can you tell the difference between black and blue at this point? Is the yellow one going to be splash?

 

[ranchhand]

Messing with the hen is like opening the incubator. Leave her be.

You're doing well, be patient and happy hatching!

 

[KickingChicken]

Good to know.

I did have a question about where to move mom and babies. Right now they are in the upstairs of my chicken coop (well my chicken coop only has one level- and its up) Right now I have wire separating right down the coop giving mama and chicks a small outdoor area and the nesting area. Also the wire is preventing them from leaving the coop and the babies falling from the rather high up coop. What would you chicken experts do if it were you? Would you move them to an area on the ground. Its getting pretty hot in the coop, Georgia is hot and humid. I am sure she would rather have them up there as it is safer, but I can make a nice area for her on the ground in a dog cage or something. If I did do a wire dog cage, what would the nest box look like. How high should the edges be?

 

[valley ranch]

I have read here on BYC of people moving their broodys with no problem but I wouldn't like to. It would be nice if the coop had air vents that allow air movement.