Need Advice

Cawagula

Chirping
Sep 18, 2022
53
96
73
Good Afternoon everyone, in need of a bit of advice here. First time incubating eggs. I rescued a copper marans that happened to be laying fertile and put a few of her eggs in to incubate. Purchased 4 F1 Olive Egger hatching eggs to increase hatch rate. In the end 2 of the F1 eggs and 2 of the 3 Marans eggs took. One of the F1s hatched yesterday, day 21. The copper marans are too dark since day 16 to candle, can only see air pockets and both had slight cracks I covered with nail polish so don't want to risk floating them. Day 22 started at 11 AM EST, when candeling the F1 egg I can see what looks like the chick attempting to internally pip. The membrane slightly raises into the air pocket but doesn't seem to pip it.

Incubator info:
Forced Air
99.5° F
40% Humidity days 1 - 18
65% Humidity 19 - current

Neither Marans eggs have any internal pipping either. Should I give till day 23 and hope for a pip or do I make a small pip in the air pocket to allow fresh air in? The Marans I want to just give 24 hours as I see no signs of attmepted pip'ing and am starting to think developed but didn't hatch - but I'm worried about the other who shows clear signs of livelyhood.

I'll attmept to get some pictures if I can. Tried to purchase a few chicks from TSC to keep the hatched one company but all sold out by me. Have a stuffed chicken as well as a mirror to try and keep it feeling lonely for now.
 
Put them in deeper type water, and if thet are only half submerged and the other half is above air they are dead. If they are almost but not quite all the way submerged they are most likely just hatching late.
 
Put them in deeper type water, and if thet are only half submerged and the other half is above air they are dead. If they are almost but not quite all the way submerged they are most likely just hatching late.
Yeah, I floated the F1 egg before I candled and floated fine and had movement. Again, afraid to float the Marans eggs with the slight cracks, I don't want water to get in and drown them since there's no internal pipping.
 
Put them in deeper type water, and if thet are only half submerged and the other half is above air they are dead. If they are almost but not quite all the way submerged they are most likely just hatching late.
Float testing is a good way to drown chicks that have pips that were missed.

Marans eggs are infamous for being difficult hatchers. Get the strongest flashlight you can, I rhe darkest room you have and try to see if you can see any movement in the eggs
 
Oh... I didn't realize they were already pipped ... I am super sorry!!
All good! No pips at all, just slight cracks from laying. I need to buy some mats for my nesting box, the copper marans tends to kick ALL the hay from the middle when making her "nest' till the bare floor is exposed. I've added more, tried different bedding, nothing works lol, thinking a matt is my best option.
 
All good! No pips at all, just slight cracks from laying. I need to buy some mats for my nesting box, the copper marans tends to kick ALL the hay from the middle when making her "nest' till the bare floor is exposed. I've added more, tried different bedding, nothing works lol, thinking a matt is my best option.
My rirs do the same thing! Then, as the heavy breed they are they accidently crush their eggs sometimes and give me more work. I think they are secretly evil.
 
Took some videos, sorry not the greatest.



First video is the F1 egg. Somewhat hard to see in the video but there is movement, though no longer looks to be trying to internally pip - is there a chance it isn't positioned correctly?

Second one is the Marans egg, I see no movement but again gonna give it 24 hours.



Something else I noticed... the marans egg almost sounds porcelain when tapping on it now - is that a thing?

Finally, some pictures of the solo hatched chick. Black Copper Maran x Opal Legbar cross. Was hoping for some Olive Eggs but as the rule goes, only 1 hatches.... it's a roo lol.
 
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Just an update for the night, no external pipping, don't want to remove it again for candling so no idea about internal pips. Upped to 70% humidity for the night, hoping to see another chick or two in the morning. Trying to spend extra time with the chick for now so s/he doesn't feel too lonely. Fingers crossed, thanks for the advice so far!
 

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