Newbie to Incubation

Date sort Score sort
Cntry1958 said:
​The anticipation is killing us all.   Now I hope we don't have a extra day to wait or they hatch in the middle of the night for you. I am glad your brooder is set up now because soon you will see the first chick pip and come out of its shell several hours later. How many eggs did you set up in the incubator? You may in a week or so need a bigger brooder.
Click to expand...


When should I turn the light on in my brooder?? All I could find was a 150 watt white build. Is that going to work?
 
Turn on the light after you see the first pip. Make sure its staying at 90 degrees at the bottom of the brooder box. I use a red bulb for heat so I am not sure to be honest about the bulb you have. But its better then nothing till you get one that works. I took a thermometer and placed it directly on the pine shaving and watched it temp rise. I then adjusted the height to get the correct temp of 90 degrees I needed and kept it on for four hours. I know it was fine there and turned off the light. Just before we went to pick up our chicks I turned it on as it would be almost a hour ride up and back to get the chicks.

So I would turn on your light get the temp correct then turn it off till its time to turn it on and keep it on. Which would be after it pips and chick is almost out of shell. I heard it can take 2 hours or more to get out of the shells when they hatch. Maybe someone can chime in and let you if its needs to be turned on soon or a little later. When the chick comes out you want to let it dry inside the incubator.
 
Thanks for the information, I'll turn it on as soon as I see the first oil, which I hope is soon
 
Ok today is my 21st day, I see no pips at all.. Should I be concerned? I'm worried my babies haven't hatched yet!! HELP!!!!!
 
Missi,

Please don't freak out just yet. Remember you put eggs in on two different dates. If some of them didn't develop from the first batch and you know you have live chicks. They could be from the second date you put in the other eggs. Which was on the 30th So day 1 would be 31 of March So between the 20th and 21st of April would be the date for hatching group 2. So your still safe. Make sure the humidity is between 65% and 70%
 
These are all f
Cntry1958 said:
...
Click to expand...
Missi,

Please  don't freak out just yet. Remember you put eggs in on two different dates.  If some of them didn't develop from the first batch and you know you have live chicks. They could be from the second date you put in the other eggs. Which was on the 30th So day 1 would be 31 of March So between the 20th and 21st of April would be the date for hatching group 2.  So your still safe.  Make sure the humidity is between 65% and 70% 
[/quote

These are all from the 1st date, today would be the 22 day. All the ones from the 2nd batch didn't develop at all. I just checked and I have one that has popped, but it's popped at the wrong end! Will it be ok?? I've got to leave for work and won't be home still around 6:30pm eat.
 
Missi, It can be ok. Just depends on the chick and how much strength it has to get out of the shell. It takes a long time for them to make a small whole in the shell which is called a pip. Then they do what is called zipping the shell where they begin by making a ring all the way around the shell and then they have to push them selves out of the shell. This can take many hours. The chick will work and rest and work and rest over and over again. So its something that does not take 5 or 10 minutes but many hours to happen. After you come home and if its out you will feel much calmer and happy.

It's a tiring process and there will be a lot of rest periods before it finally hatches. The average length of time between pipping and chick hatching is between twelve and eighteen hours - in some cases much longer.

Here is a link https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/502392/how-long-from-pip-to-zip/10 other members that were waiting you can read how long it took some of their chicks to fully hatch.
 
I hope so, my husband check on them before he left to go to the lake, said it was still the same. I hope and pray that the little one is hatched by the time I get home. Thanks for all the encouraging words and the links! Y'all are truly a blessing!
 
Cntry1958 said:
​Missi,  that's what we are here for to support others in their love for chicks
Click to expand...


Well I'm super excited! Look what's happening! The other 2 still haven't popped, and I'm starting to get worried!

400
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom