No chirping yet on day 21/22

[nicoletm24]

if the humidity is too high or two low, you may have a failed hatch.
it's VERY important that you have something to both check temp and humidity. they are very critical things to pay attention to.

i wish u luck, but next time read up on it a bit before doing it....i lost my first hatch bc i didn't pay attention to humidity, and every chick drown.

i'll hope yours is not the same.

 

[Patchesnposies]

Quote:
Sorry you lost a hatch, Nicole. In my early days of incubating, I also lost an entire hatch of Black Langshans due to too much humidity. It's probably something you only do once! Nothing sadder than seeing a bunch of perfect babies dead in the shell.

 

[Oona chick]

Yes I agree. I won't do this again without proper equipment (moisture reading.) In this instance a lady gave me 2 dozen fertile eggs and I live on a very rural remote island, so had no choice but to try. I knew moisture was important, but until reading this forum didn't realize HOW important or how finicky. Any suggestions on knowing if TOO much humidity? My little one that piped last night (it has now been 12 hours) has a hole, but the membrane is still covering it except for a teensy tear. There is a blood vain. It is bumping against it. Would that mean too dry? I heard suggested to put a drop of water on the pip to help wet the membrane. Would anyone recomend this? I now have a second pip too, so obviously my temperature must have been too low as this is day 23. Thanks for all the advice!

 

[Patchesnposies]

Oona, is there anyway for you to add a bit of moisture without opening the incubator? They will create a bit of humidity themselves as they hatch, but may not mean enough. I wouldn't despair, the chick may make it out yet. If you see full red veins it may not have absorbed the yolk yet.

 

[Oona chick]

Quote:
Did they take longer than 12 hours to hatch after pipping? I am on hour 12 with the first pip, and the membrane is still covering the hole. I don't think I should do anything, but don't know either. I am on day 23 right now. Sounds like yours took 24 hrs from pipping to hatching? If so I may still have time. Thanks!

 

[Oona chick]

Quote:
Yes---I have a plastic syringe with a long very skinny tube on it for adding water to a barometer that I have been using to add water through the vent holes in the incubator. The troughs seem pretty full on the bottom of the incubator, should I just keep adding? I do see a red vein, but it is skinny.

 

[Patchesnposies]

Not being able to see things, but from what you describe, I think I'd let it ride and give the babies some time to hatch.

Good Luck!

 

[dlecolst]

At what point should you take the chick out of the bator? The reason I ask is that I am currently on day 22 and so far one has hatched. I have 9 other eggs that have yet to do anything. The directions stat to remove the chick after it dried out a bit (up to 48 hours, correct?), however I do not want to screw things up by opening the cover too soon. Any suggestions?

 

[Patchesnposies]

Quote:
The baby can stay in the incubator for a day or so, until the other eggs hatch. Opening the incubator before they are all hatched can result in a rapid drop in humidity that may "shrink wrap" the membranes of the chicks in the other eggs. There is some speculation that the babies who are out and cheeping actually encourage their hatch mates to get the job done.

There is a sticky at the top of this Incubating & Hatching Eggs forum that tells you A LOT of information, including what to do IF you think you need to intervene with your eggs. It may help.

 

[Patchesnposies]

Here is the link to the sticky: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=48726