No pips?

[JenHarmon]

Have some silkie and silkie cross eggs in the incubator....they will be 22 days tonight.....some were rocking and moving yesterday and none are now that I have seen....and none have Pipped. Since they are on lock down do I just leave them alone for another day or so or what do I do? I know I have seen people say they might take up to 24 days....im just concerned.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi.

Sounds like an issue, most my birds hatch on day 20/21...

How many thermometers are you using? And at what temp are you incubating? Still or forced air? What is you current humidity/temp?

I would be trying to candle and see if I could notice any internal pips yet, at least. Can you hear any chirping? They chirp to each other even from inside the egg after the internal pip.

 

[JenHarmon]

It is forced air. 2 thermometers...one on the incubator and one by the eggs....99.5 has been the temp and is the same right now. Humidity is at 56....cant seem to get it higher than that. I don't hear chirping. I was afraid to open it cuz people yelled at me saying do not open after lock down no matter what. We went on lock down Saturday. So I should candle and check them?? Then what? Thank you for your help.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Well, some people are completely hands off and others are not. You will have to decide what is best for you.

@wvducklady might be better help than me if she's around. She is hands on but with way more experience than me.

Where did you keep your humidity during incubation?

 

[JenHarmon]

The humidity was kept between 44 and 48 percent during incubation. Air cells seemed to be doing what they were supposed to. Chicks were growing and moving. I haven't candled since Saturday afternoon when we went on lock down. I may have screwed up this batch..I hope not. I have only incubated once before and they were duck eggs. I have read so many different things and see a lot have varying opinions on how to do this. Seems so confusing.

 

[JenHarmon]

I see one is piped a tiny bit ....it was the first egg I checked and so I quickly shut the incubator. The egg went to rocking like crazy. So for now I will watch.

 

[junebuggena]

It is forced air. 2 thermometers...one on the incubator and one by the eggs....99.5 has been the temp and is the same right now. Humidity is at 56....cant seem to get it higher than that. I don't hear chirping. I was afraid to open it cuz people yelled at me saying do not open after lock down no matter what. We went on lock down Saturday. So I should candle and check them?? Then what? Thank you for your help.

The humidity was kept between 44 and 48 percent during incubation. Air cells seemed to be doing what they were supposed to. Chicks were growing and moving. I haven't candled since Saturday afternoon when we went on lock down. I may have screwed up this batch..I hope not. I have only incubated once before and they were duck eggs. I have read so many different things and see a lot have varying opinions on how to do this. Seems so confusing.

Your incubation humidity was a little high, and you really need to get that hatching humidity up more. I also suspect your temp may not be accurate and the thermostat might be running a bit low. A damp sponge may do the trick. Better to open the incubator to add moisture than let the chicks shrink wrap. And remember, a broody hen will get up off the nest every day for a short time, even when chicks are hatching. A few seconds isn't going to cause catastrophic harm.

 

[JenHarmon]

Ok I added the sponge. I had to remove 2 eggs....they smelled awful. What should the humidity be at?

 

[junebuggena]

Hatching humidity should be between 60 and 70 percent for chicken eggs.

 

[tjb]