Note of caution when you clean out your incubator after a hatch..

[growinupinfl]

Ok I had a pretty good, no great hatch of shipped eggs.. I thought all the eggs had hatched. There were 26 eggs standard, and bantam. Between all the fuzzy butts and left over shell there was really no counting them exactly. The first pip was Sunday evening, and we transferred them out this morning to the brooder. After the chicks were out, I went to the incubator to start removing the shells, tossing them into a paper bag. As I tossed one handful I heard a “thunk” then “CHEEP!” The tiny little barred rock egg was stuck inside half of a standard Leghorn egg shell. I about died, I had tossed the little chick that was still in the egg into the trash. I grabbed up the chick, place it back in the incubator kicked myself and watched in worry, well It was struggling with the flimsy sac only covering it.. Went on a walk a nice long walk. When I came back the poor thing had kicked the rest of the shell apart but was still stuck in the white membrane. I slowly pulled it back. The chick was quick to let me know that it was displeased. It is slowly drying off.. and because I was stopped from tossing I found another bantam egg that had pipped.. Luckily I didn’t shatter the shell.

So when I go to clean the incubator from now on I will carefully pick up the shells to make sure no late bloomer is stuck inside another shell

Christal

 

[wolftracks]

I give mine till day 25 before I start tossing.

So many people have found chicks after tossing out eggs, thinking they were done.

One of my hatches way back I got 3-6 chicks every other day for 5 days. Talk about being stressed!

 

[rancher hicks]

I have learned that there is no "set" day for hatching to begin or end. I've had a bantam hatch two days early and other times had chicks still working two days late. Wisdom says not to interfere but the heart says something else. I am glad you caught the poor thing and glad you learned as I did not to count your chickens until they've ALL hatched. Even the late bloomers. I wonder if it doesn't have something to do with different areas of the incubator being different temps by a .* degree more or less.

Take care and glad for your discovery

Rancher

 

[BayouPoules]

Good save! So glad you heard him,..

 

[Inkheart]

Oh wow thank goodness that ended well. I would assume it is like human babies - tho there is a set delivery date often some come sooner - some come later

 

[bluere11e]

25 days is a good number.. Sometimes there are temp fluctuations that can slow a hatch.. Humidity plays a factor as well.

 

[crtrlovr]

WHEW! Close call indeed! I'm glad you happened to hear that baby, and that you found the other one as well. I'm sure they're glad, too! (where's the relieved, wiping brow smiley?... )