October Hatch-a-long 2022🎃🐣🍁

[AusHen]

Looks like the olive chicken egg isnt going to hatch but my quail have started, 2 out, 2 zipping

 

[AusHen]

They do be popping. Up to 12 already

 

[3KillerBs]

all the others but one have internally pipped.

How do you know about the internal pips?

I have been taking lockdown quite literally and don't open the incubator at all until I need to take chicks out.

What's the procedure for finding out safely without risking your chicks?

 

[I Like Turkeys]

Apparently, talking about how much you want chicks on backyardchickens causes the chicks to hatch. My olive eggers have started! One is already out of the egg, two are pipping.
Here’s the first little baby in a bad photo!

 

[Silkiesaz]

Are they brown shells? Did you see any veins? I dont see much maybe some veins on the way bottom, but am not seeing through the shell either.

Wanna see something like this. What kind of light are you using? I found ones where the eggs fits tight on the light end or an actual one for candling or an adapter works best.

The shell is brown but I could see an embryo clearly last week when I candled them on day 5. I can't see any veins or the air sac the entire egg is just black. I use a strong flashlight but the bottom doesn't fit as well as it should. I don't have any other flashlights though.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

OMGeeze yall!!! So the lil cochins are set to hatch the 20th...and I went over and was just talking to em while they are in incubator and one started wobbling!!! This is Day 16?! Yall ever seen em do the egg moving prior to lockdown?!
I was just going cheep cheep cheep...surely they aren't getting in position just yet!

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Hi all its my first time hatching and I candled the eggs yesterday! One of them is all black but it's on day 9? Is that bad or normal?

Welcome! All black does not sound normal. I see you have posted some photos.

I took some yesterday...View attachment 3291694View attachment 3291695View attachment 3291696

I do not see anything very well in these photos. Candling from the top is easier I think. You have gotten some good advice from @WIchickMama. Were you able to see anything after?
My DAY 9 eggs usually look like this:

 

[LadiesAndJane]

How do you know about the internal pips?

I have been taking lockdown quite literally and don't open the incubator at all until I need to take chicks out.

What's the procedure for finding out safely without risking your chicks?

I candle my eggs when they’re in lockdown to check for internal pips. Gives me a better idea of how far things are along. I also place safety holes if they’ve been internally pipped for more than eight hours. Mostly with high value eggs.
It is not recommended for folks who are new to incubating and hatching. You will have to figure out what your comfort level is.
Lockdown at 18 days is basically designed so that the eggs have sufficient humidity to ensure that the chicks do not shrink wrap when they externally pip. This is why it is recommended to add water on this day. I do not add water until day 19 or if I see the first internal pip, whichever comes first.
Candling under lockdown requires that you have a good incubator that holds humidity well and that quickly returns to normal humidity. It is best done before any external pips are seen. Though here yesterday I candled all the eggs quickly even though 4 were externally pipped at the time. Sometimes I will throw a damp paper towel in to ensure that humidity comes quickly back up.
This is what you are looking for:

 

[3KillerBs]

Candling under lockdown requires that you have a good incubator that holds humidity well and that quickly returns to normal humidity. It is best done before any external pips are seen. Though here yesterday I candled all the eggs quickly even though 4 were externally pipped at the time. Sometimes I will throw a damp paper towel in to ensure that humidity comes quickly back up.

Informative.

Since access to the eggs in an NR 360 means removing the dome I can't think that it holds the humidity very well so probably best practice for me to continue to leave things along during lockdown.

I've had chicks where eggtopsies showed internal pips but failure to hatch that *may* have had humidity problems from me taking dry chicks out to put them into the brooder so I'm really nervous about it.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Informative.

Since access to the eggs in an NR 360 means removing the dome I can't think that it holds the humidity very well so probably best practice for me to continue to leave things along during lockdown.

I've had chicks where eggtopsies showed internal pips but failure to hatch that *may* have had humidity problems from me taking dry chicks out to put them into the brooder so I'm really nervous about it.

There really is no reason to candle under lockdown. So if what is working for you is working for you, then no reason to change it.
Opening the lid briefly to remove dry chicks should not affect the hatching chicks significantly though, so probably not the reason you were having issues.