Ok Im back day 21 and so far nothing

[Aflanders]

Day 21 and no pips or chirps. I candled them friday and saw movements. Locked down a day later though. Any advice? Really hoping they hatch. TIA!

 

[Eggscaping]

Day 21 and no pips or chirps. I candled them friday and saw movements. Locked down a day later though. Any advice? Really hoping they hatch. TIA!

Are these chicken eggs we're talking about? How's your humidity? I had 1 egg hatch on day 24 and day 25, so don't give up hope. Do you hear any cheeping?

 

[Aflanders]

Are these chicken eggs we're talking about? How's your humidity? I had 1 egg hatch on day 24 and day 25, so don't give up hope. Do you hear any cheeping?

I've heard nothing to be honest. I'm so beyond anxious. First time here. Humidity looks good but not 1000% sure since I'm new.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

I've heard nothing to be honest. I'm so beyond anxious. First time here. Humidity looks good but not 1000% sure since I'm new.

Chickens? If so, I have no idea.

 

[Aflanders]

Chickens? If so, I have no idea.

Yes chickens. Sorry. But thank you for replying!

 

[Eggscaping]

I've heard nothing to be honest. I'm so beyond anxious. First time here. Humidity looks good but not 1000% sure since I'm new.

When I picked up one of ours, which was on day 24, to throw it away, it cheeped. Try playing a YouTube sound of a mama hen 'talking' to her chicks and them cheeping back and see if you can hear anything from your eggs.

 

[Aflanders]

So day 22 and we hear at least 1 chirping. Is this a good sign? No pips yet, should it happen soon?

 

[Eggscaping]

Yes! That mean someone is calling, "I'm here, I'm here, is anyone else out there?" Now you can wait and see if the chick cheeping can get out, you can candle and see if she has internally pipped, and/or you can do like I did and actively help. Waiting can be risky if the chick, for whatever reason, can't get out without help - but helping too soon, or in the wrong way, can also be fatal. It's a hard decision to make. I helped several of mine but that was because the eggs were shipped and some of the air cells were in the wrong place.
Many experienced folks here would advise you to wait, and that's often the best idea. If the egg you are examining is cheeping though, it's internally pipped (at least I think I'm right on this) because it has to have its head in the air cell to take in air and cheep. So ...you most probably have an egg or eggs that have internally pipped. Now you wait and see if you get an external pip...a tiny crack you can see, from the inside going out. At that point with any luck, the baby "zips' the shell all the way around and tumbles out into the world. This can take a whole day.

 

[Aflanders]

Yes! That mean someone is calling, "I'm here, I'm here, is anyone else out there?" Now you can wait and see if the chick cheeping can get out, you can candle and see if she has internally pipped, and/or you can do like I did and actively help. Waiting can be risky if the chick, for whatever reason, can't get out without help - but helping too soon, or in the wrong way, can also be fatal. It's a hard decision to make. I helped several of mine but that was because the eggs were shipped and some of the air cells were in the wrong place.
Many experienced folks here would advise you to wait, and that's often the best idea. If the egg you are examining is cheeping though, it's internally pipped (at least I think I'm right on this) because it has to have its head in the air cell to take in air and cheep. So ...you most probably have an egg or eggs that have internally pipped. Now you wait and see if you get an external pip...a tiny crack you can see, from the inside going out. At that point with any luck, the baby "zips' the shell all the way around and tumbles out into the world. This can take a whole day.

I'm so relieved. So when from it chirping to pip is usual? I looked it up and there is so so so much conflicting information. This is my first time so I'm like a momma waiting for labor and trust me I have 4 kids and that was hell.

 

[Eggscaping]

Yes, now realize we have only done this one time...but we read so many articles here for over a year and then did what we felt was best. But here's what happens: The chick is "poked" into internal pipping because she is ready to hatch and needs to breathe. The build up of carbon dioxide tells her to move and when she raises her head and pushes against the membrane (the thing that causes so much trouble when you're trying to peel a hard boiled egg) the little egg tooth on the tip of her beak pierces the membrane. Then, her head can reach up into the air cell and she can breathe! Pretty exciting!! Now she can cheep and call to the mama hen and the rest of her clutch. I have read that a mama hen hears this and knows there is/are more babies to come and they cluck back in encouragement.
Doing all this is exhausting for a tiny baby, and they rest a lot. In a normal hatching, they will next start to peck at the inside of the shell. This is the "external pip". You see a tiny crack pushing out. If all goes well, the baby keeps pecking at this and resting and pecking until they finally make (zip) a little "connect the dots" of holes all around the top and then out crawls a wet, scraggly, ....well, here. Let me show you. (see pic) That was our first one, still in the incubator.
Like I said, this is exhausting, and can take a long time. Keep your humidity up because the membrane CAN dry out and do what they call "shrink wrapping" and cling to the baby, which can kill it. This is a whole other kettle of fish and normally doesn't happen, but high humidity at this point to keep the membrane wet is important.
Keep us posted. I'll watch for your posts.