Our first attempt of hatching eggs.

[ReneePrice]

There is a little piece of she'll off but the white part (membrane?) is still intact.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I couldn't stand it and picked it up again and notice there's a hole in the shell. This is good???

That is the external pip. Very good, but you need to stop picking them up and leave the incubator closed or you are going to compromise your hatch and cause the chicks to get shrink wrapped in the shell. It is very important that the humidity is up in your bator and you aren't letting it out by opening it. Now, I'm going to warn you ahead of time, this process usually takes a LONG time. After they pip the first hole through the shell it can and probably will take anywhere from 12-24 hours for the chick to start zipping to get out of the shell. No, you should not help it unless it is a dire situation. This is NORMAL. They do not usually hatch right away. They are absorbing the yolk sack and the veins are drying in the membrane. If you try to "break them out" while this is happening the chances are you will cause damage. So sit back (on your hands...lol) and enjoy the frustration of impatience. LOL Good luck on the hatch and remaining sane...

 

[AmyLynn2374]

There is a little piece of she'll off but the white part (membrane?) is still intact.

That is nomal and chances are there is even a little slit in the membrane that you can not see. If you can go to youtube on a phone or pc (by the bator) find a 'chicks cheeping" video and play it where the chick can hear, you'll probably see the beak start poking through and hear it chirp back. The sound of the recorded chick will motivate it.

 

[ReneePrice]

 

[ReneePrice]

It's been a couple hours and the chick is still dragging the she'll around with it. How long should I leave it in the incubator?

 

[The Colonel]

How many other eggs are inside?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

It's been a couple hours and the chick is still dragging the she'll around with it. How long should I leave it in the incubator?

Woohoo! It's out! Some people will say leave him in there until your hatch is done. Some people believe in leaving them in until they are all dry and fluffed out. I personally like to try to wait until there's at least two so they can go to the brooder together. A chick can stay in the incubator for 2-3 days while waiting for it's hatchlings if you choose. I personally believe in letting them get significant rest time and find their feet. I like to see them active and moving around first. Congrats on your first hatcher.

 

[The Colonel]

How are they doing now?

 

[gilchicken]

We ended up getting the Little Giant Incubator.
My distant relative and neighbor Stanley Vice sent us home with an egg turner that fits and another neighbor, Billy Davis, (my first boyfriend at 12) gave us 27 fertilized eggs.

The conundrum is.... We don't know when they were laid or if they've been set on.
He raises Rhode Island Reds and Black Sexlinks.

We have it set to 99.5 like the instructions say.

It'll be fun to see if we hatch any and what they are.

Fingers crossed they'll be hatching while the grandkids are here for Thanksgiving.

So how many chicks did you end up getting? Any pics?

 

[The Colonel]

At this point of only having 3 eggs, it would be best to leave the little guy in there. His peep will not only coax the rest into coming out, but they should be moved to the brooder in a group.(if you can) worst case you can get him a small stuffed animal to snuggle with in there if he's a loner. But either way opening and closing the incubator while in lockdown is not good for the other two. He can sustain himself for up to 72 hours out of the egg(if need be).