PIP on Day 17?

[Busybee1]

I went to turn my eggs this morning and there is a pip. Is this too soon? Could it just stayed piped for a couple days? No movement or chirping from any of the eggs. The eggs are shipped, this one is a Buff Brahma.

This is my second hatch, none of my first hatch made it because my temp was too low. I had thermometer up higher than the eggs, closer to the light, so I think it was off. I was also very afraid of frying the chicks, yikes!

This time I think I had some spikes in temp, thus the early pip. I am locking down a day early. My humidity is at 74% is that too high?

I have a homemade styrofoam bater. I had a little container with water and a sponge. I was afraid the chicks would drowned, so I poured a little water in the bottom of the bater and I found a much smaller container that just holds a 1 1/2 in by 1 1/2 in sponge with a little water. Should I take out the container and sponge?

 

[Busybee1]

Couple more notes. I dry incubated for the first 10 days, then ran humidity at about 50%. Humidity still at 74%....hmmmm. One of the other eggs is moving

 

[Arielle]

Has the humidity come down a little? 70 % is a bit high. Shoot for 55-65%

You should candle before lock down to see if the air cell is appropriately sized. THen you will know if the RH levels worked well.

Diagrams of air cells, duck and chicken:

http://www.poultryconnection.com/quackers/aircell.html


My chicks will hatch when they are ready, even if I haven't gone into locksdown. Do make a note of the early hatching chick, and how many in a notebook. You do want the chicks to hatch closer to 19 days to prevent disabilites and early deaths.

Congrats on your first pip! How exciting!

 

[Busybee1]

I pulled the container with the sponge out. Let's see what happens.

 

[Ilovemyduckies]

Are you sure it is a pip and not a crack? I have heard of chicks hatching early but not that early. Well, I don't think that 78% is too high, I thin that is just fine. Keep a close eye on that egg. Hope it hatches

 

[Patchesnposies]

I'm wondering if the egg was a pullet egg (smaller than normal) or if the chick pipped the wrong end (the smaller one). Sometimes when they are positioned with their head towards the small end, or the air cell is too small, they pip early because they need oxygen.

 

[mstricer]

I'm thinking your temp is too high, unless it is a bantam, sent by mistake. Good luck

 

[Busybee1]

I wonder if it is non a real pip? There is not a hole, just a small slight u shapped crack. There is nothing poking thru, it is flat.

 

[Arielle]

That could still be a pip. THere are many reasons for an early pip. See posts above. Wait and see how the other eggs progess as well.

Hope you get a few chicks this time.

 

[Busybee1]

My temps were running high this time. It was so hard to regulate. We'll see. The humidity is still in the 70's, not much I can do about it though. I will keep everyone posted. I am feeling very optimistic and excited about my first hatch