Please help... new to this hatching thing!**Update...1 baby so far**

[henloverinmaine]

OK, so I put 3 eggs in a borrowed bator on May 3rd. If I count the 3rd as day 1, 21 days will be up tomorrow. I stopped rotating the eggs and tried to up the humidity on day 18. So now what do I watch for? I try to listen for peeping, nothing. I'm not sure what a "pip" is, so I do not know what to look for there. I left the eggs on their sides, I read that some like to let them hatch in an egg carton. Did I do the wrong thing by leaving them on their sides? I don't know if I can stand the waiting....At what point if they do not hatch should I give up and try again? Is it always 21 days exactly? Sorry for all the dumb questions, I HATE being the newbie at anything.
Thanks!

 

[BirdBoy88]

If you put them in the bator during the early morning ( before 12 ) then you count may 3 as days one. But if you put the eggs in after 12 noon then you count may 4th as day one

an you can either put them in the carton to hatch or just lay them on there sides a pip is when the chick cracks the egg shell open a little you will notice it an peeps are when they peep...lol some eggs take a little longer than others to hatch i've heard some have hatch on day 25!.. mine are on day 19 an no pips or peeps yet for me as well i no the waiting game is crazy!! lol

hope this helps : )

 

[RoostersCrow]

May 3rd would be you day 0 (zero). You are one day ahead in your count. Depending on incubation conditions hatch can occur earlier or later. Up to 23 days is about it for chickens in my experience.

No problem leaving them on their side... the chickens do you know!

A pip is when the check first pokes a small hole in the shell. It can be just pinhole size or as big as a dime. It is a good sign. Sometimes birds will hatch within a hour of pipping someimes it will take 24 hours or more.

Just be patient... try to keep humidity about 65 to 70%, and leave that hatcher closed.

 

[babyboy1_mom]

You listen for peeping and watch for the egg to rock.

1. A pip is a small hole in the egg, where the chick has pecked the first hole in the shell.

2. It is perfectly fine for you to leave the eggs on their sides. It is a personal choice as to whether you put them in an egg carton or not. Putting them in the carton does help keep them still when the chick starts to zip the shell. Zipping means when the chick starts pecking around the shell to get out.

3. Do not open the incubator. It is never an exact 21 days. I have had eggs hatch 2 days early and sometimes 3 days late.

Just be patient and give them time. Again, please do not open the incubator. Every time that it is opened, then you lose valuable humidity and temp. The chicks can survive
2-3 days after they hatch. Let them dry completely before removing them from the incubator.

Hope this helps

Dorothy

 

[Smitty's Farm]

Leaving the eggs on their sides will be just fine. That's how they hatch under their mom in nature. I haven't tried the egg carton method, but it looks like lots of people are having great success hatching that way.

Patience is the hardest part of hatching, esp the last couple of days. You may not see any action until day 21.

A pip is when the baby chick has made a tiny hole in it's egg. It will start to stick it's little beak out of the hole to exchange oxygen.

Eventually it will zip, which is when it works it's way around the shell in an effort to free itself to hatch. It's takes a lot of energy and they rest in between attempts.

After they hatch leave them in the bator until they are completely dry. In the mean time set up your brooder w/ heat so it's ready for your new babies.

Don't open the incubator so the temp & humidity stay where it needs to be for the hatch.

Sometimes you may hear chirping & see the egg wiggly before it makes it's pip in the egg.

I always tap, talk, chirp, peep, & whistle like an idiot in effort to help encourage them to hatch.

If you click on the learning sect on the site there is a lot of helpful hatching hints and also the hatching sticky in this sec.

Hope this helps!

Good luck with your hatch. Keep us posted.

 

[Smitty's Farm]

Quote:
Ha!Ha! You beat me typing.

 

[henloverinmaine]

I can't believe it. It actually happened while I was watching!! I keep talking to it to encourage it to come out. Am I crazy?? Wow this is so exciting!

 

[SterlingAcres]

Congrats on the pip! Post pix when they hatch

 

[luvmychicknkids]

Awwwww.....what kind of babies are you getting? Can't wait to see pics!!!

 

[henloverinmaine]

Just just just happened.

He/she has been out for 15 minutes!! Sooo cute. How long should it stay in the incubator? There is still one egg that needs to hatch maybe tomorrow. He can't stand yet, is this normal??
I'm so exciting to hear the peeps again!