should i be worried?

[dancingchicken77]

i have 3 eggs in my little incubator. pekin bantam eggs, from a good breeder from whom i picked them up in person (not through post).

this is only my 2nd hatch. last hatch one hatched on day #20, and second egg stared pipping late on day #22, and tried for over 24 hours to get out but didn't make it.

3rd egg had no embryo.

this lot are from the breeder's show chooks. day #21 officially started about 4 hours ago, and i've had no pip, no action, nada. i'm crap at candling - tried at about 10 days and couldn't really see anything. in 2 eggs i thought i saw a bit of a shadow of something, but that's it.

i'm getting worried. should i be? :| i figure i shouldn't take them out to candle them to check....

 

[Frizzledhen]

Candling would do no good at this point. Leave them alone. I wouldn't be worried at this time. If your temps were a little low it may take an extra day for them to hatch. At day 23 if nothing has happened, probably nothing will. Be patient and I hope you have a great hatch.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

What kind of incubator do you have, what temps and humidity are you keeping it at? Those might be questions you need to look at if this hatch fails. I would not open the bator til atleast day 22 and then candle again. Your temps and humidity might be off and the hatch slowed down because of low temps.

Might want to keep a journal of your temps and humidity ranges during incubation. Since I don't know what type of incubator you have these are standard temps and humidity for all incubators here in the USA.

Still air 101 to 102 temp nothing higher

Forced air 99.8 is what I keep mine on

Humidity for the first 18 days, 40 to 50% range

Last 3 days 60 to 70% range.

You need a good Thermometer/Hygrometer inside your incubator to see good steady temps and humidity levels. A good mag. flashlight to candle with and a very dark room to be able to see into your eggs when candling. Candling days are day 7 or 10, day 14 and day 18. Those days should show good veining and embryo development.

 

[dancingchicken77]

i have a new little 3-egg incubator, an R-com one. eveything is totally automatic. you set the type of bird (chicken, duck, quail or i think one other), and if you set it to chicken, it automatically sets the count down to 21 days, sets the temp at 37 degrees celsius (98.6F), and sets the humidity at i don't know what (i do have to add water from time to time though). it may increase humidity in the last few days, i just don't know.

 

[zatsdeb]

I thought duck eggs take longer to hatch? I my big pekin ducks take 28 days, sometimes 26
or is pekin bantam a chicken variety? I learn something new every day!
I would just wait either way, check your temps, if it is to low, takes longer to hatch, to hot, you will have an early hatch, not always good.
good luck!

 

[Tuffoldhen]

She is talking chickens. Cochins are called Pekins in most other countries but the USA. That's why we get the mix up of duck breed verses the chicken breed.

 

[zatsdeb]

I realized they were chickens when I looked it up! Wow, so many kinds of chickens!!!
years ago on my grandparents farm, and aunts and uncles farms, they were just chickens, and dinner.
never thought there would be so many chickens, and so many breeds I have yet to collect!!!!
Yes, I love ducks tooo!!!!!!!

 

[Tuffoldhen]

I know!! lol...Around here chickens are chickens doesn't matter what breed that are!!!! Chicken and dumplings, chicken and noodles, fried chicken, roast chicken and BBQ