The eggs are hatching! update!Got help from BYC see the results!!!!!!!

[VioletBlueIvy]

Hi, First time hatching eggs! I need some advice! Here's the situation;
My inlaws got an incubator to hatch some of our eggs with the kids. I saved six select eggs from my hens over a 7 day period and they put them in the incubator. They have turned them twice a day for 20 days. MIL did not realize it was time to stop turning them, and when she went to turn them last night two of them had pipped! They both hatched last night and seem to be doing well. This morning one more pipped but it made a hole in the narrow end of the eggshell, and some blood tinged liquid oozed out. It keeps poking it's little beak out, then resting, but it has only been a couple of hours so I dont know what will happen yet. I am worried that because they were still being turned it may have caused the chick to try and hatch out the wrong end? One of the other eggs got knocked off to one side by it's siblings, and it is rocking around and you can hear it peeping. Why is it bad to move the eggs the last three days? Can I do anything now to fix it? I am a fan of letting nature take it's course but I feel like we are the ones that messed it up, we should make it right if we can... any advice would really be great!

 

[Mahonri]

Be certain that the humidity is at 65% and DON'T OPEN THE INCUBATOR FOR 36 HOURS.

You win some you loose some, but you will compromise the chances of the others if you open the bator and your humidity is not up to where it needs to be. Add water through a straw to the bator.

 

[gaeamama]

You should be fine.... just let it go and don't open the incubator.
keep an eye on the one that pipped, sometimes it takes a long time from pip to hatch.

good luck!

 

[VioletBlueIvy]

I just wanted to say I found an old post that answered my question about pipping at the wrong end and taking so long. It had to pip early so it could breath and it just needs extra time, or it cant move around enough and I should WAIT either way! One more has pipped since, so if all the ones who have pipped hatch than I will have four new chicks, and still waiting on the last two eggs....keeping my fingers crossed!!! Thanks for making me feel better BYC

 

[VioletBlueIvy]

Update! The egg that piped two days ago hatched this morning! It is having a slower start than the others, but so far so good. Another one that pipped last night hatched along with it, so we have five chicks, just one egg left, we are hoping that it hatches too. So we have two RI Red/Buff Orp cross and three RI Red so far... despite the fact my MIL continued to turn the eggs until they started hatching, and keeps opening the incubator for various reasons, and my 6 year old turned down the thermostat so it has fluctuated between 92-100 since yesterday, as she cant get it regulated now. It's Nature not science I guess!

 

[mtcookie]

Yay. now we need pictures

 

[VioletBlueIvy]

Pictures!!!!!!!!
These are the first three to hatch, the two Buff/RIR crosses and one RIR. I just moved the other two into the brooder tonight, and haven't done pics yet, I'll add those tomorrow.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Adorable babies, and a very good hatch rate. You know, if they were under broodies they would get moved and jostled around. i know we try to be so careful when incubating, probably too careful. Sometimes they are bound and determined to hatch, nonetheless.

Congrats!