Hi all, In spite of it's reputation, I bought a really inexpensive little three egg incubator. I didn't hold out a lot of hope for initial three eggs but lo and behold, this morning around 2:00 am I noticed a little hole in one. Needless to say I never really got back to sleep. Anyway, it's now after 4:00 pm and there doesn't seem to be much progress. In addition to the initial hole which is about the size of a wooden match stick, there is another similar sized hole and one larger hole. I hear the chick peep now and again and I hear an almost constant dull ticking and every once in a while I see the egg sort of jump. When should I start worrying? Actually, since I'm already worrying, let me rephrase that. When should I start panicking.
Quote:pipping/hatching is very tiring for a chick sometimes they can hatch as late as day 24. Don't try to help them out because they may not be ready yet and you could end up hurting them. I wouldn't panic too much, just be patient Good luck with your hatch!
Glad you found us. Chicks sometimes seem to set out to drive us crazy, I've had pips sit there doing nothing for over 24 hours. Go to town for 1/2 an hour and come back to fully hatched chicks! I missed the whole thing. I'd say fairly confidently they will pop out sometime between now and noon tomorrow. As long as your humidity is good I'd just keep waiting.
Thanks. I really have no choice but to wait. It's the patiently part I have trouble with. I certainly will not intervene. I don't know enough to do that. So the little thing is on it's own.
My first chick I ever hatched took 21 hours from the first little hole that pipped to the time it zipped. Believe me that was AGONY. I was preparing to intervene. I was looking up info on intervening and getting prepared when the little thing just zipped out in 7 minutes!
You guys are making me feel better. Thanks. I'm trying to make a time lapse video so if all goes well I'll share it here.
I agree as long as your temp and humidity is good then it could take 24 hrs to hatch. Some take minutes from pip to hatch and some take hours. You just never know. Good luck...
Okay, I keep hearing the 24 hour number. Well, it's been about 32 hours since the first little hole appeared in the shell. The chick is still alive. I still hear the faint ticking/thumping sound. Is this still normal to be taking so long? Should I start to rethink my no intervention stance? I sure would hate to see the chick die because I was afraid to do something to help it.
