Topic of the Week - Hatching Eggs

[sumi]

Following the previous thread on Incubating eggs, this week I would like to talk about hatching eggs. Specifically:

- How long would you consider a "normal" hatching process for different species, from pip to hatch?
- Do you assist struggling hatchlings and when is best?
- What do you do when you have a malpositioned hatchling (For example, pipping on the wrong side of the egg)?
- How long do you leave hatched chicks in the incubator, before moving them to the brooder?

Anything you'd like to add?

For a complete list of our Topic of the Week threads, see here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/topic-of-the-week-thread-archive

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Following the previous thread on Incubating eggs, this week I would like to talk hatching eggs. Specifically:

- How long would you consider a "normal" hatching process for different species, from pip to hatched?
- Do you assist struggling hatchlings and when is best?
- What do you do when you have a malpositioned hatchling (For example, pipping on the wrong side of the egg)?
- How long do you leave hatched chicks in the incubator, before moving them to the brooder?

Anything you'd like to add?

For chickens I consider normal hatching process from external pip to zip roughly 24 hours.
I do assist. If there's no progress by 24 hours I will start an assist, but to be honest, many times I don't go very far because they still have veining, which is most likely why they haven't progressed on their own. My fear is having them get that far and quit, so it does ease my mind knowing there's a reason. Many times after I start an assist, the chick finishes it themselves when it is ready.
Malepositions I just keep a close eye on and it. How quick I am to help depends on just where the pip is. I'm more likely to assist a malpo that is in the pointed end than one in the middle, (that might still be in the air cell due to the significant amount it draws down at hatch) or one that is high but on the flip side of the air cell. I will however make sure that malpo pips are all the way through membrane and beak is at the pip to insure clear breathing while they have time to do their thing.
I remove my chicks to the brooder as they become active in the incubator. I keep the temps under the light at 100 for the first couple days and there is no drafts where my incubator is. I try to make sure I have at least two hatchers before I move the first ones to brooder so they aren't lonely in the big open space. My brooder is a couple feet from the incubator, so the other chicks still hear the peeping and I also play chick peeping videos at the incubator for motivation of the others. They have electrolyte enhanced water and food in the brooder at all times.

Add, for two and a half years I used an old lg 9200 model (with fan). Anyone familiar with these knows how touchy the control is. If I could get the bator to settle above 99.5 and under 101, that's where it stayed. I started noticing something. I'm not sure where it fits into scientific reality, but it seemed like the early hatchers, those that hatched out day 19/20, seemed to take much longer to progress from pip to zip than did hatches that hatched the latter part of day 20 into 21. The more on time hatchers seemed to progress within 12 hours give or take, whereas the early hatchers pushed 18-24 hours or better.

 

[sumi]

I really didn't want to Crack it open. Just wanted an easy way to find out without damaging the egg.

Unfortunately the only way to determine fertility without opening the egg is by incubating it and candling it after approximately 7 days to check for development. Before day 7 it's hard to tell for sure, unless you have a pale enough egg shell and a very strong light for candling. I usually candle again at day 10, before discarding clear eggs.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

It is a little giant forced air the first 13 days it was 65%then up to 77%

Ok, humidity that high will most certainly drown them. The 9300 is notorious for the display being off. First, I would suggest, if you don't already, to have your own checked thermometers and hygrometer in the bator, or at least check the bator's thermometer display against a known accurate thermometer and hygrometer. Second, drop that humidity the first 17 days. Anything over 45% for the incubation period in my opinion is risky. Many of us use low humidity around 30-35% to get a good hatch. I'm going to give you a couple links that should help you. One on humidity and one that's a general hatching guide from a hands on perspective. Give them a read, and give it another shot.
http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity
http://hatching411.weebly.com/

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Not sure if I'm in the right place but my question pertains to egg fertility. I have 2 Peking drakes, a malard drake and a female malard. I have seen Freedom taken place by one Peking and my female mallard she has recently laid an egg but I'm not sure if it's fertile can anyone tell me an easy method so I could find out

When you crack one open look for the formation of the blastodisc and bullseye. These are chicken, but same concept

 

[sumi]

@trixt https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/egg-failure-to-hatch-diagnosing-incubation-problems

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I am me new hatching eggs because I recently got interested into doing so. What if the chicks hatch whilst I'm out during the day? I'm concerned about this because if the chickens hatch and are in the incubator still, will it harm them? Do I have to take the eggs out at a certain time or day and place them under a heating lamp? Please help I really want to succeed on this!

*Edited by staff*

Hi!

They are ok in the incubator for a while. Some people don't even take them out until the hatch is done. A good share of people wait until they are dry and move them. I move mine as they become active in the incubator. I won't leave a strong healthy chick in the incubator more than 12 hours. I believe that chicks should have access to water within the first 24 hours to rehydrate. So it all comes down to a personal decision. I'm going to give you a couple links that may help you along in your journey, or future journey's into incubating.
http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity
http://hatching411.weebly.com/

 

[lhodg1]

Great thread!!
My daughter and I started hatching chicks several years ago. We started out with a small 3 egg incubator and then tried our luck with the larger models. I ordered eggs from hatcheries, unfortunately our hatch rates were only about 5% (2-3 out of 50 eggs hatched). I thought maybe it was the incubator and decided to invest in an R-com pro 20, still without success. A friend asked us to hatch eggs from chickens we gave him last year. I decided to set them in our Farm Innovators Digital Circulated Air Incubator and woooohoooo, 25/32 hatched!!!

I've read that mail order eggs can be problematic, and I had ordered them during December as a Christmas gift, which is probably why so few hatched. It was so exciting to see our efforts finally pay off, fo hear the first peeps, see them breakout and start cheeping to their mates!! We also learned you don't have to spend a lot of money on an incubator (the hard way)!!! I just set a new batch this morning in our trusty Farm Innovators bator

. We've learned so much from BYC!! We've relied on your friendly advice and support to manage incubating through an ice storm, power outage, slow hatchers, and lame chicks. BYC taught my daughter Josie how to make a splint for a chick with a hock joint deformity. Thank you so much!!!! Happy Hatching!!!
Lisa

 

[wabbit1964]

I forgot how many years we had been hatching so I had to go back and find my little blog I did on here when I joined https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/wabbit1964-harmony-hen-house.. So we got our first chickens in 2012 and started hatching in 2013. When they joke about chicken math and hatching being addicting it is true.4 years later and I still feel awful when I have eggs that are quitters or chicks that don't make it.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

So it internally pipped yesterday around 2-3pm when should I start to help?

While malpositioned can take longer, I start an assist after 24 hours. Many times I can't complete because the veining toward the bottom is still active, but I at least start it and go as far as I can.