uh oh!

[coltssuperbowl83]

I'm on day 22 and the first chick just hatched this morning. The others aren't wiggling or peeping and there are no pips. Am i in trouble?

Should i water check them after this one dries? Not sure what to do any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Mrs MIA]

I don't understand testing an egg with a "water test"... I have never seen a momma hen push an egg into the water dish to test it! LOL!

Make sure that your humidity is in range, and sit on your hands.

Not all eggs hatch on day 21. If you're really curious, quickly take one out and candle it. Otherwise, just let them be and wait. If, at day 24-25, you don't have any more hatched, then likely they're not going to hatch. Anything you do right now could jeopardize the hatch, so it's best to just leave them be.

It's hard, I know, but keep yourself busy, and leave the incubator alone.

 

[coltssuperbowl83]

K. Thanks. I wasn't sure about the water test thats why i asked i read some posts about it yesterday. Will the lone chick in their peck the other eggs open? I don't mean to help them out i mean will the chick do it out of curiosity and possibly hurt the rest?

 

[Mrs MIA]

The cheeping from the first chick may actually draw out the others. Give them time. If your temps were even 1 degree low, it could delay the hatch. Better safe than sorry.

 

[shesaredroan]

Quote:
Colt, the hatched chick will not harm the unhatched eggs.
Last week I had 6 that all hatched about the same time, but the 7th little one was very slow pipping. After 36 hours I quickly removed the 6, who were all dry, to the brooder. They WERE starting to pick at the 3/4 zipped little one. It was getting 'shrink wrapped', due to the long pipping.

Poor little one, I helped it open the top of the shell, wrapped it in a warm, damp washcloth and left it alone for a while.........sure enough after a bit it was up and walking around the 'bator...........but it had bits of egg shell stuck to it and was much smaller than the others. After it dried I knew if I put it in the brooder with the others, they would probably pick at it due to the egg shell bits stuck to it.

Fixed the little one a small cardboard box brooder with heat/light, food, water and a turkey feather duster. The feather duster is to keep the little one from feeling lonely. It hid in the feathers and after a day or so was jumping up on it just like chicks jump on to their mama.

Good luck with your hatch.

 

[coltssuperbowl83]

Great advice guys. Thanks. I like the thing with the duster. I never would have thought of that but it make perfect sense. Thanks again.

 

[Robo]

Here is the link to the float test. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=383525

 

[shesaredroan]

The feather duster idea.......I have to give credit to Bev Davis, one of the leading Marans breeders in the USA. She mentioned it on the Marans Thread once when someone was worrying about a lone chick hatch.
I too, would never have thought of that.....but I had an old wooden handled turkey feather duster (that doesn't get used anymore, now that I've discovered Swiffers, but just couldn't throw it away).

Thank you Ms. Bev for sharing your good ideas. You've helped a lot of chicks that might have otherwise felt lonely.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:
That just seems counter-intuitive to me. Why not candle, and not take the risk of drowning a viable egg?

Oh well... whatever's easiest and works. I guess I've never seen a hen candle an egg either...

 

[coltssuperbowl83]

I got anxious and candled one. The one that i candled had a nice air sac on the fat part of the egg and i could see the chick moving but very very slightly. I rushed the egg back in hoping not to disturb the temp and humidity too much. The rest of the egg was really really dark. (not even sure that light went through it) About to hatch or dying?