WE'RE IN LABOR!!!! First pip!!!

[bugglesmommy]

How's the hatch going? Any updates?

 

[Sweetpea3829]

Nothing yet! A few more pips from the other eggs, and a bit of cheeping, but no zipping from anybody yet. I'm glad I heeded the advice to get to bed instead of waiting up...lol. Though I did get sucked into Oz's diary thread and didn't get to bed until 2am.

 

[bugglesmommy]

How long the hatching process takes is one of the things that surprised me the most when I first started hatching. I had my incubators instruction manual and didn't arm myself with research that first time so I just assumed that they would knock the shell apart and walk away. (Thanks cartoons) LOL. I had no idea how complex hatching was. It is amazing what a chicken can do with her butt while we have to tediously do all of these things with incubators.

 

[Sweetpea3829]

Well we have a hatchling!!! And not the first one to pip either! The others are all quiet right now. Hope they're all ok.

 

[bugglesmommy]

CONGRADULATIONS!

The others are probably fine. Most likely they are resting while they prepare to hatch. Now don't get too heartbroken if a few don't hatch. The transition from fetus to chick is one of the most difficult to make and a few losses happen even with experienced hatchers.

 

[Sweetpea3829]

How long does it take them to fluff up?

 

[bugglesmommy]

A half a day to a day. Are you able to see in better with a flashlight?

 

[Sweetpea3829]

No, not really. The two small windows are marred up, which makes it pretty difficult to see in. I ended up moving the chick into the brood box just a few minutes ago. He was dry and a bit fluffy (his back was still a bit matted), but the brood box is well enclosed and I've had the heat light on for awhile, so it's just as warm in there. Plus, I can keep an eye on him, and the kids can peek at him without upsetting the other hatching eggs.

All but one egg has pipped. I candled that one and do not see any movement from the chick, who is clearly in the air cell. I think he may be DIS. But I'll leave him alone and see what comes of it. Maybe he's just resting.

 

[bugglesmommy]

Maybe... but back to the beginning. You really shouldn't open that lid. Every time the wet air escapes and dry air rushes in.

 

[bobbi-j]

Maybe... but back to the beginning. You really shouldn't open that lid. Every time the wet air escapes and dry air rushes in.

x2 The chicks can stay in the incubator for over 24 hours. They are fine up to about 72 hours with the nutrition from the absorbed yolk. Yes, they'll wander around and knock the unhatched eggs around. It's OK. Just leave them be, and leave the lid shut. When you lose humidity, it can dry out the membrane in the eggs to the point where they're too tough for the chicks to be able to hatch. Keep telling yourself, "Must leave lid shut. Every time I open it, it could kill another chick."