When should I start checking these unpipped eggs?

[ivyrash]

I started the eggs May 6th at 6pm. Half americana cross from my chickens and half are bantam cochins I had shipped. I don't think temps have been stable but I did the best I could. Yesterday morning 9 of the americana eggs were pipped and I was thinking "gosh those are really early" because in my mind day 21 wasn't until this evening. Came home yesterday to an incubator full of chicks, all americana eggs. Found two of the bantam cochin eggs pipped last evening and one managed to hatch last night. The other one I started helping a little this morning and is still in the shell. I have one more cochin that is pipped and looks like starting to unzip so I am trying to leave it alone.

So at this point I have a whole bunch of bantam cochin eggs that I paid for that are not doing anything and I am confused on my dates and when day 21 technically was so I'm not sure when to start checking those unpipped eggs! I did open the incubator this morning to help one of the eggs and get the chicks from yesterday out and then shut it down to get the heat back up.

Also, several of the cochin eggs have saddle air cells and three of them were marked on the wrong end which I didn't discover till day 10, at that point I laid those eggs on their sides and have been turning them by hand.

This has been such a learning experience. I love my chickens to pieces!

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

If they were set on May 6th at 6:00PM, that would make May 7th Day 1. According to this calculation, today (May 27th) would make your eggs at day 20.

Temperature fluctuations can affect the due date of your eggs. I wouldn't worry too much about the unpipped eggs yet. I would give them a couple more days.

Congratulations on the newly hatched, and good luck with the others!

 

[ivyrash]

May 7th at the same time I started them would be the end of day one and the beginning of day 2, right? That would make Sunday the 26th at the same time the beginning of day 21 and this evening the beginning of day 22. Out of 20 americana chicks 13 have hatched, one is having a hard time but has pipped and that is all the pips I can see. The 15 bantam cochins I locked down 3 are hatched, 1 is pipped and malpositioned but alive and I don't see any other external pips.

For now, I am watching and waiting, hoping more will pip.

 

[what did I do]

I chip into the air cell end at the end of day 21 if I see any movement or hear a sound I quit. If i have a stuck chick I often help it depending on why it might be stuck. They often do ok if I help them out of the shell. It they struggle after hatching I put them in a cup with paper towel in it.

I had one that was stuck in the shell so I washed it under warm running water (not it's head). It did fine.

Oh, candle the eggs too to look for movement before chipping into the egg.

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

May 7th at the same time I started them would be the end of day one and the beginning of day 2, right? That would make Sunday the 26th at the same time the beginning of day 21 and this evening the beginning of day 22. Out of 20 americana chicks 13 have hatched, one is having a hard time but has pipped and that is all the pips I can see. The 15 bantam cochins I locked down 3 are hatched, 1 is pipped and malpositioned but alive and I don't see any other external pips.

For now, I am watching and waiting, hoping more will pip.

All these numbers make my head spin, lol.

I think that from May 6th at 6pm- May 7th at 6pm is day one. Wouldn't this make May 26th at 6pm to May 27th at 6pm day 20? I could be wrong, but this is just what I'm thinking.

If you are concerned, candling is a great idea. Check out the air sac, a lot of times you can see the beak poking through the air sac internally. It is very exciting to see.

 

[ivyrash]

I won't be starting eggs in the evening like that ever again, it is confusing the crap out of me! The only reason it concerns me at all is that I don't want to jump in to early but there is no point waiting till their dead. I candled one earlier today and could see an internal pip and movement so I put it back and have not opened it again. I am headed to check on them again soon!

 

[bobbi-j]

Whether you start them in the morning, evening or at noon, 24 hours is one day. Day two would be 48 hours after you start them, etc. BUT - here's the thing. The 21 days is more of a guideline than a hard and fast "rule". I tend to just leave them. I feel that the more they're messed with, the more it lessens the chance of survival. But that's just me. I do take more of a hands off approach in my chicken raising.

 

[LaceyMae]

I wouldn't suggest opening the incubator while chicks are trying to hatch, meaning after pipping. If there are no pips, you could remove the unpipped egs, one at a time, and hold it to your ear. If you hear chirpingMake a small hole in the shell into the air cell. If you don't hear anything, tap on the shell with your fingernail or the back of a plastic spoon. If you still don't hear anything, put it back or candle it for movement. I always give my eggs at least 5 days after hatch date to make sure they are not going to just be late. I wish you luck with your babies!