When to lockdown when age unknown?

[Freya]

It's a polish crested hen with a easter egger rooster. The hen is on the smaller size, especiallly compared to my cochin hen. If you watch the video link I posted, you can see it's still inside the inner membrane trying to poke through it looks like. Although I did think it odd that it was in the air cell area.

 

[Freya]

Well, I went to turn the eggs this morning and when I turned it over, I saw this! It's pipping! Already!?

 

[whytedragon]

hmm..to me it looks like it's also broken the air cell.

Edit: Guess I was a little late to respond...yay..a pip!!

 

[FenDruadin]

Awesome!! YES!! Now DEFINITELY get those babies locked down and the humidity WAY up. Good luck babies!!!

 

[Freya]

hehe... pretty excited, but concerned about how small it looked in the egg. It only looked like it was day 13 or so. I dunno, keeping my fingers crossed. This ones been pretty active, wiggling and wobbling all over, last night it started peeping like crazy, had a LOT to say and this morning I find it pipped lol. The chick might be a handful lol!

 

[FenDruadin]

If it's active and peeping, then I wouldn't worry. It may end up small, or may surprise you. It looked small in the pic to me too, but I also thought the air cell was much smaller than it is based on where the pip occurred. Either way, sounds like it's healthy, anyway!

 

[Freya]

It peeped at me a little bit more, but I think it's napping now lol. I'll keep posting updated photos!

 

[FenDruadin]

Yup, breaking out of the egg is exhausting work. Napping is normal. Also, keep in mind that it could be HOURS and hours and HOURS before it breaks out all the way, so don't get antsy. A full 24 hours can be perfectly normal. For duck eggs, it's 48 hours.

 

[Freya]

LOL! I'm already antsy, but I'll be patient. I keep going to look tho to see if there's any progress. I'm thinking it'll hatch tonight when I'm sleeping lol.

 

[FenDruadin]

I never sleep during lockdown. Drives my husband crazy. I wake up every hour or two to see what's going on in the incubator. Those looooong hours between the pip and when it starts unzipping are the longest hours ever in the history of the world. The baby usually takes a loooong nap and breathes all that fresh air coming in from the hole, and lets the blood vessels in the membrane dry up a bit, before getting started again. Crazy making!