Worried!!!

[sunnydt]

I have 28 eggs total and so far 8 hatched yesterday. Today is the 21st day. two of them also piped yesterday but have not done much since. The rest have had no movement from what I have seen and no more pips. Is this normal??? Could it be because I opened the bator a couple times really quick yesterday?

 

[sunnydt]

The two that have piped since yesterday and still chirping and im sure will hatch today. the rest have not moved or piped or anything and this is the 21st day as I said. Has anyone else had this happen and have chicks still hatch after no more piping for a while?

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

It happens all the time. There are many reasons for some chicks to hatch early, on time or even late. Don't open the incubator again unless it is an emergency. Sometimes eggs will be pipped for 24 hours or more before they begin hatching. A lot of things have to happen during the hatch...chicks have to get their head under the right wing, rotate in the shell, etc. They get tired and take breaks before beginning again.

Don't get impatient. At day 24 or 25 you could candle any remaining eggs if they haven't pipped and see if you see any sign of a live chick.

 

[sunnydt]

Thanks, I see people saying not to open the bator at all in lockdown and some say to remove the chicks when dried or after 24 hours. If you remove them then you have to open it. so I have removed chicks, Im thinking that might be what is wrong. I still have none that have piped except the two. Now of those two, one has a hole about an inch long and I can see right in the egg. Im worried about this one too because hes been like that all night and all day and he chirps and moves but nothing. should I help him out? He hasnt done a thing and Im thinking he might get dried out or something.

 

[bantyhen'sfriend]

You really don't need to remove any chicks until about three days after they hatch, because they live off the yolk. If the chicks are playing kickball with unhatched eggs, however, they need to come out.

 

[sunnydt]

yes they were playing kickball and then I took them out, who knows how long they were doing that though. do you think that can ruin the rest of the hatch? the two that I was talking about are zippering now and hatching. still have 18 in there doing nothing.

 

[SarahIrl]

Be patient, mine hatched over a period of 36 hours, from first hatch (not first pip) to last one out. Quickest pip to hatch was about three hours, the longest, about 24. And I had a 75% hatch rate too.

 

[sunnydt]

I think Im worried about it because the last hatch I had was 60% hatch and they all piped one after the other except for a few that never piped and I lost them. It just seems to be doing the same thing as last time. I really hope more will hatch though. thank you all for your help.

 

[sunnydt]

just saw 1 of the 18 moving so that gives me a little hope

 

[SarahIrl]

Yeah, your hatch should be just fine. Mine hatched all in a rush during day 21, and then a few stragglers over the next 24 hours.