zipping and pipping etc???

[jenichick]

I am trying to understand the basics of incubation and hatching in case I ever decide or need to do that. What exactly is pipping and zipping? I gather pipping is when the baby chicks cracks the egg from inside with it's beak? If so then why do we need to zip them? I'm confused....

 

[speckledhen]

I coined the term zipping to mean the chick making the pip(the opening) larger as it goes around the circumference of the egg. Sometimes it just looks like a jagged zipper to me!

 

[KKluckers]

Your right pipping is when they beak a small hole open. Zipping is the cool part I think. It is when they break the shell around the whole top of the egg like a zipper. Speckledhen has some cool pictures maybe you can get her to post them.

 

[speckledhen]

See the zipper?

 

[jenichick]

I can imagine it, have to wait til I get home to see the zipper, work blocks all pics! But why does it seem that bator chicks need so much assistance compared to mommas, why not get a broody hen? I guess my limited experience has me wondering about the pro's and con's of it. My dorking is a good broody but I guess her schedule wouldn't alway accomodate my desires, so a bator would satisfy my need to hatch. Right? hee hee...

 

[hinkjc]

Bator chicks should not need any assistance if incubation was properly controlled and people could resist the urge to help. Proper incubation and healthy chicks will result in good hatches independent of intervention.

Jody

 

[jenichick]

My concern was if I'm able to build one that resulted in an excellent hatch everytime. I would rather spend the money on a really good one than have the stress of watching half pipped chicks die. That would take all the fun out of it for me. I want to build one but not see them die. I could handle them never hatching at all (that happens in the coop) but knowing I unplugged it or I had a faulty thermometer or hygrometer, or made a mistake etc.

Guess I need to build it right the first time or shell out some bucks!