***URGENT *** chicken egg hatching expert advice needed.... help!

[Bowen4Horses]

Anyone know about hatching chicken eggs?

we've had a broody hen sat on eggs for the last few weeks... unfortunately she's chosen to sit on them in the chicken barn thing where all the other chickens like to lay their eggs, so she's having eggs laid on her head.

this means she's now sat on about 30 eggs... and can't fit them all under her... my husband rescued some eggs that had sneaked out of the side of her, and has put them in the incubator (which we've sucesssfully raised a few chicks with). we didn't hold out much hope for these eggs, as they were cold, but... out of the 7 eggs, 3 of them are growing fine (checked with candling). one started tweeting this morning... but it hasn't 'pipped' yet...

how long do we let it tweet before we help it pip?!? or do we just leave it and hope for the best?

i can't bear the thought of getting up in the morning and it not cheeping anymore...

 

[Clodagh]

Just leave it. Is your humidity high in the incy? Humidity needs to be about 60%.
I would leave it for at least 24 hours from tweeting and then candle again and see if it has internally pipped. Hatching is tiring and takes a couple of days, so don't rush in!
Good luck, I love fluffies!

 

[Bowen4Horses]

humidity is approx 60ish. we didn't know how old the eggs were so had to guess and topped water up yesterday to raise humidity a bit.

i didn't realise they could tweet for 24hrs... i was worrying that it would run out of air...

none of our others have been so 'vocal'

ok, i'll leave it. and cross my fingers.

can we put the chick back in with the broody hen, or will she know she hasn't hatched it? xx

 

[merlinsquest]

I have quails hatching at this very minute.... have had 6 so far and the 7th is on the way

I would leave them to pip on their own as its the only way of telling for sure that they are fully ready to hatch

I did peel one out earlier though as it had pipped and nothing else for 12 hours

Its a bit weird and floppy so not sure if its going to survive

another 2 were peeled by Joanne on here and one died (there was loads of blood in the shell after it pipped)

and the other is a bit floppy too but perking up

Good luck and piccies when done

 

[Bowen4Horses]

[ QUOTE ]
IGood luck and piccies when done

[/ QUOTE ]

thank you, though i can't promise they'll be attractive... the 'dad' is a rescued bantam... and the mothers are all different random breeds... the tweeting one comes from floppy, our white leghorn (?!?).

one of our girls is an incubator hatched little pekin bantam. she's like a mini bantam, so i hope some of her eggs hatch! she's sooooooo cute.

 

[Clodagh]

Broody hens are very dim, once its dry and fluffy pop it under her. Make sure its dark so she doesn't see it and if possible cover her so it stays dark until you look the next morning. I haven't had one reject a chick yet.

MQ - I love quail, I want to hatch some one day.

 

[gails]

You live and learn, I also did not realise they couldlast 24hrs. I have never left it more than 6, I dont think it can hurt to give it a little help.

Nik says he would not even leave it, just get it out. Apparantly this is what he does with his pheasant eggs if they are showing no signs of progress.

As he puts it, if it is cheeping it is ready

 

[joeanne]

The one that bled in the shell died?
Gutted, though i did wonder if it would.

 

[merlinsquest]

Sadly yep

Just after you left

I peeled the other one that had pipped as it was making no more progress.... he seems to be doing well and the first one

a bit of a special needs quailer at the moment.

One more has just this minute popped out.... so only three to go

 

[merlinsquest]

Maybe if you tell me how, I could send you some eggies

They are so tiny

 

[gails]

I really miss my bantams, loved the wonder of getting up in the morning and then seeing little fluffy ones, soooo cute.

Makes you wonder how they get commercial ones ready to eat, all my bantams were at least a year until they were ready. Good job too. My silverbright was a rubbish mum however

 

[joeanne]

Yay (buy not yay that the little bleeder died

)
You are no longer a peeler virgin!
How did it go???

 

[merlinsquest]

OK

It was easy to do.... so probably might have managed it itself

I have longer nails than you too, so used them rather than needle

Mananged to get all the shell off, but then couldnt remember which end to get it out of

went for the obvious bit where it had pipped..... but there was a blood vessel there so moved round......

And the best bit..................................... Its a blondie

Great

See if the other three go overnight

 

[joeanne]

Woohoo!!!!
I was worrying all the blondies were all going to be special needs quailers!