DAY 21 peeping stopped. (First time hatcher.)

[Bizzy Betty]

I know I've probably been unnecessarily obsessive over the development of the chicks. But although I've had chickens for a while, this is the first time I'm incubating them myself.

So I think it's Day 21, and I've heard chirping on and off since last night from the first egg. No movement, just chirping. This morning, there was still chirping but it seemed a little softer.

Since then (it's now almost evening), I haven't heard anymore chirping even if I gently tap on the shell. All my research tells me that humidity must be maintained during this 'lockdown' but I live in a tropical and humid climate that is always over 70% humidity so I didn't think checking on the eggs would be a problem. I fact I've removed the soaked sponge because my humidity was reaching over 95% with it. Without the sponge, humidity hovers around 75-80%.

Anyway, I got so concerned that I did a quick candle, and it looks like the internal pip has happened since the air cell is no longer distinguishable - almost looks like the silhouette of a head. However I can't tell if it's moving/breathing. And like I said....no chirping for the past 6 hours even with some gentle taps.

Advice please. Is this normal? Should I put the soaked sponge back in and reach 95%+ humidity?

thanks!!!!

 

[Bizzy Betty]

Update: It's been 12 hours since the last chirp I heard. I'm so worried it's too late to do anything now Should I try a safety hole? Internal pip definitely happened. I can see it when I candle to check.

 

[wolfwalker]

You can try a small safety hole. Not sure what is going on with yours as I am not there, but I have had chirping from eggs up to 48 hours before they pipped. In those cases they went from pip to zip and out in a couple of hours/ Sometimes I think they internally pip and then take a break to absorb the yolk, sometimes they externally pip and take a break to absorb the yolk.

That said, I would be worried that your humidity was at 95%. I personally do not raise the humidity in my incubators until I see the first pip. Then I try to keep it in the mid 60% range. In MY climate that seems to give me the largest numbers of lives at hatch.

 

[Bizzy Betty]

Thanks. I may give it a full 24 hours since the last chirp before I try the safety hole. Maybe it's taking a break and absorbing the yolk? I just wish there were some other indication it is breathing.

 

[JCOP]

I'm in my first hatch currently. Pretty much the same thing happened on my 21st day. This morning was the start of day 22 woke up to 2 chicks hatched and less than an hour later another. Currently have more pips . I've kept my humidity around 60 so I wouldn't try going to high. Just think hens hatch eggs all the time in an uncontrolled environment.

 

[Bizzy Betty]

Fingers crossed for Egg #1. Safety hole deployed but nothing more to report.

Egg #2 may be a late hatcher or maybe no longer viable. No movement, or internal pip.

Egg #3 suddenly went from nothing to an external pip!! Hoping we will at least have 1 chick in a few hours! So excited!!!!

4 more eggs close to lockdown. (I did a slightly staggered incubation).