Day 23 hen eggs

[Carphil]

Hi, I know this has been discussed elsewhere and I have read replies but I'm wondering if someone could help answer my question. I have previously incubated duck eggs but only 1 hatched out of 5. I had a power cut also during that hatching at day 24.

I incubated 9 hen eggs and 5 are viable before lockdown. However I am now on Day 23 and no pipping. Eggs are beginning to rock when a light is shone on them.

During the incubation process I have had some obstacles and I'm wondering if this could have delayed the hatching process. Firstly my incubator stopped rolling the eggs and I did it manually 3 to 5 times a day for first 8 days when I then was able to get a new incubator. On day 4 my electric went out for 30 hours and I put blankets over the incubators to try and keep them warm. Once they were placed in new incubator, temperature was 37.8 Celsius and humidity 56% and increased to 72% on day 18.

Should I let eggs keep going for a couple of days or will they need help?

Thanks for reading.

 

[sourland]

The 30 hours with , I would guess, lower temperatures will extend the incubation period. If it were me, I would let nature take its course.

 

[Carphil]

The 30 hours with , I would guess, lower temperatures will extend the incubation period. If it were me, I would let nature take its course.

Thank you for replying. I'll let them keep going and see what happens. Nature knows best. I have read stories about eggs exploding which sort of puts me off if I leave them too long. The rocking of them I'm taking as a positive.

 

[Carphil]

My other half opened the shell of one as no movement and on day 24. Here's the egg. Is it shrink wrapped or will it be ok? We have left the rest alone

 

[Yardmom]

Is it moving? What types of movement. Is the membrane dried onto the chick? Shrink wrapping would happen when the shell has been opened so the membrane ends up drying out. I can't see exactly what is going on with this egg, but with that opening keep humidity up.

If you are needing to see what is going on in an egg start by candling. Don't go by days, but by development stage. Helping a chick before it is ready to hatch can harm it

 

[Carphil]

Hi thank you for your reply. I did try to put up a video but it wouldnt let me load it up. We did candle them but couldn't see much apart from an air sac and all dark. The chick is moving inside the membrane, taking short breaks at times and humidity is at 73%. The movement can be large pushes. A small hole was to be made but unfortunately my husband made it a lot bigger..
We only did that as there have been little movement and it was now day 24. We will know for again to leave alone. We have left the other eggs alone and one is now rocking and another 1 has shifted slightly.

 

[Carphil]

Update
The chick didn't make it but another egg hatched this evening, chick ok. Another 3 still in incubator and one egg has been rocking so fingers crossed.

 

[redinator]

• Hi thank you for your reply. I did try to put up a video but it wouldnt let me load it up. We did candle them but couldn't see much apart from an air sac and all dark. The chick is moving inside the membrane, taking short breaks at times and humidity is at 73%. The movement can be large pushes. A small hole was to be made but unfortunately my husband made it a lot bigger..
  We only did that as there have been little movement and it was now day 24. We will know for again to leave alone. We have left the other eggs alone and one is now rocking and another 1 has shifted slightly.

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