Egg hatching early - how do I know if things are going right?

[froggyphore]

This is my first attempt at incubating, 2 bantam and 1 LF eggs from my hens. Everything in the process has been pretty standard aside from some issues with high humidity the first week. temp has been 99.5 and RH was 30-35% the last two-ish weeks to compensate for the wet start. I set them late on the 26th, so it's the 18th day. (from what I've read on how to calculate things) I put the incubator on lockdown yesterday afternoon anticipating that the bantams might hatch early and need to get into position. The littlest from one of my d'uccles pipped 30 minutes ago! It peeped and made a wee hole right on the border of the air cell and has been slightly shaking since. Everything I've read has said that it's normal for them to stop and start and to take up to a day to hatch but since this is my first attempt I'm feeling jittery are there any signs I should look out for? Is the chick likely to survive hatching a little early? I would like to try and assist if the chick needs help. Thanks!

 

[TesoroSena]

I think everything is fine; if a chick hatched early it is because of humidity levels spiking up every once in a while. We actually have a turkey pip here and she is two days early. Best of luck!

 

[Huntmaster]

if a chick hatched early it is because of humidity levels spiking

Higher temperature is what usually causes early hatches not humidity. Smaller eggs have also been known to hatch slightly earlier.

 

[froggyphore]

An update, they hatched some time early this morning! They rolled all around during, the shell is in the back of the incubator lol. I feel bad that only they have hatched so far, the other bantam egg is bigger and hasn't pipped so I think it'll be a few days until he has any buddies... I might bring one of my broody silkies in and see if she'll take them.

 

[Huntmaster]

Congratulations on your first hatching hoping the other will be shortly behind

 

[Ridgerunner]

Congratulations so far. For your first incubation it has already been a success. Here is hoping for continued success. Keep us advised.

For different reasons it is not unusual for eggs to hatch early or late by a couple of days. Heredity, humidity, how and how long they are stored before incubation begins, and just differences in the eggs. I've read that bantam eggs can hatch before full sized fowl eggs but I don't keep bantams so I have no experience with that. One thing that can affect it is average incubation temperature. If the average temperature is low they can be as much as two or three days late. If it is warm they can pip two or three days early.

I calibrated my incubator so I know the temperature is right. I never trust a thermometer unless it has been calibrated, whether it comes with the incubator or I got it elsewhere. Whether I hatch with a broody hen or my incubator the chicks often pip a couple of days early. Not always but usually. Since my broody hens hatch the same way I don't believe it is the temperature of my incubator.

Some of my hatches are totally over within 16 hours of the first one hatching. I've had some stretch out well into the second day. In one incubator hatch I had one hatch a couple of days early late at night. Nothing happened until just before I went to bed the next night, a couple pipped. When I woke up the next morning another 16 had hatched and the hatch was over. One time with a broody hen a chick hatched fairly late on a Monday. She did not bring her chicks off of the nest to eat and drink until Friday morning, about 80 hours later. I don't know when her last one hatched but all of her chicks were fine.

As hard as it can be, just be patient and good luck.

 

[froggyphore]

Update two: They've all hatched! I just put them in the brooder an hour ago. I spoke too soon on the others taking a few more days, about 20 minutes after posting I came back to see both of the other eggs pipped! The LF chick hatched early last night, I got to watch them zip and flop out! The other bantie did nothing for like 14~ hours but was out and half dry when I went to check on them this morning.

I'm not sure if the temp was high, all of them hatching early would suggest that but it read 99.5 the whole incubation. If anything I would think it had been on the cold side because the incubator kept chirping about the room being too cold before I moved it to my bedroom. I have a Brinsea Maxi EX so I just trusted the built in thermo-hygrometer since it seems to be a trusted quality brand. I did pop my bedroom thermo-hygrometer in there around day 12 and it read 89F and 80% RH, which didn't seem possible since they were all developing normally. I guess my room is hotter and drier than I thought lol. Next time I'm gonna try an extra one that I know for certain is accurate to see if it's really that off.