Is it normal to see a LOT of rocking and moving around just prior to pipping?

Rainbows Chicks

Chirping
7 Years
May 4, 2012
122
0
89
New Brunswick, Canada
Well, I've finally been reassured that my 2 eggs (out of 8 to start) have made it to the final countdown; I have definitely seen both eggs rock back and forth - end to end - and wobble back and forth - side to side - a number of times now. Nothing else has happened, yet, though. So, now, my question is this: can this go on for a long time before they'll pip or could they be having difficulty pipping through? My incubator has held a very steady temp of 100.2/100.4 F and humidity of 74%/76%, since lock down, which I thought was pretty good, but now I'm second guessing if the humidity should have been a bit higher...? Also, we've been incubating in a pre-school classroom and I'm terrified that they'll pip in the middle of the night, or something, and I'll miss the whole thing (everyone at the centre has been teasing me about having to sleep over here, tonight... :eek:) Out of all the information, on here, in the learning centre and on the forum, I'd figured it out that sometimes pipping can take a number of hours; however, I hadn't realized that all this "rocking and rolling" inside the egg would precede the actual "breaking through the shell"...?? Thanks, in advance, for any light that anyone can shed on this, for me!
 
Yes, that's normal. I've had eggs rock and wiggle 3-4 days prior to pipping. Just means that they are just that big, running out of room and filling up that egg! Good luck with your hatch!
 
It is perfectly normal for the eggs to rock back and forth in the days prior to hatching.
Try chirpping at them - you may just get a chirp back even before they pip.
I always enjoy chirpping at them - it gets them excited and most often then not they really get their "Groove on".and really start rocking.

When is your actual hatch day?

Good Luck on your hatch!
 
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It is perfectly normal for the eggs to rock back and forth in the days prior to hatching.
Try chirpping at them - you may just get a chirp back even before they pip.
I always enjoy chirpping at them - it gets them excited and most often then not they really get their "Groove on".and really start rocking.

When is your actual hatch day?

Good Luck on your hatch!

Today is hatch day and the first egg pipped sometime between 12:30 and 6:30 am and he's out and about, now, stumbling and bumbling around in the incubator. The second egg pipped sometime this morning (we hadn't noticed because he pipped on the underside of the egg...) and I'm just hoping, now, that I'll have time to get the kids back from school, before he hatches out completely. I'd hate for them to miss it.
 
Excting time when you see them start to rock and roll! Pipping is soon!

What breed are your chicks?
Actually, I don't know yet... The parent that gave them to me, got them from his parents and when I asked him about the breed he replied "uummm, the white kind..."
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He was supposed to ask his parents and get back to me, but I haven't heard from him...
 

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