4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[puffball]

well it's sunday and the chicks are due!!!!

 

last night i went to check on the eggs and one has already got a hole in it with a little beak poking out - if i listen for long enough sometimes it cheeps!!!!

 

omg am so excited right now!!!

 

any tips of how to help them have a good first day would be good

Edited June 2, 2008 by Guest

[hils78]

Oh wow how exciting! not got a clue about how to look after them.

Make sure we get some pictures x

[puffball]

ooh i will try...never done a picture before though so i can't promise i'm afraid

[bronze]

The best thing you can do for them is leave them be to start with. They need time to dry off and absorb the yolk sack.

 

We will expect pictures though

[puffball]

how long does it take for them to hatch then?

[Egg Lou]

Wow how exciting.. do keep us posted

[Egluntyne]

Good luck.

 

Can't wait for some pics.

[Nuggywoo]

how long does it take for them to hatch then?

It could take from 1 - 24 hours! 5 of mine started at roughly the same time at about 4pm, the first hatched completely at midnight, the second at 1.15am and the third (and last) at about 2pm the next day. The other two 'gave up' halfway through - nothing I could do for them.

When they're dry (about an hour?) put them into their broody and keep an eye on them to make sure they're warm enough etc. They won't need to eat for about a day but introduce them to water sooner than that.

Basically, keep them warm and watch them grow - seemingly overnight

[puffball]

ahh thankyou!

 

one started last night and has made a hole roughly 5mm x 20mm wide and is cheeping! a tiny hole appeared on another egg but the rest are spotless

[puffball]

so far one has hatched!! its soo cute!

 

one of them broke though and a horible green fluid was inside

 

one has a small hole but the others show no attempts to get out

 

they are due today but it is only 2.30pm - should i be worried that the other 6 eggs won't hatch or are they likely to start tommorrow instead?

[puffball]

please help i'm really worried

[Egluntyne]

Have you read the advice and followed the links in **this article**?

[puffball]

thanks they do help quite a bit

 

still unsure of whether other eggs are going to hatch - should i turn the temp up?

[bronze]

No leave the temp

Make sure the humidity is up and leave them be. My last hatch started on friday and the last one hatched on sun evening.

[puffball]

ooh good!

 

thanks ever soo much!

 

i will wait til thursday before removing unhatched eggs then - is that right?

 

[Nuggywoo]

i will wait til thursday before removing unhatched eggs then - is that right?

God no!!

 

If you're not sure if any are still alive (sorry) listen to them, they should all be peeping, also they should all be bouncing about by now. Usually when one's hatched the others hear it's calls and double their efforts!

Keep the incubator as it is - don't turn the temp up, make sure the humidity is correct and leave them to it.

Any that haven't hatched 48 hrs after the due date never will (assuming you put them all in at the same time) I would turn them off on Tuesday.

 

Good luck.

[puffball]

we are using a broody - she pecks at us and we dont want to unsettle her by checking eggs...is it worth trying?

 

also thought i'd announce we have successfully hatched our second chick which came this morning at 9.30am!

[puffball]

unfortunately the second egg that was hatching has died.

 

amelia rejected the eggs after the first chick hatched so i placed them under a lamp. i think it must have been to hot.

 

RIP little one

[Olly]

sorry to hear that.

 

Hope the first chick is doing ok.