[egglady]

i stopped turning yesterday, put water in the reservoir and today i see that 4 of the eggs have started pipping (is that what you call it when they start to peck through?)

so what do i do now please?

do i wet the shells to make them softer?
do i add extra water?
do i mist the eggs?
do i help pick the shells off at any point?

one of them started pipping about 6 - 7 hours ago but only made a tiny hole so far - should i be helping him/her?


i dont have a humidity meter so i can only do what i do by hand....all and any advice gratefully received!!!!!

[jameslindsay]

Once they are pipping you should open the incubator as little as possible. Sometimes it takes many, many hours for them to break free but if you think they are struggeling get in and help them out their shell. If you help them out before it is time they are very weak and fragile for longer. Hope all goes well.

[egglady]

EEK!  i didnt know not to open the incubator - i've had it open about 5 times today to 'chat' to them!  will i have done any harm do you think? 

[jameslindsay]

I doubt it, just remember every time the lid is off the heat gets out.

[whitby_sam]

It took ours almost 24 hours to pip the eggs all the way round. Once the first one was out he/she helped the others by pecking the already pipped eggs from the outside

[egglady]

i think we are up to about 20 hours and not much in the way of progress since yesterday.  can still hear cheeping and tapping but dont see any of the holes getting bigger.  is this normal or is it taking too long now?  sorry to be such a pest but you know what us first time mum's are like!!!!

[jameslindsay]

Hoe long has this been going on now and what size are the cracks?