Hatching on day 19 -- strange?

So, is this uncommon?

Eggs went into the bato the eventing of Friday, July 6th. 18 days was the 24th an they went into lockdown that morning. We arrived home yesterday and I thought Moose was pulling my leg when he said "you have a bunch of chicks hatched."

5 were born! 3 of which were from eggs picked on the 5th of July. By the time I went to bed we were up to 7 and as of this morning we were up to 13; at least 10 others are pipped and working their way out. DAY 20!

Is this uncommon or can this be related to, maybe, a more stable temperature, higher/lower humidity and so on?

Who knows... maybe they'll start laying early as well!

LOL

What breed are they? My Milles always hatch a day or two early. Your temperature could be high too.

They're barn yard layers out of my hatch and I think some of the eggs I got from Shadow to hatch out are pure buckeyes. Our last hatch was a day late starting and a bad hatch. This time high fertility/growth in the eggs and early!

Could mean the incubator was a degire high. Your you just have awesome genetics in those chicks!

Smaller eggs can hatch early as they reach proper temperature for development sooner. You many have a bator that is running a little warm as well. I personally don't mind a day 20 start, I hate a late hatch, I think the chicks always struggle more.

Maybe it was the room being a bit warmer that did it.. Thanks guys!

I agree coopslave... I would think longer means beign more tuckered out and struggling.

I often get one chick that hatches early then proceeds to flop and squawk and create a train wreck in the incubator, but you don't want to put him alone in the brooder because it will traumatize him. So much for not moving the other eggs! Don't know why this happens, but it does.

uno wrote:I often get one chick that hatches early then proceeds to flop and squawk and create a train wreck in the incubator, but you don't want to put him alone in the brooder because it will traumatize him. So much for not moving the other eggs! Don't know why this happens, but it does.

LOL I had 5 babies flopping and squawking. All the other eggs were moved to the walls of the brooder. I moved them this morning, but I'm sure it'll be back that way when I get home.

uno wrote:I often get one chick that hatches early then proceeds to flop and squawk and create a train wreck in the incubator, but you don't want to put him alone in the brooder because it will traumatize him. So much for not moving the other eggs! Don't know why this happens, but it does.

I've wondered too if that disorientates other chicks causing hatch failure. Even tried leaving them in a turner a few times but the hatch rate was exactly the same as any other.

Could these chicks have inherited a high metabolism? Or been brooded/pre-warmed in the nesting box?

My chickens are mutts among the greatest of mutts. I couldn't tell you what they inheritied other than the roo is a blue Orp.

I think the room was just warm enough to destabalize everything.