Hands on hatching and help

SlikerFarm said:

I am so glad I found this thread!! I am going through my first hatch - 5 guinea hens eggs. The first two hatched no problem. The next two pipped, started to zip, then stalled for hours. I couldn't help myself, I knew they needed help! Sadly the one had died, but it was malformed. The other one looked like she was malpositioned and just couldn't get traction. She's currently resting in the incubator. I'm waiting for her too dry off and the last bits to fall off. I'm praying she makes it! I felt sick to my stomach the whole time, but she kept cheeping, cheering me on!

I was feeling guilty about helping b/c of reading all the "don't touch!!" Comments. Glad to know I'm not the only one who helps!

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Blooie said:

She has already been discharged!  Can you believe it?  Wednesday morning they told the kids that she'd be in the hospital for between 5-7 days.  She was discharged from the hospital 48 hours to the minute!  Even her doctors are amazed!  There are a lot of updates and photos on this thread, starting on this page:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/935165/raising-chickens-and-special-needs-kids/130

I didn't think it was fair to hijack a lot of other threads with updates and was too lazy to keep retyping everything so I thought I'd just post everything in one spot.  Then just the people who were interested could follow along. Kendra spent the night in the hotel with Mom and Dad instead of in the hospital.  They'll stay in Denver for a few more days so Kendra is close to the hospital.  The kids will take her up to the urology floor daily to have her incisions checked, and then on Monday she'll have a final thorough checkup in clinic.  Looks like they'll head for home on Tuesday at the earliest, most likely Wednesday.  Thanks for asking!

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SlikerFarm said:

Thank you everyone! As he was drying I saw a lot of membrane was still stuck to its head and one wing, so i got as much off as I could w/a warm washcloth, then popped him back in the incubator to finish drying. He was cheeping and fighting the whole time, my little fighter!

I think one of his wings may be deformed

But since I only have arm myself, I'm rooting for my little guy!

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Blooie said:

Didn't take time to get any fancy individual shots, but did take some. Had a bucket of chick to take out to the run when it was time. Katie helped. The other shots are the Silkies out in the outdoor brooder. Hard to imagine that they are just 3 days younger than the bigger chicks they are with!

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Blooie said:

Didn't take time to get any fancy individual shots, but did take some. Had a bucket of chick to take out to the run when it was time. Katie helped. The other shots are the Silkies out in the outdoor brooder. Hard to imagine that they are just 3 days younger than the bigger chicks they are with!

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RubyNala97 said:

Oh I forgot I wanted to update on my silkie set. I set 24 old eggs, don't know the exact dates they were laid but at least 3-4 weeks old. 18 are developing nicely!! A couple started but quit very early. Not even a red ring but I see some red where the embryo first started but didn't continue and only 2 looked totally clear, no development. The hova bator is holding nicely. I still can't find my calibrated thermometer but I order a new glass one and it will be here Tuesday. Temps are around 99.5-100.5. And humidity holding around 40-45% with the two smallest wells filled. But it's a pain to add water under the eggs (why do all incubators have the wells underneath the flooring without an easy way to add water?) I put a shot glass in there and am topping that off daily. So much for old eggs not being viable. Now what am I going to do with them all?

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SlikerFarm said:

Thanks for asking, Ruby! Still no sign of piping from the last egg. I'm giving him til tomorrow before I give up on him.

The one on the right is the one I helped hatch. He seems to be doing great.

We had to move the oldest chick because he kept attacking the second chick, biting his toes until one started to bleed. I'm hoping he doesn't know something I don't, because that second chick is very quiet. This is the precocious first chick, who hatched 12 hours before the next!

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Blooie said:

Didn't take time to get any fancy individual shots, but did take some. Had a bucket of chick to take out to the run when it was time. Katie helped. The other shots are the Silkies out in the outdoor brooder. Hard to imagine that they are just 3 days younger than the bigger chicks they are with!

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WVduckchick said:

I cut a couple extra slots where the top of the styro meets the bottom, big enough to insert a bendy straw. I dont think a little extra ventilation hurts anything, but you could always stick a piece of tape over it.

And I'm also experimenting with some older eggs. I set some new golden sebrights, and added a few that were almost a month old. They are in the Brinsea, and I candled once, day 5, and saw alot of dwvelopment, and a few I suspect are clears, but haven't checked the dates on them to see if any of the older ones are developing. Will check them all on Monday.

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jenniferlamar70 said:

Question ? Can you incubate duck and chicken eggs together until lockdown then seperate them?

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PD-Riverman said:

If you will set the duck eggs(not muscovy) 1 week before the chicken eggs then they can hatch together. If you set them at the same time without another incubator to move the chicken egg into on day 18 to start hatching------that's a staggered hatch and is not recommended in my opinion.

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