3rd Annual New Year's Day Hatch!!

[featherz]

Quote:
Don't feel bad. I was trying hard not to help any this time around but I ended up helping 3 and they are all now healthy and doing great. On the other hand, I had been hearing beeping then nothing. I finally candled and could tell the chick had gone into the air cell. I put it in a plastic back and gently cracked the shell. It was a perfectly formed (but deceased) blue silkie chick. For whatever reason it hadn't pipped. I'm glad that I helped the others. I was really worried about the last one, it had a serious vaulted head and it hatched way late. I finally moved it to the brooder this morning at about 4am. This evening it's smaller than the others but totally fluffed up and seems to be strong and healthy. Some help, some don't. I don't think there is a right or wrong, it's personal preference.

I have helped a LOT of chicks, especially when I used my styrofoam incubator and had a lot of shrinkwrapping. With the exception of one, all did fine and are alive with no deformities today. The ONLY exception was a chick I would not normally have helped out - it was an egg I was opening after day 24 to check development and found out the chick was still alive and fully formed. That chick was 'failure to thrive' and I culled it after 5 days. Of course, it depends on the reason for 'helping' - mine I helped because the shrinkwrapping was my fault or the egg was squashed by a chick or similar.

 

[featherz]

Random comments:
Mahonri - you need to work out a deal with that vet where you trade him teeth fixing for rooster decrowing!

I like my new dentist who just fixed all the damage caused by my old one, but I'd love to send my husband to you. His teeth would help you pay for that vet care in no time - his dentist is not so hot.

'Culling'.. I'm a vegetarian and I don't kill my birds for anything except severe illness (sniff), but I have the utmost respect for those who eat meat and humanely raise their own. It's a HUGE HUGE step over buying storebought.

Don't remember if it's too late for the contest but I'll try to take a 'cute chick' picture today anyways just for fun. Been swamped at work and totally pooped when I get home with the chicks all under the ecoglow and asleep by the time I get up there.

So far all my hatch chicks are alive and kicking. My two 'special needs' chicks - one is almost normal, the other with one eye is quite perky but not eating much yet. I'm trying the poly-vi-sol.

 

[schumanw]

None of my eggs hatched on New Years.

( I had 40 eggs and I didn't candle this time because the last time (which was my first time) half the eggs I pulled contained embryos .)

So, this time, I decided to help out (big mistake) and lightly crack the eggs. I cracked them all and two popped and spewed out rotten egg gas. Two others were just filled with yolk. The rest, I put back. On Monday, still no eggs had hatched. I was very depressed and disappointed.

On Monday Evening, one chick had hatched. When I got home from work on Tuesday, six chicks had hatched. I figured that was it. I got six out of 40. Pretty poor results. Then I started opening the remaining eggs and tossing them into the garden. I found four more live chicks. When will I ever learn?! As of this morning, I have seven healthy and active chicks, one dead chick and two that are still in the shell.

Did I get such poor results because I did not candle my eggs and toss the ones that were not developing. Did the rotten eggs release the sulfur gas and kill most of the developing embryos? Most of the eggs that I tossed, had embryos that appeared to have died between the second and third week. Do I need to become a good candler to improve my hatch rate?

 

[schumanw]

Did I drown my chicks. My wet bulb thermometer was registering the same temp as my thermometer, so i figured it was not working. So, I just made sure that the bottom of the bator had plenty of water in it from day one. I drowned most of my chicks, didn't I?

 

[featherz]

Quote:
not an expert here, just someone who has done a lot of hatches. Were the chicks that came out living dripping wet? How about the ones you cracked with live chicks? Lots of liquid? or dry? I would advise on next hatch to get a better candling light (I use a Coleman Max and can see through almost everything) and buy a cheap hygrometer at Walmart. You can learn how to calibrate it on here.

Some people more expert than I don't candle at all, but I find that for me, it's a good way to know what a 'normal' air cell looks like, etc. Plus I've always been able to candle my eggs before tossing - only once did I open one with a live chick, and that's because it had SEVERELY shrinkwrapped and wasn't moving. A good light can work wonders.

Also, next time if you crack open eggs after a bad hatch, you can post your eggtopsy on the forum and maybe someone can give you pointers (too wet, too dry, etc).

Don't beat yourself up, bad hatches happen even if you do everything perfectly!!!!!

 

[schumanw]

Thanks for the info and advice Featherz

My chicks were soaking wet when they hatched. The eggs that did not hatch were filled with liquid. Sounds like I definitely had the humidity too high. I will take your advice and get the candler you mentioned. thanks again.

 

[BHep]

Quote:
not an expert here, just someone who has done a lot of hatches. Were the chicks that came out living dripping wet? How about the ones you cracked with live chicks? Lots of liquid? or dry? I would advise on next hatch to get a better candling light (I use a Coleman Max and can see through almost everything) and buy a cheap hygrometer at Walmart. You can learn how to calibrate it on here.

Some people more expert than I don't candle at all, but I find that for me, it's a good way to know what a 'normal' air cell looks like, etc. Plus I've always been able to candle my eggs before tossing - only once did I open one with a live chick, and that's because it had SEVERELY shrinkwrapped and wasn't moving. A good light can work wonders.

Also, next time if you crack open eggs after a bad hatch, you can post your eggtopsy on the forum and maybe someone can give you pointers (too wet, too dry, etc).

Don't beat yourself up, bad hatches happen even if you do everything perfectly!!!!!

x2

Try low humidity during incubation. 20-30% , 50-60% at lock down. No need for so much water. Also if they are that late hatching, you may have a temperature problem (too Low) . 99-100% is where you need to be.

I use a mini mag lite from Walamrt. Candle at day 10. By then you will see development, then candle again right before lock down. If it stinks throw it out !!!!

Better luck next time.

 

[yinepu]

66 out of 78 hatched.. think I am gonna call this one done..

did a float test this morning.. no wigglers, but I'll leave them in the bator another day before I open them just in case

I might need to cull the last chick hatched.. he STILL hasn't been able to get his feet up under him (one leg looks to be twisted).. I'm going to give him a little longer and see how he does.

 

[schumanw]

Thanks BHep and Featherz

I need the encouragement for next time, but I am having a blast with my chickens and my new chicks that survived my ignorance.

 

[ChooksChick]

Quote:
Cielo: The above link should work for putting in your total number of hatched chicks.

Weird!! I typed that 4 hatched, but when I looked at the results, it says I typed 3....something's amiss!