5th Annual BYC New Year's Day 2014 Hatch-A-Long

[champer]

Well, it's official. I had a 0% hatch rate. 0 out of the original 16. The one I had left that went into lockdown..I still saw no movement, so when went to raise the humidity, I candled. I know technically you're supposed to leave them in a few days, but I've hatched enough to know the zero movement I saw inside meant death. Sure enough, I opened her up and it died at about day 18. Not surprisingly enough, about the day I switched it into the blasted Brinsea. Oh well. It would have been nice to have New Years chicks, but I'll have more fuzzybutts soon enough. In the meantime, I'll live vicariously through everyone else's chick pics. ETA: @ronott1 How do I go about proving this? Or is word enough? Seems morbid, but the only picture I'd be able to get is of this last dead chick. I doubt anyone wants to see that. Haha..

How disappointing! I'm glad to hear you'll be hatching again soon.

 

[Gardeningmama]

I just had to share this with you all. I had 3 Dorking eggs that never pipped, so when everyone else had hatched I candled. 2 had already died, and 1 was alive. I opened one that was already gone, and saw that blood vessels were absorbed, and feet were right at the aircell no internal pip. I knew the one that was alive was in trouble. Filed a small hole on aircell end and same thing, no internal pip, feet right there. I was so upset because I knew death was imminent. I got on the assist article of Sally's and after reading and re-reading knew if I could find the head there was a chance. So, I eggtopsied the one that had died in the same position, and practiced pulling the head out. I went to the live egg and did the same. There was a little blood(from the membrane), but the head came right out, chick took a big breath, and is breathing steadily now. It will take all night for the yolk to absorb, but the shot the chick has now is better than what was going to happen. Now I PRAY!!

Update tomorrow!

 

[LogCabinFarm]

oops

 

[msladyhawke]

I just had to share this with you all. I had 3 Dorking eggs that never pipped, so when everyone else had hatched I candled. 2 had already died, and 1 was alive. I opened one that was already gone, and saw that blood vessels were absorbed, and feet were right at the aircell no internal pip. I knew the one that was alive was in trouble. Filed a small hole on aircell end and same thing, no internal pip, feet right there. I was so upset because I knew death was imminent. I got on the assist article of Sally's and after reading and re-reading knew if I could find the head there was a chance. So, I eggtopsied the one that had died in the same position, and practiced pulling the head out. I went to the live egg and did the same. There was a little blood(from the membrane), but the head came right out, chick took a big breath, and is breathing steadily now. It will take all night for the yolk to absorb, but the shot the chick has now is better than what was going to happen. Now I PRAY!!

Update tomorrow!

You are amazing! Fingers crossed for the chick.

 

[Pozees]

Well, I think all but one of my remaining eggs is dead.

One is alive for sure cause I hear it peeping. One is dead for sure. I opened it because on candling I could see it was internally pipped but not breathing or moving. I just don't understand what went wrong. It was fully formed, internally pipped and even had the yolk fully absorbed. It just died without externally pipping. The other 3 have not even internally pipped and I can see no signs of movement in them at all. Still leaving them just in case, but I don't really expect anything from them.

Sorry, for you, FeyRaine, and the others who have had bad results, it is so frustrating especially late in the game. Been there, done that. There is rarely a definitive answer to the question, what went wrong? It can be so many things. Genetic defects/lethal genes, temperature and humidity fluctuations (detected or otherwise) are usually the top reasons, most articles I have read say temp is number one. I had temp issues and did not know, kept trying everything else because I had two thermometers telling me I was spot on with temps. One day DH calls me and asks if my eggs should be 106 degrees. Now, his thermo reader tells the temp of objects not air, but the air was still a LOT higher than 99.5-100 degrees. Now I'm >$50 into three thermometers after shipping, which killed me, but not buying them was killing a LOT of chicks. I can sell a dozen chicks that would not have otherwise hatched and pay for them, everything after that is gravy. I hatch both for myself and for resale to try and cover the cost of this, uh, let's call it a hobby <cough><cough><obsession> - when I go from hatching some, to hatching none, because I bought crappy thermometers, I am covering nothing and running up the electric bill to boot.

I keep repeating my mantra, all of life is learning. Some is a lot harder.

 

[LogCabinFarm]

not sure why pic wont post

 

[bantambury]

Ok...cross beak:
That chick does not look bad at all. Time will tell how bad it will get. I have had a few this way. 1 was very minor, almost imperceptible without very close inspection. She never needed any special feeding. 1 was pretty severe and I eventually rehomed her to someone who had time to do special feedings for her. The other was between the 2 in severity and all I did for her was mix yogurt with her crumbles (this was before I started fermenting feed) to make it clump together so she could grab it easier. I would sit her on the coop roof to eat by herself while I fed & watered all my other pens. This gave her about 15 minutes to fill her crop with no competition. Then I would plop her & the remaining mash in the run & her buddies would help her finish it off. She did fine with only this assistance. It really all depends on the bird, the severity, it's personality & how much assistance you are willing to give it.

Inbreeding:
It does not hurt to breed siblings back in the way you will be doing because it will be a single back-breeding. What it will do however, is greatly enhance all of the faults AND the best qualities at the same time. What this means is that you will have some chicks that show the faults of the parents to the extreme & others that show the best qualities. You will want to breed the best birds & cull or sell off the others as pets. Do not be surprised if you have a bit lower hatch rates as this will be the most severe faults culling out on their own.

ok! thank you! this is very helpful! I think I may beable to handle this chick with the slipped beak after all!

also, I think the inbreeding info you gave me is super helpful! I will use it to my advantage! thanks again!

~Bantambury

 

[SallyinIndiana]

I am going to buy me a new incubator after this! I think it really had to do with my incubator and thermometer why only 2 out of 7 lived to lock down and only 1 lived to hatch. I have 4 more due tomorrow at the latest, I am not holding hope for them either.

Under $500 and with a turner what would you guys suggest? I was looking at a Brinsea.... but am to new to know for sure. Suggestions??

How many eggs at one time and how often were you wanting to set eggs?
So far I like my 1588 but it is small time compared to cabinet ones. Also buying 3 with turners to complete weekly hatches as well as a still air for a hatcher would end up costing about the same as a sportsman.

Quote: Nothing listed on my area's CL. is there a different site for listing used cabinet incubators?

Quote: Would it be possible for you to link the good thermometers? I have spent a lot on trying different cheap ones, maybe I should break down and try the better more costly versions.

 

[champer]

[COLOR=800080]I just had to share this with you all. I had 3 Dorking eggs that never pipped, so when everyone else had hatched I candled. 2 had already died, and 1 was alive. I opened one that was already gone, and saw that blood vessels were absorbed, and feet were right at the aircell no internal pip. I knew the one that was alive was in trouble. Filed a small hole on aircell end and same thing, no internal pip, feet right there. I was so upset because I knew death was imminent. I got on the assist article of Sally's and after reading and re-reading knew if I could find the head there was a chance. So, I eggtopsied the one that had died in the same position, and practiced pulling the head out. I went to the live egg and did the same. There was a little blood(from the membrane), but the head came right out, chick took a big breath, and is breathing steadily now. It will take all night for the yolk to absorb, but the shot the chick has now is better than what was going to happen. Now I PRAY!![/COLOR] [COLOR=800080]Update tomorrow![/COLOR]

: I hope it works out! I have an egg in the bator, that I pulled from the broody, it's been pipped since yesterday morning with no progress. I'm afraid it is going to need some assistance before the night is over.

 

[Gardeningmama]

Quote:
msladyhawke, you and Blarney are amazing!! Because of you two I have 4 gorgeous Marans & 7 adorable Barred Hollands that had been on my wishlist for quite a while. Now I just HAVE to get this 1 Dorking to live so I won't feel like a failure with them! Remember what I said from day 1 about pressure, and Sally's Blue Gold Partridge Brahmas? I ended up with ONE, and it just about killed me. I have to keep this baby alive, lol!