August Hatch-A-Long

[hamzaahvalli]

...

I still had a bad feeling so I decided to go out and check. The chick is dead There was an external pip, but it didn't get any farther than that. I wish I would have checked last night. I am so sad. I tried to show my broody, and she still tried to put the egg under her. Poor mama! I picked it out and showed it to her again. This time she pecked its beak. Once she saw it didn't respond, she hopped up and started showing the other chick how to eat and drink. She kept looking over at the dead chick. So sad for her.[/quote

I still had a bad feeling so I decided to go out and check. The chick is dead There was an external pip, but it didn't get any farther than that. I wish I would have checked last night. I am so sad. I tried to show my broody, and she still tried to put the egg under her. Poor mama! I picked it out and showed it to her again. This time she pecked its beak. Once she saw it didn't respond, she hopped up and started showing the other chick how to eat and drink. She kept looking over at the dead chick. So sad for her.

I'm so very sorry for your loss too. I hope you feel better if you remember that it's better the fittest survive. The chick wasn't just strong enough to pass the first "test". I would have felt sad and sorry too, but it's for the best. Enjoy your chicks while they grow up and be happy BTW were there only two eggs under your hen

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

So, I just got done candling my second batch of eggs. Out of 20, I only had to pitch 3, not too bad! One was clear and the other 2 had quit. My other 17 eggs look very strong though, lots of movement. I had even dropped one while collecting eggs and ruptured the air cell. I decided to set it anyway as an experiment. I marked it and didn't turn that one at all for the first 5 days. Its air cell is now fixed where its supposed to be and the embryo is wiggling away in there, YAY!

Congrats to everyone with pippers, zippers and fuzzies! And I'm sorry to hear about all of the failed hatches, it happens to all of us at some point or another, chin up!

 

[darkbluespace]

I still had a bad feeling so I decided to go out and check. The chick is dead

There was an external pip, but it didn't get any farther than that. I wish I would have checked last night. I am so sad. I tried to show my broody, and she still tried to put the egg under her. Poor mama! I picked it out and showed it to her again. This time she pecked its beak. Once she saw it didn't respond, she hopped up and started showing the other chick how to eat and drink. She kept looking over at the dead chick. So sad for her.

So sorry you lost one of your chicks!

I am glad that mama still has one to take care of.

 

[darkbluespace]

There were not any more pips when I checked this morning but after cheeping at them for a bit...

I have two more pips, maybe three! It is amazing how they respond to encouragement!

Pipper from last night looks okay, I can see movement in there... still red veins around the pip. The other pips are not really in the air cell area I marked though I know the air cells have grown in the last two days. I'm just going to assume they are good and wait for everybody : )

I hope I get to see a fuzz ball today!

 

[sahmhomesteader]

I'm so very sorry for your loss too. I hope you feel better if you remember that it's better the fittest survive. The chick wasn't just strong enough to pass the first "test". I would have felt sad and sorry too, but it's for the best. Enjoy your chicks while they grow up and be happy BTW were there only two eggs under your hen

Yes. There were originally 4 under her. I candled once around day 12, and only 3 were progressing. Then around day 15, 1 egg mysteriously disappeared. Which left only 2. Now I have just 1 chick.

And I am trying so hard to think that way. It was just a bummer. This was my first time and my broody's first time so we learned a lot. Hopefully next spring I will have quite a few broodies. I have black australorps, golden laced wyandottes, and then of course this broody - my speckled sussex. She is being such a good mama already!

Question, how long does she keep sitting after hatch? She was up showing the chick how to eat and drink, but then laid right back down.

 

[sahmhomesteader]

So sorry you lost one of your chicks!   

I am glad that mama still has one to take care of.

Thank you!

 

[hamzaahvalli]

Yes. There were originally 4 under her. I candled once around day 12, and only 3 were progressing. Then around day 15, 1 egg mysteriously disappeared. Which left only 2. Now I have just 1 chick.

And I am trying so hard to think that way. It was just a bummer. This was my first time and my broody's first time so we learned a lot. Hopefully next spring I will have quite a few broodies. I have black australorps, golden laced wyandottes, and then of course this broody - my speckled sussex. She is being such a good mama already!

Question, how long does she keep sitting after hatch? She was up showing the chick how to eat and drink, but then laid right back down.

Is she going to sit in the nest where she hatched the chick or just anywhere cozy? From my Experience, the hen will teach the chicks only a fair few lessons during the first few days because she has to keep it warm regularly, but that doesn't mean she won't move around a lot with it. After a few days (usually a week) of keeping a very close eye on her chicks, my hens begin prolonging the time she moves around with them and they eventually begin dust bathing like mum when they're big and strong enough to. You will notice the chick nearly always near or under mum for now but it won't be long until it begins exploring the world itself. I must add this is my experience only and each experience is unique. Hope yours is too and good luck once again.

 

[sahmhomesteader]

Is she going to sit in the nest where she hatched the chick or just anywhere cozy? From my Experience, the hen will teach the chicks only a fair few lessons during the first few days because she has to keep it warm regularly, but that doesn't mean she won't move around a lot with it. After a few days (usually a week) of keeping a very close eye on her chicks, my hens begin prolonging the time she moves around with them and they eventually begin dust bathing like mum when they're big and strong enough to. You will notice the chick nearly always near or under mum for now but it won't be long until it begins exploring the world itself. I must add this is my experience only and each experience is unique. Hope yours is too and good luck once again.

I moved her to a bigger pen inside the chicken coop when I found the dead chick. She hasn't gotten up since...

 

[darkbluespace]

I moved her to a bigger pen inside the chicken coop when I found the dead chick. She hasn't gotten up since...

As long as there is food and water right near them, I wouldn't worry!

 

[darkbluespace]

6 pips now... must find something to do besides staring into incubator!