FEBRUARY Hatch-A-Long 2015:Please Read First Post To Join H-A-L

[cedarcovefarm]

Alright ladyhawk, you have got me worried about an egg exploding. I had one that I thought was a dud but it did seem to develop just slower. At 18 the egg was about 1/2 filled with dark stuff but I don't remember seeing veining, but it's a blue egg so it's kinda hard to tell. Anyhow it's not stinking but I'm a little anxious now. I've got 3 pippers so I know I don't need to even attempt getting it out. What's everybody think? Leave it till I get a few chicks hatched out or wait until it starts smelling?

 

[rainbowchick]

Birds normally imprint to the first thing they see and hear - usually their mother, so they automatically can recognize mom.  This way even in a crowd, they know exactly who their mother is. When this process occurs with humans, the birds see them as family, and are very friendly and people oriented as adults.  The first 24 hours after hatching is when the babies imprint so if you spend a lot of time talking to them and playing broody mama like I am today, you will wind up with very social birds, who like being around people.  Our imprints from last year will instantly cuddle when you pick them up, despite being free range for months.  Our non imprinted ducklings from last year didn't like to be handled, and some were downright mean.  One hen got a hold of my daughter's face and left quite the bruise!
These ducklings come from show quality parents, so imprinted babies will be much easier for me to show when they are older, and will be docile for the judges. Plus, my kid just loves cuddling with our birds!

It works on mammals too - you can train horses easier when you imprint them to the halter, saddle, bridle, and common procedures such as having their feet handled for cleaning and farrier work at birth. You gently place tack on the newborn foal, and try to be as soothing and natural as possible. They end up hard wired to think it is normal to be tacked up!

I had heard of that concept, but I'd never seen a name applied to it. We are definitely excited to do this with our ducklings in April!
And, I totally agree that it applies to more than just ducks. I assisted the birth of seven puppies. We kept one of them. He always will come to me over anyone else in the family.

 

[LisaLouHoo]

I just checked on my broody hen. She has 8 new fluffy butts. They were suppose to hatch on Monday. Most on them hatched on Tuesday with a final one last night. There were still 4 eggs left that I decided to open after candling with no internal pip. OMG! What a mistake! They were all rotten. With all the eggs I have hatched in the incubator I had not had the displeasure of dealing with rotten eggs. After a while of dry heaves I was able to finish my chores for the morning. Gag! I think next time I will not open them!!!!!

Or open them in a ziplock bag. I read that on BYC in the past. So much information here. Love this site!!

 

[LisaLouHoo]

Update on my high drama hatch:
All seven OE babies have started eating and drinking. Even the weakling is much stronger and doing what all the others are doing. To those who haven't followed, I had to assist 3 eggs after my cat tipped over the cage, including the incubator that was in the cage. The remaining 3 eggs became shrink-wrapped after the incubator was flipped open and they spilled out. So here they are successfully learning about eating and drinking.

 

[rainbowchick]

Glad they are doing well!!

 

[bekkanblue]

Update on my high drama hatch:
All seven OE babies have started eating and drinking. Even the weakling is much stronger and doing what all the others are doing. To those who haven't followed, I had to assist 3 eggs after my cat tipped over the cage, including the incubator that was in the cage. The remaining 3 eggs became shrink-wrapped after the incubator was flipped open and they spilled out. So here they are successfully learning about eating and drinking.

Glad they're doing well!! Been wondering. Crash aside I liked how you had your incubator/brooder cage set up. Might have to do that for the newbies. And definitely should be putting their food in a box lid like that!!! Tho' I think my little guys are just naturally messy. : )

 

[antyler]

You were lucky! Mine exploded under my broody, who is in a nest box in my house!

Oh no, that would be awful! So sorry! Has the stick subsided yet?

I usually candle them so I know if they should be taken out, but thought I would just let it be this time. Never again!

 

[antyler]

Alright ladyhawk, you have got me worried about an egg exploding. I had one that I thought was a dud but it did seem to develop just slower. At 18 the egg was about 1/2 filled with dark stuff but I don't remember seeing veining, but it's a blue egg so it's kinda hard to tell. Anyhow it's not stinking but I'm a little anxious now. I've got 3 pippers so I know I don't need to even attempt getting it out. What's everybody think? Leave it till I get a few chicks hatched out or wait until it starts smelling?

You could try the float test if it does not pip, after the other hatch.

 

[cedarcovefarm]

I got a chickie!! After finding my first pip this morning at 3:40 my little cream bar just hatched! Needs a little drying but here's the first look

 

[rainbowchick]

Congrats!!