JUNE - JULY HATCH-ALONG!!!!!!!

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Guinea hatch update: I’ve had a crazy night of hatching. Now I know why someone described guinea keets as hatching “like popcorn”, a dribble that starts it, increasing in tempo until the eggs reach a crescendo... at about 3 AM last night. I’m doing this bizarre plan of grabbing each keet as they hatch so that they don’t contaminate themselves with necrophilic bacteria from the incubator, dabbing the navel with chlorhexadine, then placing in a brooder box. This has mostly worked, though I think some should have sat attached to their egg longer, as I’ve had a few blood tinged and prominent navels. This also means that I need to be aware and watching each zipping egg so I can grab it at the moment of hatching, so I’m only running on a few hours of sleep...

Most keets are doing well, but all of that opening and closing the incubator has resulted in some dried out keets that could crack the shell but couldn’t get through the tough guinea egg shell membrane. I’ve assisted two when it looked like they were giving up. Between those and a few with funky navels, I’ve had a few issues, but it’s gone better than I have any right to expect from this grossly contaminated nest! I think that we are up to 21 new keets, plus the six from earlier in the week! It’s a keet explosion!!!!

 

[Cerise1924]

@Mixed flock enthusiast Oh, my! Keets popping out like popcorn! Congratulations on all your new babies - so exciting!!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Well, I didn't see that coming! The first peacock to hatch is WHITE!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Guinea hatch update: I’ve had a crazy night of hatching. Now I know why someone described guinea keets as hatching “like popcorn”, a dribble that starts it, increasing in tempo until the eggs reach a crescendo... at about 3 AM last night. I’m doing this bizarre plan of grabbing each keet as they hatch so that they don’t contaminate themselves with necrophilic bacteria from the incubator, dabbing the navel with chlorhexadine, then placing in a brooder box. This has mostly worked, though I think some should have sat attached to their egg longer, as I’ve had a few blood tinged and prominent navels. This also means that I need to be aware and watching each zipping egg so I can grab it at the moment of hatching, so I’m only running on a few hours of sleep...

Most keets are doing well, but all of that opening and closing the incubator has resulted in some dried out keets that could crack the shell but couldn’t get through the tough guinea egg shell membrane. I’ve assisted two when it looked like they were giving up. Between those and a few with funky navels, I’ve had a few issues, but it’s gone better than I have any right to expect from this grossly contaminated nest! I think that we are up to 21 new keets, plus the six from earlier in the week! It’s a keet explosion!!!!

That's soooo exciting!! I know you're sure to be exhausted but what a wonderful turn out after a rough beginning!

 

[jolenesdad]

still catching up here...so many chores on a day of SLIGHT heat reprieve.

Guinea hatch update: I’ve had a crazy night of hatching. Now I know why someone described guinea keets as hatching “like popcorn”, a dribble that starts it, increasing in tempo until the eggs reach a crescendo... at about 3 AM last night. I’m doing this bizarre plan of grabbing each keet as they hatch so that they don’t contaminate themselves with necrophilic bacteria from the incubator, dabbing the navel with chlorhexadine, then placing in a brooder box. This has mostly worked, though I think some should have sat attached to their egg longer, as I’ve had a few blood tinged and prominent navels. This also means that I need to be aware and watching each zipping egg so I can grab it at the moment of hatching, so I’m only running on a few hours of sleep...

Most keets are doing well, but all of that opening and closing the incubator has resulted in some dried out keets that could crack the shell but couldn’t get through the tough guinea egg shell membrane. I’ve assisted two when it looked like they were giving up. Between those and a few with funky navels, I’ve had a few issues, but it’s gone better than I have any right to expect from this grossly contaminated nest! I think that we are up to 21 new keets, plus the six from earlier in the week! It’s a keet explosion!!!!

I’m SO IMPRESSED DONT EVER HAVE DOUBTS ABOUT WHAT YOURE DOING AGAIN!

You and your daughter down the road are going to have the BEST stories.

Well, I didn't see that coming! The first peacock to hatch is WHITE!
View attachment 1844060

WHAAAAAAAAAAT YAYYYYYYYYY!!!!!

I want peacocks so badly. But I’ve only seen them real successful free ranged in super suburban environments with a lack of predation and I don’t really want to have a penned peacock area.

Good morning!
Well, I had two of nine hatch on Day 20, and one more on Day 21. Three little chicks are doing well!
However, it's Day 22, and there is no pipping, peeping or rocking from the other eggs in the incubator. I'm afraid of having a nasty explosion if I leave them, but don't want to throw out a viable chick.
Do I...
-Candle the eggs?
-Try water candling?
-Just leave them alone? For how much longer?
-Toss out the light-shelled that weren't looking so good when I candled them a week ago? (It's hard to see much with the olive eggers and Marans eggs).

Thanks for any advice!

On day 22 I candle the eggs. If there’s a question for me, I make total note of everything I can see and recheck in 4-6 hours looking for any change.

I’ve read some people have issues with float tests being inaccurate so I wouldn’t rely on that, myself.

If there were a serious question for me, I would start to assist as though it were alive. Safety hole in air cell, open that up a bit, moisten membrane and check for veins and movement.

 

[Cerise1924]

If you're uncomfortable with assisting you could always wait until day 25. I've heard of chicks hatching successfully as late as that. Just stick to whatever you're most comfortable with. Lots of people prefer to just wait and see what happens. If you're concerned about explosions you can usually do the sniff test and the eggs building up that much bacteria will start to smell bad before exploding. Keep us updated with whatever you decide!

Well, here's an update - with some good news!
-None of them smelled bad.
-I candled them all, and the three light colored eggs clearly had no real development. Probably early quitters. Throwing them out.
-Of the remaining three, two (an Olive Egger and a Marans) had definite wiggle action when I water candled them! No internal pip yet. I put those two back in the incubator along with the non-wiggly Olive Egger.

I think I should just wait now, yes? It's Day 22. No need for an air hole if no one has made that internal pip, is that right?

Thanks for the help!

 

[Cerise1924]

Well, I didn't see that coming! The first peacock to hatch is WHITE!
View attachment 1844060

Aww, lovely!! The very first chick I ever tried to incubate was a peachick. She was a cute little Spalding. I love peafowl! Congratulations!!!

 

[two j farm]

Its all happening! The hurricane made landfall and chicks are pipping. I guess I will have to name one Barry lol.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Well, here's an update - with some good news!
-None of them smelled bad.
-I candled them all, and the three light colored eggs clearly had no real development. Probably early quitters. Throwing them out.
-Of the remaining three, two (an Olive Egger and a Marans) had definite wiggle action when I water candled them! No internal pip yet. I put those two back in the incubator along with the non-wiggly Olive Egger.

I think I should just wait now, yes? It's Day 22. No need for an air hole if no one has made that internal pip, is that right?

Thanks for the help!

Yay!! Fingers crossed!!

 

[jolenesdad]

I forgot my his photo!!! Practicing leading around the yard with the ducks. You can see they’re very attached to one another as a group but will follow me and exhibit no fear when out and about with me. I haven’t been doing too much of this kind of stuff, I have had several friends step on ducks that we’re young and attached so with a toddler around, I haven’t free walked with them yet.

Theyve basically been in their brooder only In the garage and out for about 6 or so swim excisions over the last week and a half. I’m so impressed that they’re this docile and friendly with fairly limited interaction due to the kitchen fiasco around here. (They’re STILL painting, so we are still all living in one room...with five dogs.) i have been able to do lots and lots of approach and retreat through the day coming and going and I think that, combined with those imprinting techniques, made all the difference.