Mahonri's 3rd Annual, BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!

[SunnyDawn]

Yes, I think the strong opinions around this topic are why folks get hesitant to offer their advice. No one wants to step on anyone's toes. Some shells are just so thick and I watched a special that Cheryl Cohen had linked once that showed a mother hen helping the babies out by pecking at the shell to loosen it. I figured if mother hens sometimes helped their babies out then I could too. lol

 

[mbleily]

"Why I call all baby chicks "He" I will never know lol. I want them all to be shes." LOL I do the same thing. I didn't think anyone else did that.

 

[emvickrey]

I've helped to many times. Sometimes they didn't do it on their own for a reason and I had to cull after all but for the most part they did fine. They are usually slower to get up and going because their so worn out from trying. The whole hatching process is suppose to make them stronger and is a necessary part of it all but I just can't see a baby struggle and not help. I had some that are oegb/jap and their legs where too short to get them around the egg so I helped out. They are now strong little buggars that are laying eggs and the little roo is doing his job of watching after his hen. They are just so cute.

The quail I hardly ever help. If they can't get out I've discovered they have leg issues of some sort or another and it's best to let them go instead of helping them then having to cull.

 

[mbleily]

Yes, I think the strong opinions around this topic are why folks get hesitant to offer their advice. No one wants to step on anyone's toes. Some shells are just so thick and I watched a special that Cheryl Cohen had linked once that showed a mother hen helping the babies out by pecking at the shell to loosen it. I figured if mother hens sometimes helped their babies out then I could too. lol

I wondered if the hens would help out the chicks get out of the shell. I was told by the lady I bought some eggs from to hatch that they have very strong shell and membranes and I should watch closely and help if needed. I don't have a problem doing that. But I can also, understand some peoples thinking about the survival of the fittest. It is true in most cases. But some times only a little help will make the difference.

 

[Wisher1000]

If survival of the fittest was always a hard and fast rule, I wouldn't be here.....

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I'm guilty of helping, too. So far everything I've helped with one exception made it out and grew up fine. I now have a cross beak chick with slightly curled toes that I probably helped out last hatch, but can't prove it. She's sweet and eating well and holding up on her own so I'm glad she's had a chance to enjoy life.

That being said, I will cull if they cannot enjoy life. The example below actually hatched without help from me, under Momma. Momma kicked it out of the nest, I tried to help it for 24 hrs, then realized it wasn't worth it for him or me.

 

[rebelINny]

Glad to hear it made it out! Good job! Now it can rest up and will be good as new soon.

I did, I couldn't take it anymore. I zipped around the shell the rest of the way and tore the membrane a little and he kicked himself the rest of the way out. At first I thought I waited too long, but now he can pick his head up without it curling under and his toes have straightened out. So I think the little guy will be fine, he is pretty weak, but still trying to move around. He is currently doing his best to get on top of the other eggs.

Why I call all baby chicks "He" I will never know lol. I want them all to be shes... I guess its my mind preparing me for them all to be hes. lol

 

[mbleily]

If survival of the fittest was always a hard and fast rule, I wouldn't be here.....

I really think that people are different. We must help them if we can. I probably wouldn't be here either. My mother had Small Pox when I was born and I had it also. We were in house arrest for a long time with the doctor coming everyday to the house. So I don't think it is a fast and hard rule for people or animals. My rescue dog has bad hips and was going to be put down by his owner before I stepped up to take him. He didn't have a life that most dogs would like to have,,,,,running and jumping.....but he still had the best life he could after having an operation on his hip. He lived to be 10 years old.

I'm guilty of helping, too. So far everything I've helped with one exception made it out and grew up fine. I now have a cross beak chick with slightly curled toes that I probably helped out last hatch, but can't prove it. She's sweet and eating well and holding up on her own so I'm glad she's had a chance to enjoy life.

That being said, I will cull if they cannot enjoy life. The example below actually hatched without help from me, under Momma. Momma kicked it out of the nest, I tried to help it for 24 hrs, then realized it wasn't worth it for him or me.

Poor little thing......My first chick to hatch this year did it in record time and had a couple of curled toes. she had a hard time learning to walk without walking in to walls....

and I thought for a while she was blind because she did it so much. I had to take her to water for several days and she would gulp it down so I don't think she was doing it on her own. She is still small and rather lethargic. The others all took much longer to get out of the eggs and they are full of vineger . she gets stepped sometimes by the dino birds (Turkens) Their feet are enormous. But she is hanging in there. She is now 3 weeks old. You just never know how will be the strongest of the lot. I thought for sure she was going to be strong because she came out of the shell so fast. Maybe 10 mins from the start.

 

[HortonFarms]

I am in complete shock.

I always sex all of my chicks and I usually have about an 85-90% rate. I egg sex them before hatch (this requires lots of notes to keep up with), then I wing sex on day 1 & 3 and then vent sex at about a week old. (I compare answers and majority rules)

That being said, I sexed the 18 chicks I have from yesterday's hatch and I have 1 male and 17 females. I have always hatched more females than males (by a considerable amount, about 75/25) but this is a new record for me.

 

[kvmommy]

!So after DS decided to wake up and scream for four hours last night and DD waking up early this morning....I just had to fall asleep. And guess what. DS fiddled with the incubator. and the heat was 106!

I am hoping that once again they survive this heatspike. I couldn't have been more than a couple hours like that so I'm hoping the internal temps didn't shoot that thigh.

But after months of not getting to even talk to DH I finally heard his sweet wonderful voice! And he's going to either fly home on the 5th or 10th depending on if they get their job done. And its a 2 day flight...so I'm praying that on th 7th I'll have chickies AND husband.