MY first 8 babies!

[Sandiejo13]

Here are my first 8 babies of my first attempt at hatching our own eggs.... we have a mix of 49 hens, Australorps, Sex-links, New Hampshire Reds, and Leg horns.... my 3 roosters are 2 Australorps and 1 Sex-Link.... I started with 41 eggs, had a few not fertile (was totally surprised that only about 3 or 4 were not fertile, guess I have some "randy" roosters) and then a few quitters, with a total of 28 left when we went into "lock down" on Mon. Tue evening, I saw my first outside pips (about 2 days early)... and my first chick hatched about 9 AM Wed morning... by bed time I had 6 bouncing around the bater, playing pool with the other eggs... this am, 2 more had hatched.... I have a few more that are thinking about it.... but I also had about 8 eggs that still looked to be about at the 14 day stage at day 18.... I have been hand turning them (along with a little help from the other chicks)... I plan to candle them again to day to verify if they are still going or if they have 'quit"....
I am a happy "mama"!!

 

[scratch'n'peck]

Congrats! Isn't it amazing to watch them hatch?

 

[Sandiejo13]

Yes, it is!!! My 10 yr old is just loving it!!.... these ones are so much more friendly than the "day olds" we have purchased before....

question... my most recent chick hatched with some of the yolk sack still attached.... it happened while I wasn't home.... little bugger didn't look like it was going to hatch any time soon, then all of a sudden, there it is.... .anyway, it had managed to step on the sack, puncture it a bit... there doesn't seem to be much blood in the brooder, a bit on her/him and the sack is already drying up.... she/he seems healthy and energetic.... I have her in a cup with a damp paper towel "diaper" and she/he seems to be resting comfortably....just need to know... do a wait a bit, let the sack dry out some more than cut it off? No intestines appear to have been pulled out.... thanks for any help....

 

[scratch'n'peck]

I have only read about the yolk sac, and I think it said to just wait for it to get reabsorbed, dry out and fall off on its own. If nobody else responds who actually has experience the situation, then you can try the search function for the site at the top of the page. Have fun with the chicks!