- Apr 20, 2014
- 1
- 4
- 62
This was such a journey I wanted to share!
I've kept a small flock of silkies for 11 years now (2-4 hens) in an urban environment. Recently, one of my hens died presumably of old age (she was 9). I decided to expand my flock and waited until one of my hens was broody, then put fertilized eggs under her. It had worked before with prior hens, and though she is young she had definitely shown dedication with incubation.
The shipment of the eggs was unfortunately delayed a week, so she was well into her 21 day cycle by the time they were placed. I slightly knocked one of the eggs while moving them into the nest and immediately noticed a hairline crack. EEK. After researching how to save the egg from infections on several blogs, I applied nail polish to the tiny crack and hoped for the best. I monitored them carefully (only at infrequent intervals). By 2 weeks, two out of four were fertile and growing. I was so excited for hatching day. Sadly, she abandoned them 3 days before hatching (day 18). I can only expect she was well beyond the 21 day hormone cycle because of the late placement and was triggered to consider them as 'duds'. I found them early one morning still in the nest, but ice cold. Quickly took them indoors making sure to keep orientation carefully because of being in lock-down period (no rolling), placed them on a heating pad, bought a heat lamp from a local hardware store/wrapped in a moist towels, and ordered an overnight delivery of an incubator. Once the incubator arrived, I candled them and saw movement in both. Incredible!
Placed them in the incubator and waited patiently. At day 22, one of them (#1) pipped but away from the air pocket. Little beak was out and moving. Late day 22, the other (#2) pipped. Early day 23 (like 6am), #2 had zipped and hatched. I got it all on video - so glad I'm an early riser. It was the white one with the nail polish on the shell. No infections or other issues. Such a cute little chick. Despite being 24 hrs after pipping, the other had not progressed. I was faced with the choice to help or not....
I waited an additional 6-8 hrs or so, thinking maybe having the other chick popping around would help bring it out, but no progression, just chirping and little beak moving around at the hole. So I decided to help. I carefully followed the instructions (only opened the incubator in a small bathroom with hot steam for humidity, placing petroleum jelly on the membranes, very slowly to avoid tearing any vessels, sterilized tools). Over around another 3 hrs, from around 3pm to 6-7 pm, the vessels had receded and I had enough of the shell and membrane peeled away to let the chick come out on its own. My timing was perhaps 30-60 mins early (when she came out, a tiny thread of the umbilical vein was still attached gently to the shell and her belly), but otherwise all vessels were receded, membranes still moist, and yolk sac was completed receded. Whew. I was so excited to see the other one out.
Then I noticed something ... after around an hour or two, late in the evening of day 23, it was hobbling terribly and cheeping loudly in distress. It had a paralyzed foot. I watched it carefully, no splayed legs just a little foot curled up with no movement in the toes. It really seemed to be in pain. I had removed the water out of the incubator to let the humidity drop now that both were hatched, and I left them in there in the warmth for around a day and a half. To dry off and to warm up before moving into a brooder. Then I put them in a brooder with a cloth towel on the bottom, heat lamp, a tiny water container (glass jar lid) and a tiny amount of chick feed on a little lid too. The one with the paralyzed foot never stopped chirping loudly. I researched everything I could. I learned this paralysis can happen from cold shock or vitamin deficiency in the laying hen. It can cause hatching arrest (pipping but no progression). Best treatment is a little foot splint, Nutridrench vitamins, and food/water support.
All this happened during one of the busiest work weeks I've had in a while (14 hr days). My husband came to her rescue. He fed her scrambled eggs and water from a teaspoon several times a day and kept her company. At one point, we thought she might be blind, but then she started hopping around a little so thankfully that wasn't the case.
After around 3 days, I took off the foot splint (just 3M transpore tape) off her foot. It had a little strength in the toes! She still wasn't able to walk fully, so I put a new one on. After around 10 days, her foot was perfectly straight. It took her at least 2-3 days to learn how to walk, but she was so much quieter and happily pecking at the food finally.
It took her another week or two to catch up in size to the other one's growth. But eventually she did.
We are pretty sure we lucked out and wound up with 2 hens! They are now 3 months old and no crowing yet.
My husband named them both. The splash/blue (I think labeled "calico"?) is the one who went through so much so young. You'd never know - she's now so happy and healthy. I do wonder about early trauma as a chick since she never leaves her sister's side! Her name is Hope. Hope for survival.
The white one that survived my clumsy hands with a little nail polish is named Icarus because she fell inside the egg.
Now if only I could get them to get along with my other hens.... next adventure!
I've kept a small flock of silkies for 11 years now (2-4 hens) in an urban environment. Recently, one of my hens died presumably of old age (she was 9). I decided to expand my flock and waited until one of my hens was broody, then put fertilized eggs under her. It had worked before with prior hens, and though she is young she had definitely shown dedication with incubation.
The shipment of the eggs was unfortunately delayed a week, so she was well into her 21 day cycle by the time they were placed. I slightly knocked one of the eggs while moving them into the nest and immediately noticed a hairline crack. EEK. After researching how to save the egg from infections on several blogs, I applied nail polish to the tiny crack and hoped for the best. I monitored them carefully (only at infrequent intervals). By 2 weeks, two out of four were fertile and growing. I was so excited for hatching day. Sadly, she abandoned them 3 days before hatching (day 18). I can only expect she was well beyond the 21 day hormone cycle because of the late placement and was triggered to consider them as 'duds'. I found them early one morning still in the nest, but ice cold. Quickly took them indoors making sure to keep orientation carefully because of being in lock-down period (no rolling), placed them on a heating pad, bought a heat lamp from a local hardware store/wrapped in a moist towels, and ordered an overnight delivery of an incubator. Once the incubator arrived, I candled them and saw movement in both. Incredible!
Placed them in the incubator and waited patiently. At day 22, one of them (#1) pipped but away from the air pocket. Little beak was out and moving. Late day 22, the other (#2) pipped. Early day 23 (like 6am), #2 had zipped and hatched. I got it all on video - so glad I'm an early riser. It was the white one with the nail polish on the shell. No infections or other issues. Such a cute little chick. Despite being 24 hrs after pipping, the other had not progressed. I was faced with the choice to help or not....
I waited an additional 6-8 hrs or so, thinking maybe having the other chick popping around would help bring it out, but no progression, just chirping and little beak moving around at the hole. So I decided to help. I carefully followed the instructions (only opened the incubator in a small bathroom with hot steam for humidity, placing petroleum jelly on the membranes, very slowly to avoid tearing any vessels, sterilized tools). Over around another 3 hrs, from around 3pm to 6-7 pm, the vessels had receded and I had enough of the shell and membrane peeled away to let the chick come out on its own. My timing was perhaps 30-60 mins early (when she came out, a tiny thread of the umbilical vein was still attached gently to the shell and her belly), but otherwise all vessels were receded, membranes still moist, and yolk sac was completed receded. Whew. I was so excited to see the other one out.
Then I noticed something ... after around an hour or two, late in the evening of day 23, it was hobbling terribly and cheeping loudly in distress. It had a paralyzed foot. I watched it carefully, no splayed legs just a little foot curled up with no movement in the toes. It really seemed to be in pain. I had removed the water out of the incubator to let the humidity drop now that both were hatched, and I left them in there in the warmth for around a day and a half. To dry off and to warm up before moving into a brooder. Then I put them in a brooder with a cloth towel on the bottom, heat lamp, a tiny water container (glass jar lid) and a tiny amount of chick feed on a little lid too. The one with the paralyzed foot never stopped chirping loudly. I researched everything I could. I learned this paralysis can happen from cold shock or vitamin deficiency in the laying hen. It can cause hatching arrest (pipping but no progression). Best treatment is a little foot splint, Nutridrench vitamins, and food/water support.
All this happened during one of the busiest work weeks I've had in a while (14 hr days). My husband came to her rescue. He fed her scrambled eggs and water from a teaspoon several times a day and kept her company. At one point, we thought she might be blind, but then she started hopping around a little so thankfully that wasn't the case.
After around 3 days, I took off the foot splint (just 3M transpore tape) off her foot. It had a little strength in the toes! She still wasn't able to walk fully, so I put a new one on. After around 10 days, her foot was perfectly straight. It took her at least 2-3 days to learn how to walk, but she was so much quieter and happily pecking at the food finally.
It took her another week or two to catch up in size to the other one's growth. But eventually she did.
We are pretty sure we lucked out and wound up with 2 hens! They are now 3 months old and no crowing yet.
My husband named them both. The splash/blue (I think labeled "calico"?) is the one who went through so much so young. You'd never know - she's now so happy and healthy. I do wonder about early trauma as a chick since she never leaves her sister's side! Her name is Hope. Hope for survival.
The white one that survived my clumsy hands with a little nail polish is named Icarus because she fell inside the egg.
Now if only I could get them to get along with my other hens.... next adventure!
Attachments
Last edited:
