The 5th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!

[foxvalleyfarm]

First day of hatching, 11 welsh harlequin & 13 mixed turkey in lockdown. 2 ducklings and 4 poults so far with many more pips. Looking forward to finding surprises in the morning
Our oldest son (4 yo) was so excited, this is how he fell asleep, that's a poult sleeping on his lap.

Our very first duckling, I can't believe how big they are! Already love her (think it's a female) she has been cleaning all the others as they enter the brooder

Awee how cute

 

[Nomibear]

for more!

They can heal from severe injuries. If you can, get some Vetericyn gel wound spray - it's amazing stuff. When I have multiple broodies, I separate them. I too have had hens fight over babies or fight over nestboxes and have lost chicks to them. I now separate them, and don't have any issues anymore. It's tough sometimes when you have multiple broodies at once. [/quote] I never imagined they would fight over them. Or that seporating them would be some important. Lesson Learned! By the way. The 10th egg from the broody hens was infertile. Open it up tonight. The first injured chick had passed by the time I got home tonight. The 2nd chick is looking a bit weak. Got it to drink some water. The wound had scabbed over, so it is now is the brooder with the others.

Could you put them in dog crates for a bit.

Here is my "Creative shuffling..." First hen who sat the Full time is in an old wire Rabbit hutch. Give her two chicks she hatched out. She seemed Happy to have them back. Clucked at them and called them under her as I made the move at 10pm. 2nd Broody who joined the nest only a week and a half ago got to stay free with only one chick. I have a 3rd Buff Leghorn Broody that should be hatching out her 5 eggs in the next couple of days. I have a small wire dog crate that fit into her corner of the coop. She is now locked away from the others. The down side is that the wires are far enough apart that the chicks will be able to get out, but mom can't.

This will have to be Very Temporary....

OK my total count is 55 which kinda sucks if you start with my original 118, but not too bad if you start from the 79 i had once i pulled clears and you remember that almost all of them were eggs shipped during temperatures far below freezing. SO not the best hatch rate, but I am ok with it. the biggest hit i think was the araucanas- I bought 25 of them but the package arrived severely smashed and only 4 of them wound up hatching.

That is a beautiful pic of Beautiful fuzzy butts!!

 

[TJChickens]

Oh dear....I'm on the west coast so a lot of you are probably sleeping. One of my terrible air cell call ducklings has pipped into the air cell. The problem is, his beak is high and in the middle. I doubt very much that he will ever make an external pip. Also, this is day 24 for this egg. A normal call duck incubation would be 26 days. None of the others look anywhere near ready to pip. A couple more actually quit today These eggs are really bumming me out. I am very good at assisted hatches and have surgical experience as well. I am assuming and prepared to help any of these eggs cause they are all going to need it if they will just live long enough!
I have never hatched call ducks and it's been about 20 years since I hatched any kind of duck! I really want to drill a small hole into the air cell so he doesn't suffocate. I don't think he should be ready to hatch until late tomorrow (Wednesday) to late Thursday.
Does anybody have some advice for the timing of this? I know Gardeningmama just went through the same thing... I doubt that I can go to bed without making sure he can breathe....
Thank you!
What a supportive bunch everyone has been for others having hatching woes!!

 

[foxvalleyfarm]

Oh dear....I'm on the west coast so a lot of you are probably sleeping. One of my terrible air cell call ducklings has pipped into the air cell. The problem is, his beak is high and in the middle. I doubt very much that he will ever make an external pip. Also, this is day 24 for this egg. A normal call duck incubation would be 26 days. None of the others look anywhere near ready to pip. A couple more actually quit today These eggs are really bumming me out. I am very good at assisted hatches and have surgical experience as well. I am assuming and prepared to help any of these eggs cause they are all going to need it if they will just live long enough!
I have never hatched call ducks and it's been about 20 years since I hatched any kind of duck! I really want to drill a small hole into the air cell so he doesn't suffocate. I don't think he should be ready to hatch until late tomorrow (Wednesday) to late Thursday.
Does anybody have some advice for the timing of this? I know Gardeningmama just went through the same thing... I doubt that I can go to bed without making sure he can breathe....
Thank you!
What a supportive bunch everyone has been for others having hatching woes!!

My goose did the same thing and I waited 24 hours before I gave her a small external pip. I ended up having to zip for her as well but she's as happy and healthy as she can be. Oh she internally pipped on day 27. If or were my egg and I really wanted the baby to hatch I would wait at least 12 hours before doing anything.


@ronott1@Sally Sunshine

How long after internal pipping should I give my late babies before giving them an air hole. Im not 100% due how long they have been internally pipped but I think at least some are over 12 hours for now.

 

[TJChickens]

My goose did the same thing and I waited 24 hours before I gave her a small external pip. I ended up having to zip for her as well but she's as happy and healthy as she can be. Oh she internally pipped on day 27. If or were my egg and I really wanted the baby to hatch I would wait at least 12 hours before doing anything.


@ronott1 @Sally Sunshine

How long after internal pipping should I give my late babies before giving them an air hole. Im not 100% due how long they have been internally pipped but I think at least some are over 12 hours for now.

Thanks for this

What is the normal incubation length for your type of goose? I feel a bit better about waiting. I will go to the barn and feed my hungry horses! When I get back, I'll check it again. I don't hear any peeping, but I'm not sure what's normal for these ducks...

 

[foxvalleyfarm]

Thanks for this

What is the normal incubation length for your type of goose? I feel a bit better about waiting. I will go to the barn and feed my hungry horses! When I get back, I'll check it again. I don't hear any peeping, but I'm not sure what's normal for these ducks...

The lady said 28-34 days. I got it as part of a hens choice mix. I've never done call ducks and after hearing all the issues I don't think I want to. Look at Sally's diary thread she just recently posted a bunch of info on hatching ducks and the like.

 

[Cynthia12]

First day of hatching, 11 welsh harlequin & 13 mixed turkey in lockdown. 2 ducklings and 4 poults so far with many more pips. Looking forward to finding surprises in the morning

Our oldest son (4 yo) was so excited, this is how he fell asleep, that's a poult sleeping on his lap.
Our very first duckling, I can't believe how big they are! Already love her (think it's a female) she has been cleaning all the others as they enter the brooder

This is adorable!

 

[Cynthia12]

It would be awesome and would most likely have to be identical since I only saw 1 yolk and it's s normal sized egg. But it has like 'clear' spaces on both sides.

Clear spaces..on both sides? Hmmm, could very well be saddle air cells. ?

 

[Cynthia12]

It's about time..no seeing any meteor showers tonight. Clouds. :/ I understand this is going to go on until the 24th. We are supposed to have clouds until Thursday.


Hope everyone is ~ Having sweet dreams..

 

[wolftracks]

So as of yesterday this is what I had



5 Black Mottled Japs set 5 and all went to lockdown 3 hatched and 2 were quiters
11 Chocolate/Black Bantam AMs set 10 made it to lockdown 8 hatched but one died when it pulled to hard and ruptured and the last 2 were quiters
5 Silkies set 3 made it to lockdown 2 were quiters and 1 I left in, but it's iffy.
5 Lavender/Black Bantam AMs set and all 5 locked down. 4 hatched and one hit a vein will hatching
9 Silkied AMs set and all made it to lockdown. One hatched, but was stuck to the shell and not sure yet if it will make it. Same as with the Bantam. I didn't get a chance to candle the other 9, because my mixed chicks were in an egg tray and they started hatching all of a sudden. I had 2 of those hatched already out of the 8 that made it to lockdown and another 2 are drying and also didn't bother candling the rest yet.
2 American Games out

Today I have a few more.

1 Silkied AM
4 Mixed
1 American Game.

I'm still holding out for any late comers.

So add 6 to my 19 for 25.