They had finished hatching by Day 23 (April 04)!
15 eggs out of the original 30 I had set made it to lockdown, then 11 out of the 15 eggs had hatched!
Chick #6 unfortunately did not make it after hatching, this is the one that ran out and back to the shell and was the one that had passed after drowning in the water reservoir. It had flipped on it back during the run around the incubator directly after hatching and I had to help it back over. I do believe something was not right with this chick due to how it was acting compared to all the other chicks I watched hatch.
I was unable to be there that final day as I had to return to work and had hoped they would all hatch on time or at least by Monday night. Unfortunately 1 of the final 3 that had made it to lock down could have been saved if my mother had known how and when to help them with zipping but you live and learn. She had never hatched eggs before and this was a very new and very real experience for her. Chick #12 had been trying all day and ended up suffocating as he was unable to break the membrane unfortunately as he turned in the egg to zip.
The second egg of those 3 (Chick #13) had been turned over onto the opposite side from where they were out in lockdown while it had externally pipped, by the hatched chicks in the incubator, and unfortunately was not caught so that chick had drowned due to the liquid in the egg.
The final egg of those 3 had been malpositioned and I was actually there for it as it was after I was done work and nothing had happened with it yet. I had actually removed the egg shell above the air cell as that chick had not internally pipped yet and I had a bad gut feeling as my mother told me it was wiggling earlier that day. What really surprised me with this one is that chick had also been unable to fully absorb the yolk, which had also been half black in colour at the base of the yolk where it is connected to the chick. I am unsure as to why that is but I do believe that, unless the yolk turning colour was due to the malpositioning, the chick would not have made it due to the colour of the yolk sac.
I was unable to be there that final day as I had to return to work and had hoped they would all hatch on time or at least by Monday night. Unfortunately 1 of the final 3 that had made it to lock down could have been saved if my mother had known how and when to help them with zipping but you live and learn. She had never hatched eggs before and this was a very new and very real experience for her. Chick #12 had been trying all day and ended up suffocating as he was unable to break the membrane unfortunately as he turned in the egg to zip.
The second egg of those 3 (Chick #13) had been turned over onto the opposite side from where they were out in lockdown while it had externally pipped, by the hatched chicks in the incubator, and unfortunately was not caught so that chick had drowned due to the liquid in the egg.
The final egg of those 3 had been malpositioned and I was actually there for it as it was after I was done work and nothing had happened with it yet. I had actually removed the egg shell above the air cell as that chick had not internally pipped yet and I had a bad gut feeling as my mother told me it was wiggling earlier that day. What really surprised me with this one is that chick had also been unable to fully absorb the yolk, which had also been half black in colour at the base of the yolk where it is connected to the chick. I am unsure as to why that is but I do believe that, unless the yolk turning colour was due to the malpositioning, the chick would not have made it due to the colour of the yolk sac.
On a happier note!
10 hatched out as very healthy chicks (one is for sure a boy as he has the Barred Rock dot on his head and the eggs came from a flock that is covered by a BR roo and has a few BR hens ahaha) even though after the first hatched the rest were “late”
One of the chicks hatched out having two slipped tendons, as that chick was still very wet when I brought it down to the brooder I believe it did in fact hatch out with the slipped tendons. One of the tendons had been easily fixed but the other had been so severely contracted that my mother and I are still trying to correct it.. it’s come a long way as before it hadn’t been able to stand at all and now the little one can stand on its own and get around its personal brooder all on it’s own (with a few topples here and there due to balancing issues still)!!
I have had a very amazing hatching experience in my opinion. Especially for my first time as I got thrown a lot of different stuff that gave me great knowledge for future hatches and to also help others if they are in need with their chicks as I’m currently rehabilitating the one with the slipped tendons very well I’d say! Thank you for asking about how it went
