- Oct 25, 2013
- 15
- 0
- 22
Hello all,
I recently incubated 7 eggs from my Cayuga & Mallard pair. Almost 4 days ago, I noticed pipping and could hear the occasional muffled peep. Yesterday, the first two hatched early in the day, followed by 2 more that evening. 5 hours ago, #5 hatched out.
While retrieving it from the incubator, I decided to inspect the other two eggs. There were no signs of fracturing. I returned them to their positions, jacked up the humidity, and left them alone. About an hour ago, I decided to try candling them. They were all healthy and vibrant when I last candled, which was hours before I noticed the first pipping. It took a weathered eye, but I eventually saw movement, and their shells are indicative that the babes are ready. I put them back in, jacked the humidity up again, and left them.
I continued to think about it. Their candling shows a large airsac, as if the yolk has been entirely depleted, and I can make out distinct shapes of their bill. Then I began to wonder if they weren't just too weak to break out. Would you consider helping them out? Family used to raise fowls when I was a boy, so I told myself I was going to let Nature have it's way, but when I look at them moving around and their little siblings peeping and whirling around like a hurricane enjoying life in their brooder, I'm compelled to act.
5 out of 7 have already hatched out, some already a day old. This was in a forced air incubator, so I just can't see how there would have been such a disparity in temp or moisture that these two would be so undeveloped.
Would you guys consider assisting them?
Here's a video of 4 playing in brooder this afternoon, before their 5th sibling joined them.
I recently incubated 7 eggs from my Cayuga & Mallard pair. Almost 4 days ago, I noticed pipping and could hear the occasional muffled peep. Yesterday, the first two hatched early in the day, followed by 2 more that evening. 5 hours ago, #5 hatched out.
While retrieving it from the incubator, I decided to inspect the other two eggs. There were no signs of fracturing. I returned them to their positions, jacked up the humidity, and left them alone. About an hour ago, I decided to try candling them. They were all healthy and vibrant when I last candled, which was hours before I noticed the first pipping. It took a weathered eye, but I eventually saw movement, and their shells are indicative that the babes are ready. I put them back in, jacked the humidity up again, and left them.
I continued to think about it. Their candling shows a large airsac, as if the yolk has been entirely depleted, and I can make out distinct shapes of their bill. Then I began to wonder if they weren't just too weak to break out. Would you consider helping them out? Family used to raise fowls when I was a boy, so I told myself I was going to let Nature have it's way, but when I look at them moving around and their little siblings peeping and whirling around like a hurricane enjoying life in their brooder, I'm compelled to act.
5 out of 7 have already hatched out, some already a day old. This was in a forced air incubator, so I just can't see how there would have been such a disparity in temp or moisture that these two would be so undeveloped.
Would you guys consider assisting them?
Here's a video of 4 playing in brooder this afternoon, before their 5th sibling joined them.