2018 Newbie Chat!

[No More Empty Nest]

Day 23 and still no chick...

I'm not worried because there's very little I can do other than let nature take it's course.
I do know from reading incubation/hatching threads on here that it's not always 21 days.
Sometimes it can take a few days longer.
Plus, I think the cold made it develop slower but that's mainly just speculation on my part.
I candled this morning and saw movement and what looked to be the chicks beak in the air cell.
I believe this is called an internal pip?
But I'm not always sure of what I'm looking at when candling.
Also, the air cell looks pretty big and the chick doesn't take up very much room in there. It seems small compared
to other photos I've looked at of day 21+ chicks...

This is starting to worry my usual unworried personality lol.
Come on little chick!!!

I have to work from 4 - 9pm for the next four evenings.
My DH is leaving Friday morning (weather permitting) to go on his annual hunting trip in Colorado.
He will be gone until the season ends (Dec.17) unless they get an elk before then.
This means nobody will be here when the chickens go in to roost until I get home at 9:15ish.
It also means all chores will be on me
I'm not too worried about it because we really have no predator problems here.
As long as my birds stay on this side of the fence there shouldn't be any problems.
Silver and Taka are the ones always trying to go over and sometimes the bantams
I think I will put a tasty treat out for them before I leave for work so they will focus on that instead of what may or may not be on the other side of the fence.

No personal experience, but I've been reading a lot of chick hatching threads lately and if the eggs are cooler than optimal they may take longer than 21 days.
Can't wait to hear more!

 

[PNW_Peepers]

Day 23 and still no chick...

I'm not worried because there's very little I can do other than let nature take it's course.
I do know from reading incubation/hatching threads on here that it's not always 21 days.
Sometimes it can take a few days longer.
Plus, I think the cold made it develop slower but that's mainly just speculation on my part.
I candled this morning and saw movement and what looked to be the chicks beak in the air cell.
I believe this is called an internal pip?
But I'm not always sure of what I'm looking at when candling.
Also, the air cell looks pretty big and the chick doesn't take up very much room in there. It seems small compared
to other photos I've looked at of day 21+ chicks...

This is starting to worry my usual unworried personality lol.
Come on little chick!!!

I have to work from 4 - 9pm for the next four evenings.
My DH is leaving Friday morning (weather permitting) to go on his annual hunting trip in Colorado.
He will be gone until the season ends (Dec.17) unless they get an elk before then.
This means nobody will be here when the chickens go in to roost until I get home at 9:15ish.
It also means all chores will be on me
I'm not too worried about it because we really have no predator problems here.
As long as my birds stay on this side of the fence there shouldn't be any problems.
Silver and Taka are the ones always trying to go over and sometimes the bantams
I think I will put a tasty treat out for them before I leave for work so they will focus on that instead of what may or may not be on the other side of the fence.

Yes that’s the internal pip. Race is on, little peep has 24hrs from that moment it pipped to break free. If it doesn’t externally pip, it will suffocate in the egg. Fingers crossed it hatches!

 

[Anna Ranieri]

Jumping in to ask, how do you keep chickens in the house? How does it work? I've got chicks in the brooder, so my coop isn't done yet, but I'm looking at local chickens and wondering if I buy a few, how would I keep them in the house for a day or two until the coop is done?

I have a makeshift cage I use for indoors, I use it if they get ill, or in this case on this pic, until her chick was old enough to live outside.

I usually use pegs and pin up the corners of the tarpaulin so it catches all the mess but I forgot to that day, so there's a bit of mess on the carpet but when its pinned you don't get any. as there's no door on this I just cover it with a sheet and it stops which ever bird is in there, from coming out
Using a thin bed sheet still gives them light, however all my birds are tame so I only cover them at night or if they are very poorly and need a lot of peace and quiet.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

Yes that’s the internal pip. Race is on, little peep has 24hrs from that moment it pipped to break free. If it doesn’t externally pip, it will suffocate in the egg. Fingers crossed it hatches!

I saw a thread on BYC where they talked a person through cracking the egg to help it hatch, according to the thread it lived, I just think its worth your while to start a thread in Incubation and hatching for you to be open to getting loads of help and advice

 

[CannedMonster]

Wow, thank you very much I was so worried there is something wrong and I am so relieved to know there isn't
I managed to find a picture online of a Cream Legbar standing next to a Welsummer hen and I can see the strong resemblance and similarities between these and Jellybean and I believe you are right about her being CL/W. I always worried she would lose her tuft of feathers on her head as she matures and I am well happy she will keep it.

As for Pedro, she doesn't have any feathers on her legs and her legs aren't as short as they seem on these pics, so I think it must be the pictures, or that she had been scratching in some mud shortly before I took them.

I think you can see her leg better on this one and can see she has no leg feathers at all
View attachment 1602044
Pedro and Jellybean come from the same flock, as far as I am aware the flock consists of two cockerels and about 30 or more hens but I can't remember if the cockerels were of the same breed or not and I didn't get a very good look at them but I remember they were very light in colour and that as far as we could see all the hens were red/reddish - Pedro and Jellybean don't look the same facially nor in shape/size and are different colours, however they have very similar markings, they both have the same black tail and flight feathers(Pedro's have been clipped so can't be seen on here but when grown they are the exact colour and pattern as Jellybean's) and they both have the same black markings along their backs, and necks, so I'm wondering if they have one of their breed mix the same.
I'm re-posting this shot of Jellybean so it can be compared with the shot of Pedro I will post straight after
View attachment 1602059
View attachment 1602064
I'm wondering if Pedro has a bit of Legbar in her too - I think you are right about Jellybean being a Cream legbar/Welsummer but I'm wondering if Pedro is a Rhode Island Red/Legbar, by what you can see do you think that might be possible?

I doubt Pedro has Legbar as she’d likely lay green eggs too.
It would help if we knew the breeds of the two roosters but is it possible they were mixes?
She could be a Rhode Island Red/Welsummer mix though.
I can see those breeds in her feather colors. And they’re both brown egg layers.

 

[CannedMonster]

Have you thought about starting your own thread in 'Incubation & hatching' people in there will talk you through it every step of the way, might be worth taking a look?

I have joined the November Hatch Along thread.
I’m also doing a lot of research.
Just trying to share the ups and downs of the experience with you guys.
As long as there’s movement things should be fine.

 

[CannedMonster]

I saw a thread on BYC where they talked a person through cracking the egg to help it hatch, according to the thread it lived, I just think its worth your while to start a thread in Incubation and hatching for you to be open to getting loads of help and advice

I will try to help it if it’s necessary but it’s something that must be done with extreme caution.
If the chick is positioned badly and you tear at the membrane before the veins have gotten smaller it could bleed out.
It also has to absorb the yolk.
It may not have internally pipped, I can only assume based on what I’m looking at and I’m not expert.
It’s hard to take pics or video without disturbing Pippin.
I don’t want her to stop sitting!
It can take quite a long time for a chick to hatch and I’m at work right now.
I have to leave it in God’s hands and let Pippin do her thing too.
I’m really not too worried at this point.
I think the egg developed slower due to the cold the first two weeks.
I’ll keep you guys updated.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

I doubt Pedro has Legbar as she’d likely lay green eggs too.
It would help if we knew the breeds of the two roosters but is it possible they were mixes?
She could be a Rhode Island Red/Welsummer mix though.
I can see those breeds in her feather colors. And they’re both brown egg layers.

Thank you I've decided I'm going to see if I can get in contact with the farm we bought them from to ask what breed the roosters are and if they are mixed breeds. I think you are most likely spot on, but I'm interested to know what breed the roosters are. If I manage to find out I'll let you know

 

[Anna Ranieri]

I have joined the November Hatch Along thread.
I’m also doing a lot of research.
Just trying to share the ups and downs of the experience with you guys.
As long as there’s movement things should be fine.

I for one really appreciate you sharing with us, I am excited about the birth and hope with all my heart that all goes well

 

[Anna Ranieri]

I will try to help it if it’s necessary but it’s something that must be done with extreme caution.
If the chick is positioned badly and you tear at the membrane before the veins have gotten smaller it could bleed out.
It also has to absorb the yolk.
It may not have internally pipped, I can only assume based on what I’m looking at and I’m not expert.
It’s hard to take pics or video without disturbing Pippin.
I don’t want her to stop sitting!
It can take quite a long time for a chick to hatch and I’m at work right now.
I have to leave it in God’s hands and let Pippin do her thing too.
I’m really not too worried at this point.
I think the egg developed slower due to the cold the first two weeks.
I’ll keep you guys updated.

makes sense about the cold, I'll keep you in my prayers. Would be so lovely to be able to read your post telling us she's hatched