4/17/12 Hatch buddy anyone?

[curranchickens]

I am having a horrible hatch! I had seven eggs to start. I only put four into lockdown. At lockdown they all looked good. My humidity has been around 63% during lockdown. I set on the 17th so this past tuesday was hatch day. By Tuesday night, I had one small pip but nothing from the other three. By wednesday night, the pip got slightly bigger and the membrane was broken and I could see the chicks beak but no zip. The other three eggs were still nothing. This morning, I decided after 24 hours of a pip that I would zip for the chick... I pulled him out quickly, placed in a warm moist towel and chipped the shell away in a zip with tweezers but still leaving the membrane. I have waited all day and the chick still has not hatched. His beak is still in the pip hole and he is still chirping and alive. I am not sure what to do. The other three eggs are still inactive.

 

[silkiemelon]

Ok, one of my chicks that hatched doesn't look like she's doing well. She still has the yolk sac (I think) attached to her but, and it looks slightly bloody. It also looks like there is a creamish bump on her butt where the yolk sac is attached.

Is this normal? I've never had it happen before.... Will it just fall off? Is she going to die?

 

[Farmin Momma]

Ok, one of my chicks that hatched doesn't look like she's doing well. She still has the yolk sac (I think) attached to her but, and it looks slightly bloody. It also looks like there is a creamish bump on her butt where the yolk sac is attached.

Is this normal? I've never had it happen before.... Will it just fall off? Is she going to die?

Well with the chick that I had in the same situation, It seemed like it would have lived if not for the intestines deciding to come out as well. The next morning after she had hatched the yolk sack had become dried and was very easy to snip off. I think that it will live as long as you keep it away from the other chicks so they do not pick at the sack. Also keep it on paper towels or something just not wood chips cause they get stuck to it and make it weigh more and harder for the chick to drag around. I think that is what made sick chicks intestines come out too. Good luck, I hope she makes it!

 

[mygreenkitty]

I am having a horrible hatch! I had seven eggs to start. I only put four into lockdown. At lockdown they all looked good. My humidity has been around 63% during lockdown. I set on the 17th so this past tuesday was hatch day. By Tuesday night, I had one small pip but nothing from the other three. By wednesday night, the pip got slightly bigger and the membrane was broken and I could see the chicks beak but no zip. The other three eggs were still nothing. This morning, I decided after 24 hours of a pip that I would zip for the chick... I pulled him out quickly, placed in a warm moist towel and chipped the shell away in a zip with tweezers but still leaving the membrane. I have waited all day and the chick still has not hatched. His beak is still in the pip hole and he is still chirping and alive. I am not sure what to do. The other three eggs are still inactive.

Sorry things aren't going well! Frustrating and heartbreaking. I think you gotta get down there and chirp at it, and call it out! Seriously. I kept peeping at my first one, who took forever (24 hours post pip, before it even started zipping), and noticed he perked up and worked harder when I was talking to him. Once he was finally out, he started peeping to wake the dead, and that got the other 2 finally started moving. They both pipped right after that, and hatched within 8 hours. I think it's sometimes hard to get the first one motivated, but then they get their siblings going?

I'm excited that I am 3 for 3 in my trial run of the incubator hubby just built me.



The entire top is plexiglass, which sure gave a great viewing opportunity, but it fogged up quickly unless we kept it covered. hmmmmm Gotta work on that one but I sure liked it better than the styrofoam thing we used before that had a little window the size of a postcard!

I sure have enjoyed hatching along with all of you, and hearing about your experiences! And I LOVE the pictures, congrats everyone! (Let's do it again! lol)

 

[mygreenkitty]

Ok, one of my chicks that hatched doesn't look like she's doing well. She still has the yolk sac (I think) attached to her but, and it looks slightly bloody. It also looks like there is a creamish bump on her butt where the yolk sac is attached.

Is this normal? I've never had it happen before.... Will it just fall off? Is she going to die?

My first chick had a little yolk sac attached, too. And it was still stuck to the egg shell, so he was dragging that around with him! The problem was, as he ran around the incubator, the stringy membrane got wrapped around his leg, so I was worried it would get too tight. I ended up clipping it all off, thinking it would be worse if I didn't do something. Plus, it seemed like it was bad for him to be pulling on it? (with that egg dragging behind him!) He looks good now, and the rest of it dried up. I agree with Farmin Momma, keep it separated from the others so they don't pick at it! Good luck!

 

[silkiemelon]

Well with the chick that I had in the same situation, It seemed like it would have lived if not for the intestines deciding to come out as well. The next morning after she had hatched the yolk sack had become dried and was very easy to snip off. I think that it will live as long as you keep it away from the other chicks so they do not pick at the sack. Also keep it on paper towels or something just not wood chips cause they get stuck to it and make it weigh more and harder for the chick to drag around. I think that is what made sick chicks intestines come out too. Good luck, I hope she makes it!

My first chick had a little yolk sac attached, too. And it was still stuck to the egg shell, so he was dragging that around with him! The problem was, as he ran around the incubator, the stringy membrane got wrapped around his leg, so I was worried it would get too tight. I ended up clipping it all off, thinking it would be worse if I didn't do something. Plus, it seemed like it was bad for him to be pulling on it? (with that egg dragging behind him!) He looks good now, and the rest of it dried up. I agree with Farmin Momma, keep it separated from the others so they don't pick at it! Good luck!

Thanks you guys!
She was really struggling to get around, and the other chicks kept picking at the yolk sack, which distressed her. So I quickly opened the incubator and snipped off the yolk sac (hopefully I did the right thing), but she still has that weird creamish bump on her vent or something, it kind of looks like poop. She is only a few hours old, but I can just tell she's struggling. Once she dries up, I'm going to seperate her from the others so she can recover (if she makes it).

 

[sommrluv]

Well, out of 14 eggs, I have three beautiful cochin chicks. I hope they all make it. I went ahead and opened the eggs today and most of them just looked like...well, eggs. There was one fully formed dead chick. So sad. Not a great rate for my first hatch. The eggs were shipped, so I'm sure that factored in.

I put in some duck eggs from our ducks and crossing my fingers. I seem to have some cold spots in the incubator.

 

[silkiemelon]

Well, the chick with the creamish bump died. This morning around 5:20 I checked on her, and the creamish bump had gotten bigger, and looked like it was starting to pull something out with it, but I just couldn't tell. I knew she was in pain though. I went back to bed, and when I got up at 9:00, I went to the bator and she was dead, her intestines all the way out. It was very sad, but I was a little relieved she wasn't in pain anymore.

Quick Question though...because I'm a little freaked out. She was dead, I mean she was stiff and her eyes were closed and no sign of breathing. But when I buried her, the moment I put some dirt on her I heard a squeak, I swear. I put some more on, and I heard another peep/squeak. I quickly removed the dirt and examined her, and she looked the same, no breathing no nothing.I set her down, put the dirt back on her and heard another squeak!!
Was she not quite dead? Do dead chicks do that, kind of like a chicken with its head cut off runs around for a bit? I've never heard about a dead chick making sounds before. Did I bury her alive?!
Am I just hearing things??
I'm kind of freaked out.

 

[Rainbows Chicks]

First, sorry that he/she died. I'm definitely far from an expert, but I have plucked chickens before and I know that when you're gutting them and plucking them, there's a spot that when touched/pushed on, or whatever, will make the "brawck" sound of a chicken....maybe the same idea..??? Maybe something to do with air being left in the lungs, or something, and when it's pushed out, it makes the sound...? Just a guess!

 

[silkiemelon]

First, sorry that he/she died. I'm definitely far from an expert, but I have plucked chickens before and I know that when you're gutting them and plucking them, there's a spot that when touched/pushed on, or whatever, will make the "brawck" sound of a chicken....maybe the same idea..??? Maybe something to do with air being left in the lungs, or something, and when it's pushed out, it makes the sound...? Just a guess!

Well, I'm just going to go with that theory!

Well, here are my 3 babies! From left to right it's Midna, Whimsy, and Miss Maudie.
I'll try to get better pics later. I know Whimsy is a partdrige, but any ideas on the other two? I don't think Miss Maudie's black, she is more grayish and has a whitish butt.
Maybe Splash and Blue?



Another concern though.
Miss Maudie (right) has been hanging her head like that for a long time now. Is she trying to sleep or is there something wrong with her neck?