Against the odds hatching thread (with pictures and questions)

[K0k0shka]

Any sign of it accidentally hitting a vein? I've had that before. Or sometimes they have a foot over their head and can't hatch further.

I did an eggtopsy and edited my post... Should’ve done that before posting... duh... sorry, I answered my own question. It’s late and my brain is fried Thanks for replying though!

 

[Pyxis]

Well, my guess was correct, at least! Lol.

 

[K0k0shka]

Well, my guess was correct, at least! Lol.

Yes!

 

[K0k0shka]

So when do you guys think it would be safe to remove the paper towels and leave the chicks on the sand? The paper towels are getting really poopy really fast with 15 butts working in there This is twice the number I expected to be dealing with

 

[aart]

So when do you guys think it would be safe to remove the paper towels and leave the chicks on the sand? The paper towels are getting really poopy really fast with 15 butts working in there This is twice the number I expected to be dealing with

I wait at least a week and changed paper towels every other day.
Try to lay them out in long strips with as few 'seams' as possible.

 

[K0k0shka]

I wait at least a week and changed paper towels every other day.
Try to lay them out in long strips with as few 'seams' as possible.

Thanks. I'll wait until it's been a week then. I have to change them completely every day, and lay a couple fresh ones on top mid-day, otherwise it gets incredibly poopy in there and they start pecking at their poop. So I do a full clean-up in the morning, and then add some more on top of the dirty ones in the afternoon in the worst spots. This morning when I took out all the dirty paper towels and exposed all the sand, I noticed that some of the chicks started scratching the sand and looking for things, which is the first time they've done it (instead of straight out gulping sand right away). So there's hope!

It's so cool watching new behaviors come online. Like the scratching. Or stretching with one leg out and the wing on that side out on top of it. Little chicken behaviors that they're starting to do for the first time. Like watching human babies start to do things! I was very surprised, though, to see them preening themselves before they were even out of the incubator!

Oh, and another interesting observation (and parallel to human babies). I didn't realize that "newborn" chicken poop, before they start feeding, is green, just like newborn baby poop is green before they start feeding. I'm really enjoying the parallels and re-living early motherhood

 

[K0k0shka]

Vaccine update!

Look what I found, from the PBS:
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/tthis-chicken-vaccine-makes-virus-dangerous

In short, the Marek's virus is "one of the deadliest germs in history" and a huge problem in the poultry industry. So the vaccine is crucial. HOWEVER. It's a "leaky vaccine". Meaning that it protects its host, but if the host contracts the virus, they can spread it quietly. Ironically, sort of like the current coronavirus situation and all the asymptomatic infected people who are passing it around without even knowing it. I remember reading this somewhere on BYC, but it's nice to see an actual article on it from a reputable source. This means that it needs to be an all or nothing situation. Either all of your birds have the shot, or none do. Because the vaccinated ones can still become infected, but you won't know it as they probably won't show symptoms, and they can quietly infect the others.

@adirondak5 I think you mentioned keeping some of the new chicks and adding them to your flock, right? If you do get the vaccine, it might be better to give the older chickens the shot as well, along with the babies, so they're on equal footing. I didn't find a good way to split the vaccine, because they've changed its format (used to be a wafer you can break into parts, now it's powder), so you'll have plenty at the time you mix it, enough for all the chickens.

 

[aart]

HOWEVER. It's a "leaky vaccine". Meaning that it protects its host, but the host keeps spreading it.

Think I brought this aspect up earlier.

it might be better to give the older chickens the shot as well,

Don't think you can vaccinate older birds, has to be done at hatch.

 

[K0k0shka]

Don't think you can vaccinate older birds, has to be done at hatch.

It offers the best protection if done before the birds come into contact with the virus (because once they do, they're carriers for life. Giving them the shot at that point won't hurt them, it will just do nothing). It's done at hatch because that's when you can guarantee they haven't been exposed yet. But if you have an isolated flock and haven't had an infection yet, they are still "clean" and can still get the vaccine.

 

[adirondak5]

Yes , I did see that article the other day while researching . And yes , I would like to keep one or two of the pullets(if there are any xtra) and integrate with my flock . For me its an easy choice , I'm vaccinating , the costs are low the overall benefit is high . My flock that I have now is vaccinated so it would really make sense to me to vaccinate any newly hatched chicks .
I'll look into doing the older birds also , more researching to do .
Thanks much for the info . Let us know how your vaccinating goes .