air cells too small day 17?? what to do??

[OCchickens]

Not sure about sleeping tonight. What a thrill watching that chick hatch!

I'm working in my daughter's preschool tomorrow morning, so I can't crash!

Probably won't feel like this

tomorrow morning!

 

[Chicken Woman]

SOOOOO how's it going ?

 

[twigg]

Quote:
Because 50%ish is the correct figure for most chicken eggs.

It's misleading tho. If your eggs have slightly thicker shells, then they will lose weight at a slower rate. Decreasing RH will help this.

The converse is true too.

 

[OCchickens]

Things are great here for the most part! We have 9 chicks now out of 10 that I set out 3 wks ago this evening. There were 6 buff orpingtons put out a day later & now I have 2 pips in those!

I had started out with 27 eggs - the 11 that were culled were mostly clear, a few early quitters.

My one problem is a little yellow serama who flipped onto his back this morning & couldn't get back on his feet. The other ones (who look huge by comparison) were tromping all over the poor little guy. When he & the others looked dry enough to risk it I plucked him out & am brooding him. Not sure what temp to go for -- in the center it's prob. about 100 & he could move away to cool off except his mobility is limited. He seems pretty worn out but I'm hoping he'll recover. The two other little seramas seem to be holding their own in their but in the future I would not attempt to hatch them with big eggs. Just doesn't seem fair.

Thanks for all the encouragement!!

 

[Chicken Woman]

Put some kind of divider in your brooder like chicken wire to protect the little ones, but the other ones can still see them and interact with them. That way you will avoid the issue of putting them together later without them being use to one another.

I had a pretty small weak chcik that hatched 2 days after my others and I kept her that way for about 3 days and then took out the divider and just watched them. She was then holding her own and has done fine even though she is smaller than the others.

I gave her baby polyvisol vitamins in water for a few days. Just make sure it's not the kind with added Iron as that is not good for them.

Glad to hear your hatch went well !!!!!

 

[OCchickens]

Thanks Lori for those suggestions. I haven't taken the other chicks out of the bator yet b/c my hatch is still in progress, but I'll try what you're suggesting.

My little guy seems to be hanging on -- I'm hopeful he'll make it. I think there might be something wrong with his right side causing him to flop on his back -- his wing on that side seems a little funny & that eye is droopy. He's a sweety though.