Anybody else on LOCKDOWN?? Hatch day Aug. 5th!

[ChooksChick]

I'm still hatching- I'll be hatching permanently, it seems- a friend who sells birds has Coryza at her farm and has to cull her whole flock, but has 4 incubators/hatchers running at full tilt always, so I'm doing the hatching now...I'm 20 miles away from the disease/cleanup, and the eggs are all mailed in, so I'm safe.

It's definitely got me addicted to hatching, though, so I'm in it for the long haul!!

I have 4 more due in this batch, 10 due tomorrow, and then a break for a couple of weeks...don't know what I'll do with the chicks, though, because they can't go to her house, and I'm maxed out on my limit as I'm in the city- actually one over already...


Anyway, if your baby clearly isn't going well, and you haven't ANY hope (I'm an optimist and would give it a really good chance before doing anything) then there are a couple of things you can do.

I've never used this method, but I've heard you can soak a rag in carburetor starting fluid (by the oil in the store, not the barbecue kind!!!) and seal the baby in an ice cream container or some such- this is ether and it will sleep and then die.

I have used the carbon dioxide euthanasia chamber made with baking soda and vinegar. It's certainly more complicated than the ether, but it's been tested to not stress the animal at all, and it's odorless, so I chose it. It's humane enough that I only cried for an hour...I'm a very soft heart.

You can find instructions and background here: http://www.alysion.org/euthanasia/

I recommend anyone who will deal with chicks EVER to read this and become familiar- even make a set-up for when you might need it. It's more likely you'll need it at some point than not, honestly, and you don't want to be scrambling to put it together in an emergency.

PM me with questions, and I'll help.

 

[2txmedics]

ITS STANDING UP!!!!! THE WEAK BABY IS STANDING UP!!!! PIPPING LIKE CRAZY!!!! SKINNY, VERY...AND BALD BUT "STANDING"

 

[ChooksChick]

Hoooray, skinny, bald baby!!!!

I'm praying for you, little one!!

 

[andrea98]

 

[2txmedics]

me too!!!! whew!!!! definit a KEEPER...my mother in law is not getting that one...her/his name will be "fighter"

 

[ChooksChick]

OK- Interminable Hatching Baby has finally gotten free of the shell. It's clearly absorbed the mother of all yolks, and has a giant rump now because of it. It's from a different line of BCM and has a white comb, where the others have black. I know this will change, but it's interesting to see that it's less melanized.

Its sibling is also pipping now, so it will have at least one more from that batch. This gives me 2 from 2 lines. There's a third from this second batch, but it's not making a sound, nor a move...I hope it'll go!

The Penedesencas are all gone- there were only 3 that were going, and they all clearly quit. That's a bummer.

On the other hand, loaded up 12 Buff Ameraucanas and 12 SW into the incubator along with 3 from my EExbantam Cochin, and 3 EExBR- those are mine, from my birds...I'm looking forward to seeing what they turn out like!!

 

[2txmedics]

humidty holding at 68%...possible this why my other eggs arent zipping? should I raise it? I noticed that my little fighter that is now making it, is very dry...has egg shell stuck to its hiney part...and the other one is STILL trying to come out, and shell is stuck to it, and very dry...I keep mositing it, softly to keep it right.

 

[ChooksChick]

Moistening is good, but every time you open it, it lowers the humidity- and stirs the air up.

Get a big was of paper towels and run them under hot water- sopping wet, and put them near, but not touching any eggs- touching babies is fine, so long as it's not scalding hot.

This will bring up the humidity very quickly. You may need to moisten the babies anyway, but don't remove shell or membrane without being certain it won't pull on the umbilical- you can cut that off a centimeter away from the baby if it's still all attached.

Generally, the stuck stuff will come off later. If it's not hurting Fighter, don't worry about it.

The one that's still in the shell: if the yolk is absorbed, you can try to help it if it looks really adhered to the shell. Keep in mind the humidity and heat will drop, so take it out briefly to examine and work, BUT ONLY IF YOU FEEL IT CAN'T get out otherwise. It might become too exhausted if it's glued, so you get to make this tough call.

If you have others still to hatch, this is all affecting them, too, so work quickly and only go in though the windows if you can.

*sigh* wouldn't it be nice if we could do it all for them easily???

 

[2txmedics]

yeah it would be NICE!!!!...Im using my medic skills here...for labor/delivery...

Fighter is moving right along...jumping his bald little shawny body...

but good to see him jumping around and pipping!!!! whew!!!!

now the other one, I had to help it...I didnt want to pull the bottom part of the shell away...it looked like its still intact, and a tiny bit moist, not much...so I just dabbed it alittle, with clean hands of course...I put in a moist towel ...temp didnt drop much...and neither did humidty...I have them in the apt. next door we call the shop...all a/c is off over there so when you walk in its like instant sweat pouring on your face..temp in there is 98...we are in texas. lucky only that hot in there but I didnt want drafts or anything...I wanted a control enviroment for them.

Anywho...the 2nd one is laying there like Fighter did...it too Fighter almost 3hrs to jump around, so maybe this one will also..now that its out...Im gonna just walk in and look at the gauges NOTHING MORE...NO MESSING WITH IT...time to sit and wait to see what they do.

THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH!!!!

 

[ChooksChick]

Go, Fighter and Patience!!

Wheeeee!!!

I have another pip, but it's just sitting there...4 hours now. It peeps when I tap the box....


So hard waiting.