April Hatch Along

[WVduckchick]

WOW!!! life got busy for a few days and I am sooo behind!!!! Congrats to all the new babies And sorry for the losses Exciting day!!! 4 quail babies are OUT!!! One had hatched over night, and the rest hatched throughout the day! So teachers and students spent all day stuck to the incubator window and brooder watching all the action..LOL! One more quail egg that may hatch, but not sure? They were "officially" due tomorrow, but these babies had a plan of their own..LOL! Chicks are due to start hatching on Monday

Yeah! I'd love to watch some kids watching a hatch. I bet they get a big kick out of it. And congrats to you for educating the youth. I never saw anything like this as a kid (grew up a city gal) so I think I'm like a kid when they hatch, and even after so many hatches, I still stay glued to the window. Lol! Oh, look up the broodies and babies thread. There are some adorable shots.

I'm up to 4 chicks out. The two legbars (one of each sex so far) and one Swedish flower. I think the SFH is a dark blue or black. It looks a bit lighter than the Black Copper Marans chick that hatched a little later. I'll get pics up eventually. I have one SFH that might be stuck. It has zipped most of the way, but stopped. The chick is alive and resting but it's been 7 hours since it started zipping and probably 4-5 hours since it made any progress. It pipped at the very end of the shell in spite of having the air cell nice and big and low (according to my trace of it anyhow), so the circle it zipped might be too small for it to get out. And the little malpo first pip from last night is still in the game. I saw a hint of movement from inside the pip. Looks like the chick made it through the membrane. There are a few other pips and a few other late bloomers just hanging cozy waiting to make a grand entrance after all the fuss is over with their siblings.

Did this chick make it out? Normally, if one starts zipping, it should continue and finish within an hour (give or take) so if I get one that stops part way, and dont see any action or reaction to light, talking, tapping on the incubator, etc, I will finish the zip. Had a few quit and die this way. I hope yours made it!

 

[Kyanite]

Oh, look up the broodies and babies thread. There are some adorable shots.

Did this chick make it out? Normally, if one starts zipping, it should continue and finish within an hour (give or take) so if I get one that stops part way, and dont see any action or reaction to light, talking, tapping on the incubator, etc, I will finish the zip. Had a few quit and die this way. I hope yours made it!

I went to bed and when I got up, the chick was still not up, that's 14 hours of partially zipped now. It's STILL ALIVE. Same with the little malpo. I'm going to assist. Just here gathering info/refreshing memory from what I'd seen on another thread.

There is another hatcher during the night though. A little Marans chick... and it's BLUE

The guy I got the eggs from said he had JUST put his Blue Copper Marans Rooster in with the hens, it had just been the Black boy, so there was a very small chance of a blue chick. Well, second Marans chick I hatch is blue! I'm so thrilled!

 

[hensareus]

You have a long wait. Get some sleep tonite. Future nights may not be so fortunate.

Thanks for the advice. I woke at 2am and again at 4ish before getting up at 530. It does have the shell cracked more. It is possible that their father was killed in a predator attack after I set them. That is why I'm so anxious to know that they are ok. They aren't officially due until late tomorrow.

 

[WVduckchick]

I went to bed and when I got up, the chick was still not up, that's 14 hours of partially zipped now. It's STILL ALIVE. Same with the little malpo. I'm going to assist. Just here gathering info/refreshing memory from what I'd seen on another thread. 

There is another hatcher during the night though. A little Marans chick... and it's BLUE e The guy I got the eggs from said he had JUST put his Blue Copper Marans Rooster in with the hens, it had just been the Black boy, so there was a very small chance of a blue chick. Well, second Marans chick I hatch is blue! I'm so thrilled!

hope you got him out ok.

I have 4 Marans eggs in now, I thought I killed them all, but finally last night was able to see the 3 are developing, the 4th may have a bloodring, but I'm waiting it out. I'm hoping for a blue birchen!!

 

[Kyanite]

Both slow pokes are out with assistance. They had been partially zipped for so long that their membranes were completely dry. Even with humidity at 73%!!! I only opened the incubator once to pull out the other chicks that were dry which took about 30 seconds and the humidity didn't drop below 60% when I did it. There was no way they were getting out on their own. I think I've discovered why the malpo chick was malpo though... it has a large sack of fluid on one leg. Very odd. It's like a big blister covering the whole right hip of the chick. The chick otherwise seems like a normal newly hatched chick. I'm hoping it reabsorbs.

 

[WVduckchick]

Thanks for the advice. I woke at 2am and again at 4ish before getting up at 530. It does have the shell cracked more. It is possible that their father was killed in a predator attack after I set them. That is why I'm so anxious to know that they are ok. They aren't officially due until late tomorrow.

Ducklings really test our patience!

 

[WVduckchick]

Both slow pokes are out with assistance. They had been partially zipped for so long that their membranes were completely dry. Even with humidity at 73%!!! I only opened the incubator once to pull out the other chicks that were dry which took about 30 seconds and the humidity didn't drop below 60% when I did it. There was no way they were getting out on their own. I think I've discovered why the malpo chick was malpo though... it has a large sack of fluid on one leg. Very odd. It's like a big blister covering the whole right hip of the chick. The chick otherwise seems like a normal newly hatched chick. I'm hoping it reabsorbs.

Oh boy, hope its ok!!. I think I'd sit it in a little bowl, like small butter container, lined with a dry paper towel, so it won't move around or get pecked.
Would love to see a pic if you can get one.

 

[Kyanite]

Oh boy, hope its ok!!. I think I'd sit it in a little bowl, like small butter container, lined with a dry paper towel, so it won't move around or get pecked.
Would love to see a pic if you can get one.

The only two chicks in the incubator right now are the two assists. I pulled the others when I grabbed the eggs to assist. So, the littles are resting in peace! But yeah, good idea if the other chick gains strength faster.

Here's a pic that I got hubby to take of the oddity. The chick is a Marans. Gentle prodding of it shows it's fluid and very soft. I'm sure it's why the chick couldn't get into position.

 

[WVduckchick]

The only two chicks in the incubator right now are the two assists. I pulled the others when I grabbed the eggs to assist. So, the littles are resting in peace! But yeah, good idea if the other chick gains strength faster.

Here's a pic that I got hubby to take of the oddity. The chick is a Marans. Gentle prodding of it shows it's fluid and very soft. I'm sure it's why the chick couldn't get into position.

Wow that's very odd. I had a chick hatch with a bubble on her shoulder. It eventually went down some, but she scratched at it so much herself that it busted and bled. Had to separate her for quite a while. She earned the name Psycho Chick, but she's still alive and well today, over 2 years later. I hope yours has the same good fortune.

 

[Kyanite]

Wow that's very odd. I had a chick hatch with a bubble on her shoulder. It eventually went down some, but she scratched at it so much herself that it busted and bled. Had to separate her for quite a while. She earned the name Psycho Chick, but she's still alive and well today, over 2 years later. I hope yours has the same good fortune.

Good to know. I separated the little one since another hatched.
Here's a better pic.As this baby dries, also noticing that's it's blue too!