April Hatch Thread--Come Join Us!

[YukonMel]

I am definitely a newby when it comes to the hatching end as I always have gotten my poults as day olds. So I thought I would give it a try this year. I live in the North (North of Whitehorse Yukon Canada) and shipping eggs up was my only option. We got 24 eggs 6 coronation Sussex, 8 Blue Orpington and 10 silver sussex. Temp and Humidity levels remained steady in my still air incubator. Its very arid here so I had temp at 99.5 - 100.5 and humidity was at 60-65%. By day 7 there were 6 eggs with no development. I had one quitter at day 10 and 2 quitters by day 14. I had movement on my day 17 candling in every egg but not so much on Day 18 Lockdown day but 15 went into lock down. I am trying to not do the natural worrying thing and am chalking the "no" movement thing up to no room to move or just resting for the big event. I am at day 19.5 now and reading about peoples successes after worrying makes me feel better but reading about peoples early signs ie: chirps & egg movement I am now worrying a little as there are no signs of any of those things with mine

. Hatch date is as far as I figure sometime Friday Saturday the 27th as that will be the completed 21st day so I wont start the panic till then....I hope... Clearly I am not the only one who feels this way.
Any other words of wisdom??

 

[melina90]

You should not have done that!!!!!!!!! You should Leave him in the bator he was still absorbing the food from the yolk sac and it would drop off naturally!!!!!!!!! Don;t do that with any of the others and NO snipping!!!!!!!!! Leave it be! It is exhausted they need to stay in the bator until they fluff up and they can stay there for 3 days tops. They get all they need from that yolk!!!!! Also your in Lockdown that means you don;t open the bator!!!!!!!!! -

Oes - NO SNIPPING THEY ARE CHICKS NOT HUMANS!!!!!!

He was hatched under my broody hen. I know what lockdown is and my incubator not in it.

It's not normal for chickens to hath with the yolk unabsorbed (yes, they still have it and get their nutritions from it, but it's supposed to be inside the chickens belly, and the navel should be closed). I chose to snip it as it could get infected, or the long string of cord could get tangled up in his feet and pull his internal organs out. I'm confident that I made the right decision. From what I've heard chickens with unabsorbed yolk often doesnt make it anyways.

 

[TheCrazyChick]

I am definitely a newby when it comes to the hatching end as I always have gotten my poults as day olds. So I thought I would give it a try this year. I live in the North (North of Whitehorse Yukon Canada) and shipping eggs up was my only option. We got 24 eggs 6 coronation Sussex, 8 Blue Orpington and 10 silver sussex. Temp and Humidity levels remained steady in my still air incubator. Its very arid here so I had temp at 99.5 - 100.5 and humidity was at 60-65%. By day 7 there were 6 eggs with no development. I had one quitter at day 10 and 2 quitters by day 14. I had movement on my day 17 candling in every egg but not so much on Day 18 Lockdown day but 15 went into lock down. I am trying to not do the natural worrying thing and am chalking the "no" movement thing up to no room to move or just resting for the big event. I am at day 19.5 now and reading about peoples successes after worrying makes me feel better but reading about peoples early signs ie: chirps & egg movement I am now worrying a little as there are no signs of any of those things with mine

. Hatch date is as far as I figure sometime Friday Saturday the 27th as that will be the completed 21st day so I wont start the panic till then....I hope... Clearly I am not the only one who feels this way.
Any other words of wisdom??

The absolutely best thing you can do is leave them completely alone. DO NOT OPEN THE INCUBATOR. Right now I would absolutely LOVE to open mine up and hold each one up to my ear to find out who is doing the chirping, but I know I risk shrink wrapping or even death for them if I do. It seems like a harmless thing, but it is a very serious complication.

Just be patient and don't give up until at least Day 24-25.

 

[TheCrazyChick]

He was hatched under my broody hen. I know what lockdown is and my incubator not in it.

It's not normal for chickens to hath with the yolk unabsorbed (yes, they still have it and get their nutritions from it, but it's supposed to be inside the chickens belly, and the navel should be closed). I chose to snip it as it could get infected, or the long string of cord could get tangled up in his feet and pull his internal organs out. I'm confident that I made the right decision. From what I've heard chickens with unabsorbed yolk often doesnt make it anyways.

Sometimes you just gotta make a judgment call, which is what you did. So many factors to consider. You can only do the best you can for the moment it is happening. I have NO idea what I would've done under those circumstances. Hope it works out for you.

 

[melina90]

Sometimes you just gotta make a judgment call, which is what you did. So many factors to consider. You can only do the best you can for the moment it is happening. I have NO idea what I would've done under those circumstances. Hope it works out for you.

Thanks

I read up alot about it online and waited for as long as I could (bedtime here atm) before snipping it. He seems perky and is all running around now, so as long as he doesnt get an infection I think he'll pull through. If he's still this doing good by tomorrow morning I'll put him back out with his momma

 

[oesdog]

He was hatched under my broody hen. I know what lockdown is and my incubator not in it.

It's not normal for chickens to hath with the yolk unabsorbed (yes, they still have it and get their nutritions from it, but it's supposed to be inside the chickens belly, and the navel should be closed). I chose to snip it as it could get infected, or the long string of cord could get tangled up in his feet and pull his internal organs out. I'm confident that I made the right decision. From what I've heard chickens with unabsorbed yolk often doesnt make it anyways.

Sorry I didn;t realise it was under a broody. - We had one hatched like that and the hen stood on him accidently she pulled on it and the guts were out and she also stood on a leg and broke it - we had to euthanize but she looked for him for days after.

Oes
Just checked the eggs before bed - there is what seems to be a very tiny - maybe in my mind and not real but ........... there does seem to be a little tiny mark on the surface of one of the eggs it may be the start of a pip???????????????????????????

oh darn -

 

[tommysgirl]

Well, at least you didn't miss a single thing! If it makes you feel any better, my eggs have not moved a muscle either. Not due til tomorrow or Saturday, but last hatch started early. was hoping for a few pips or chirps this morning, but nothing yet.

Back from the care review - thought I would "miss something?" Hoped I would find something in the bator - Yeah there was something there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 4 darn eggs! not a single twitch from anything! Well at least I haven;t missed it!

Oes - Still waiting!!!!!

Day 21

Okay, so I guess I lied. Just checked on the eggs and I officially have strong chirping going on! No movement, but definitely chirping. Hoping for pips by end of the day.

Also, an update on the Silver Plymouth Rock egg I dropped and shattered on day 18. After 2 days of keeping it wrapped in warm moist paper towels, in hopes of it making it out alive, it did indeed die last night. So sad. Fully formed with the most amazing feather pattern. While I am sad about this, I am also now very excited to see the new chicks that hatch, as they will be beautiful! Also hatching Light Sussex, Wheaten Marans and Mottled Houdans, besides the gorgeous SPRs.

What day did you set????????? Mine were set on the afternoon of the 5th - which means we technically only hit the 21 day mark tonight! So I am thinking we are a little early to expect anything really. We went into Lockdown on the morning of the 19th day not the evening of the 18th - so have to take that into account too. - Mine are due anytime after 6 tonight through - friday.
We will see what happens but went into lockdawn same time as you and you are not seeing anything. Let me know when you get your first hatch and then I can gage round about when to expect anything here. - ???? Maybe mine will pop first will let you know if anything comes???? Honestly though these eggs were in a right state when they came so I am not expecting miricles. Though obviously something was growing two are very heavy one not so much and waxed egg is just heavey on one end so maybe a late quitter.

Anyhow I am hovering over the bator like an idiot - thing is the temp seems to raise in the early afternoon for some mad reason and has done everyday??????? Nothing has changed though? I opened the window and let air into the room today to try to get the temp down hovering at 102 darn! Maybe hatching activity????? raising the temp?????? Wishful thinking lol

Oes - darn back to waiting

Anyone know the gustation period for lizards???????? I could be a few MONTHS out! -

You have cherping - OMG - I ran to the bator and stood there like a fool with my ear stuck to the side for ages listening. All I have is a sore neck! Darn

Crazychick and oesdog...looks like we are on the same expectant day. Good luck to you both!! (and to my little peepers, too)

I set my Barnevelder eggs April 5th too! Not a peep from them yet...but not technically due until tomorrow, right?

Ha ha - I actually thought about getting a tape of a momma hen squalking away next to the Bator to "encourage them!" I am so not good at waiting. Probably because last time was such a screw up and we lost so many chicks. This time I am soooooo hoping something will hatch. I know some folk don;t count the first day. - I was kind of thinking anytime between now and Saterday night? After that I would start to worry more. - I am gonna go crow infront of the bator and see what happens?

Any sign of a pip yet???????

Oes

I have the radio playing next to the bator a little Ke$ha and some New Direction should encourage them to come out and party!

 

[oesdog]

I think I got a pip!!!!!!!!!!

ok incase nothing else happens .......... I will go hide

Waiting

Oes

 

[tommysgirl]

I think I got a pip!!!!!!!!!!

ok incase nothing else happens .......... I will go hide

Waiting

Oes

YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!​

 

[TheCrazyChick]

I think I got a pip!!!!!!!!!!

ok incase nothing else happens .......... I will go hide

Waiting

Oes

Keeping my fingers crossed for you.