August Hatch-A-Long!

[nohbudi]

I've actually gone with a setup where I used multiple thermometers. One is attached to a thermostat that I use to power my ballast heat source. The 100w reptile lamp is trimmed out so that the incubator runs 99.5*, and is adjustable for swings in ambient temp. I then use two 17w seedling mats to bring in extra heat should the incubator get cold. I initially started with one mat, but found that if the ambient temp dropped 10 degrees, it could not keep up on it's own. So I installed the second, and now find that the temps never drop below 99*. Once the temp reaches 99*, the heat pads turn on, and turn off once the temp reaches 101*.

 

[jammyjammy2112]

does anybody no what i meanns when a newborn chicks head is swollen

 

[nohbudi]

does anybody no what i meanns when a newborn chicks head is swollen

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/264657/newborn-chick-with-swollen-eyes-please-help-pic-added

Relevant?

 

[familypendragon]

Ugh, had to assist all 3 of the late bloomers. Each was wedged in a bad position and unable to zip either at all or all the way. One had scratched his egg yolk and ruptured it and it had dried and glued him to the inside of his shell. I peeled each shell back slowly and used coconut oil to make the membranes translucent so I could confirm they had absorbed all the yolk and blood they needed before letting them out. All three out without bleeding and with all egg absorbed. The one with the ruptured yolk most concerns me as his naval doesn't look well. We'll see how it goes. He is a real fighter though. He was kicking like crazy inside his dry shell the whole time I was working on him.

This little guy had the exact same malposition as slow poke with his head above instead of below his wing - and back at the top of the shell with virtually no air cell. He had also pipped through the side and had a very dry membrane around his pip.

Only our 2nd Rhode Island White chick in the batch that made it to hatch - same malposition again as slow poke.

You can see how our yolk glued chick looked before I decided to intervene. He could not get past this point. There was virtually no air cell and he had pipped through the side. All kinds of messed up.

Busted yolk all over this baby. He is shellacked to the shell and himself. He tried really hard to free himself and was kicking like crazy and I could feel his toenails scratching the inside of the shell.

Long day/night/day with 2 hours sleep, but with any luck maybe all these babies will make it

 

[Heidisgran]

awe I'm sorry!

 

[Heidisgran]

good you helped! let us know how they get along

 

[roostersandhens]

My hen just took a 25 - 30 minute break. She's been sitting on the 4 eggs for 8 days so they are 8 days old. Will they be ok?

 

[Heidisgran]

absolutely okay!! she has to eat and drink...the last week before they hatch she may not get up...give her food a water

 

[BY Chicken Lady]

Lost the little pip from yesterday .  It pipped the wrong end, but seemed to be doing fine, lots of noise, and was zipping, so I figured I'd be ok to go to bed, got up this morning and it had only zipped about 2/3, but no noise, no movement, took it out of the bator to check and it was dead.  Really malpositioned, both feet behind head, wings kinda to the front, like the legs pushed them forward.  Wish I had stayed up now, poor little guy.  The yolk wasn't absorbed all the way either, but the blood vessels had receded fully.  Still 2 eggs to go, it's officially day 21 here!  3 little babies have already been moved to the brooder!

So sorry to hear about the breech one. I had two of those last night. One I saved, the other died in the shell.

 

[BY Chicken Lady]

I had to assist a breech (I know malposition is the proper term but I use breech) chick last night. It had been peeping inside the shell for 12 hours or more and not pipped. Plus it was day 23. I candled it and saw what looked like a toe in the air sack. At this point I realized it needed help. I created a pip in the air sack area but only saw butt! I kept removing tiny bits of shell looking for the beak. It was peeping so loud at me. I saw a movement deep into the shell so I moved the inner lining that appeared to have already absorbed the blood. Got zero bleeding. Then deep in the center I discovered his beak, with his foot and leg over his head. The wing was way away from the beak. It would have never pipped on its own and certainly not been able to zip even with my help. I continued to remove shell in a zip fashion and finally it was free. The yoke sack was not fully absorbed but the cord had already separated so it wasn't going to absorb anyway. This little guy was Soooo exhausted. I cleaned everything harmful out of the incubator and just let him sleep in there on the no slip pad. I had my doubts if he would survive til morning.

But when I got up 6 hours later there he was looking at me. Not very fluffy yet, and still weak looking, but alive! I moved him to the brooder so he could dry off more and relax under the warmth of the brooder. After a couple hours of rest he is nearly as active as the other three. He pecks at food, defends himself, and even drank water from the water nipple! I caught it on video. He looks different than the others.,.wonder if he is a Speckled Sussex...kind of looks like those chicks.

[VIDEO]

Sadly, the last egg showed toes in the air sack as well and no activity inside. Float test showed no movement. i created a pip rather than assuming it was dead and could then see it was dead. I broke away the shell and it appears this baby died during lockdown because of being in breech position as well. This made me very thankful that I acted when I did with Chip.

Here is another cute video of Butterscotch (chick #2) dust bathing just minutes after I removed the paper towels to reveal the wood bits below.

[VIDEO]