August Hatch-A-Long!

[BY Chicken Lady]

Familypendragon were your chicks shipped? I was reading last night while fretting over my breech baby, that shipped eggs tend to have more incidences of being breech. Mine were not only shipped, they were store bought, not even marked fertile. Just free range eggs. I feel pretty lucky to have 4 survive out of the 10 I incubated.

 

[DeannaA]

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.

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.

Says your video is private. Can't watch it.

 

[jammyjammy2112]

Says your video is private. Can't watch it.

yah same

 

[DeannaA]

My eggs are now 23 and a half days. Not even an internal pip. Not that I can see anyway. I see movement in at least 5 of the 7. What do I do? How long do I wait? Someone I know suggested raising the tem. I raised it from 99.8 to 100.4. Arrrrggghhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!! I just don't want them to die. HELP ME, please.

 

[DeannaA]

I'm going to check on them one more time. I'm only sleeping 3 hours at a time. Getting up checking, reading BYC, nap. Getting up checking, reading BYC, nap. Whatching everyone elses hatches helps. Thanks everyone.

 

[justoldbobo2]

Three out one pipped one nothing. Today is hatch day ;-)

 

[BY Chicken Lady]

Says your video is private. Can't watch it.

So Sorry! I fixed it. I don't know why suddenly they were defaulting to private. All public now. enjoy!

 

[BY Chicken Lady]

My eggs are now 23 and a half days. Not even an internal pip. Not that I can see anyway. I see movement in at least 5 of the 7. What do I do? How long do I wait? Someone I know suggested raising the tem. I raised it from 99.8 to 100.4. Arrrrggghhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!! I just don't want them to die. HELP ME, please.

I don't know that raising the temps is going to do anything now. (I could be wrong though). I would leave the temp where you had it, they chicks effect the temps anyway...as they hatch out it goes up then down. I just tried to keep steady temp between the fluctuations caused by hatching chicks. Is your humidity up? Should be at least 65% Opening the incubator to check on them during lockdown can wreak havoc on your humidity...try to resist that. Some chicks just take longer. I think I read that silkies are more like 2-3 days longer than regular chickens. It is hard to be patient, I know,

 

[BY Chicken Lady]

Three out one pipped one nothing. Today is hatch day ;-)

They are adorable! It is so hard to wait for the last few huh?

 

[BY Chicken Lady]

ALL FIXED NOW...THEY VIDEOS ARE NOW MARKED AS PUBLIC...Sorry about that.

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.

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.