Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

[satay]

It was my first eggtopsy and I was really apprehensive that I may actually kill the chick myself, even though I had candled and done the float test; still had these awful visions of opening it up and the chick being alive; totally unfounded of course.

I didn't really learn much of anything but at least I do know that I did not give up on them.

It is also good to know that taking the duds off Blondie has now given her the opportunity to get out of that nest and enjoy her bubs

I remove a little bit of the shell at the top first, you would see breathing if it was still alive and you would be able to pop it back under mumma hen straight away.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Good morning 

JHek I am sorry for your loss.  The others have given you good advice and I will leave it at hoping that it all works out for you and you have a very successful hatch.

appps I was getting concerned while reading your earlier posts and then wooo hoo, Penny and bub are out in their run; phew!

Beautiful pictures .. so, so adorable!

satay congratulations on the 100% hatch rate; good stuff!!!

Blondie update:  This morning when I opened the little door to her nest, she came out with the two littlies in tow.  Where there should have been 3 eggs on the nest there were only two.  One was caught up in her feathers; it had pipped and half zipped but the poor little one had passed away before being able to break out.

The remaining two eggs were intact, no pips.  Sadly, they both failed the candle and float test.  Subsequent eggtopsy revealed one had not developed at all and the other looked pretty close to fully developed but had passed away without breaking the shell.

I am feeling a bit mixed emotionally today; very sad about the two who were so very close but happy for Blondie and the little ones who made it.  I am sure that watching her teach the littlies will lift my spirits and she seems very pleased with herself and that is what is important 

Sorry about your little one. I believe that is one of the reason why many hens pluck so many feathers from their underbody. I have lost 2 chicks between 7-10 days after they got tangled in mums fluffy under skirts. Always silkie mommas of course. Since then I always do a head count and have a small pair of scissors hanging in the coop for just such emergencies. I have heard of some breeders plucking the Broodiies themselves.
You are very brave on the eggtopsy , lucky there were no explosions . You really would have had ' egg on your face '.

 

[satay]

It was my first eggtopsy and I was really apprehensive that I may actually kill the chick myself, even though I had candled and done the float test; still had these awful visions of opening it up and the chick being alive; totally unfounded of course.

I didn't really learn much of anything but at least I do know that I did not give up on them.

It is also good to know that taking the duds off Blondie has now given her the opportunity to get out of that nest and enjoy her bubs

The more you do them the more you learn. I can tell now at aprox what age they stop developing by the size of the chick,

 

[Fancychooklady]

Drumroll............ Introducing our little peep! (kids keep saying I cannot call it that LOL)

That first pic is prize worthy .

 

[satay]

Sorry about your little one. I believe that is one of the reason why many hens pluck so many feathers from their underbody. I have lost 2 chicks between 7-10 days after they got tangled in mums fluffy under skirts. Always silkie mommas of course. Since then I always do a head count and have a small pair of scissors hanging in the coop for just such emergencies. I have heard of some breeders plucking the Broodiies themselves.
You are very brave on the eggtopsy , lucky there were no explosions . You really would have had ' egg on your face '.

I fear that sometimes but never had it happen. Did have it happen in the bator once just as i took the lid off to candle.. Not a pretty site.

 

[K Spot]

 

[IamSamSam]

My son likes the mummy kissing the baby (last pic)

 

[appps]

Thanks all

Telia I am so sorry to hear of your little chicks misadventure and that the other two didn't make it either. :-(. Was not what i was expecting this morning.

 

[cwrite]

JHek, I'm sorry for you loss & hope the move went smoothly!

Satay, congrats on the amazing hatch rate. : )

Appps those are beautiful pics! Lovely peep.

Teila I'm sorry for your loss, but you are quite brave doing the eggtopsy. I haven't quite brought myself to remove the last two eggs from the nest yet.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Well there's never a dull moment here. I went over to feed the silkies and momma has hatched 4 chicks but abandoned 1 egg. I swear I heard it peeping, so I popped it in my bras and headed off to feed the rest. Got to the last pen when I saw something odd in the horse paddock. I got within 3 m when I realized it was the town sewer main and it had burst. , so I've got southern water and the environment officer standing in my paddock , all the while I've still got that egg in my bras. I've moved all the horses out and they are currently flogging around their new paddock . The escavator is on it's way but they need to mop up the mess and disinfect the entire area , unfortunately it is running straight into the inlet. Access is a problem cause I have the newspaper coming tomorrow to take pics of my garden , so they are definately not driving their machinery across my lawns. Man I needed this today like I need a hole in the head.