Babies Hatching!!!!

[plester01]

I have a question for anyone who might have an answer.

Yesterday my first baby hatched. This morning my second baby hatched. I have 6 more eggs that are not doing anything. There are chicks in each one. Alive or dead I do not know for sure. How long should I wait for them to hatch?

 

[rosyposyosy]

i have no experience with hatching eggs whatsoever but...

CONGRATS!

 

[skeeter9]

Congrats on your new babies!! What day are you on? Do you hear any peeping or are the other eggs moving at all? I would wait at least a few more days. It's not uncommon for a hatch to be a bit staggered. These little fuzzbutts seem to hatch in their own sweet time!!.

Good luck with the rest of your eggs!!! Oh, and how are the 2 that have hatched doing?

Lori

 

[rosyposyosy]

hehe.. fuzzbutts. thats what im going to call chicks from this day on!

 

[skeeter9]

Well, that's exactly what they look like!!! LOL

 

[plester01]

The 2 that have hatched are doing well. I have moved them into the brooder and they are eating and drinking well. The first one hatched on day 23, second day 24.

The thing is my hen was setting on these eggs for 18 days and she got sick and stoped setting so DH and I put together en emergency bator (made from cardboard box, towel, and heat lamp) we werent sure they would even hatch because it was 24 hours before we decided to bring them in.

I did not mention that there were 2 other eggs in the bunch that did not make it. On day 21 DH got curious and opened and egg to see if it had chick. It did and it died.
On day 22 another egg started to peep and DH thought it needed help. He helped it and it blead to death. I told DH to leave the rest of the eggs alone.

I hope the rest of the eggs hatch. The 2 chicks would like more brothers and sisters.

I do not know how to tell a rooster from a hen but looking at the feathers and the combs that they were born with I think that so far we have one of each.

 

[skeeter9]

Oh, gosh!!! Sorry you lost a couple. The peeping just means that the chick has pipped into the air pocket at the top of the egg. Once they have done this, they will work on pipping through the shell, but it takes quite a while (sometimes several days). I think you found out what happens if you try to help them. I'll bet your DH felt terrible!! It's really best to leave them alone and let them do their thing.

I hope your other eggs hatch for you. I'm sure you're disappointed that your hen didn't finish the job!!

Lori

 

[plester01]

She was quite sick and she got the rooster sick to. We had to move them to a coop away from the others and have been giving meds for a few days now. They are doing much better now. Still have to give more meds for another 4 or 5 days.

 

[skeeter9]

That's too bad. I have been very fortunate with the health of my flock. Are you going to try to reunite the hen and chicks once she is better?

 

[plester01]

I would like to but I am not sure how the rooster will take to the idea. When would be a good time to do that if at all?