California - Northern

[Happy Chooks]

Thank you, Jason! She had her first spa bath in a bowl earlier this morning. I keep waiting for her to dry off but she is still wet looking. I put her back in the incubator but should I move her to the brooder? Should I put her in a box or something to keep her separate from the rowdy 6? When they were in the incubator with her and she was still in her egg, they fought over who was going to sit on top of her! Poor little thing has had a tough start to life!

It will work the gunk off in a few days and fluff up like the others. If it appears weak, then you can separate it from the others. A Kleenex box with the top cut off and paper towels in the bottom works wonders for isolating chicks in the brooder.

 

[tommysgirl]

My hatch is over!!!

I have 6, fat, healthy chicks and the 1 Icelandic chick that pipped early, zipped 3/4 the way, and then was shrink wrapped. I determined not to open the incubator until the hatch was done. I waited until several hours after the last of the 6 hatched before putting the 6 in the incubator and helping the shrink wrapped one. I carefully removed some of the shell making sure that her beak was out, wrapped the unhatched part in a warm, wet paper towel and left for her a couple hours. I did that through the evening hoping that she would be able to free herself. She was peeping and struggling but late last night I finally removed the rest of the shell. She is alive, moving, and peeping up a storm in the incubator this morning but she is still wet looking. Any advice at this point?

The poor little orpington chick did not make it. It was the second to pip and zipped 3/4 the way but then stopped. There was no movement at all for over 12 hours so when I removed the chicks, I took the orp egg out. It was a huge chick and its head was down below the zip line. Maybe it didn't have room to move because it was so big? I also think that my high humidity during the first 18 days may have played a part in its demise.

The little black Marans/Marans mix chick does have one problem. 2 of its toes on one foot are fused/webbed. I'm planning on doing surgery later today to separate them. Has anyone had experience with this? Any advise???

So, I started with 10 eggs. 8 went into lockdown and 7 hatched. (Hopefully, Snemma the Icelandic will survive.) So, my hatch rate was 70%, correct? This is not the best pic and I'll take some better ones later today.

YAY!!!! Pet Rock that's a great looking little group you have there!

 

[PetRock]

It will work the gunk off in a few days and fluff up like the others. If it appears weak, then you can separate it from the others. A Kleenex box with the top cut off and paper towels in the bottom works wonders for isolating chicks in the brooder.

Thank you! I just gave her another warm bath/shower and dried her with a warm blow dryer. I tied a micro fiber dog towel into a know and put it in the brooder. I tucked her by the knot under the tie right under the light. (Does that make sense?) She groomed herself and pecked on one of her brooder mates so that's good. She was so unhappy in the incubator by herself. Of course, the other big fluffy butts are fascinated with her toes. They are starting to run around and hopefully the towel will give the little one some protection from the galloping herd!

 

[PetRock]

YAY!!!! Pet Rock that's a great looking little group you have there!

Thank you! They are mixes from chiqita's flock so it will be fun to see what they turn out to be! She thinks that one of them maybe a Silkie mix. The girls are destined for the farm (except for maybe the Icelandic and the Silkie mix if it turns out to be that) and the boys probably for the dinner table.

 

[tommysgirl]

My new chicks will be here in less than 4 weeks. I am headed over to Ukiah where there is Kings feed as well as multiple places at which I can look at chicks but will keep my hands in my pockets...I think.

PetRock I am attempting a bunch of mixed chicks in my hatch too...Collecting eggs starting today We will see what hatches but like you, all but 1 of any boys will be table bound. It makes me a little sad but then I think about the fact that they will have a great life up to the point where they give it up and it makes me feel better. Do you process your own?

And I need to get in touch with Cheryl...we can take a few of her hens. I had PMd her but it doesn't show in my messages and I need to get back in touch to tell her that my husband who is a wonderful bird loving enabler has given the green light. Anyway I don't remember her user name so can't find her and looked back to where I thought her messages were and didn't find them.

 

[PetRock]

My new chicks will be here in less than 4 weeks. I am headed over to Ukiah where there is Kings feed as well as multiple places at which I can look at chicks but will keep my hands in my pockets...I think.

PetRock I am attempting a bunch of mixed chicks in my hatch too...Collecting eggs starting today We will see what hatches but like you, all but 1 of any boys will be table bound. It makes me a little sad but then I think about the fact that they will have a great life up to the point where they give it up and it makes me feel better. Do you process your own?

My Langshan breeding partner has a 10 acre farm in Brentwood. They raise almost all of their own meat (cow, pig, chickens) and process chickens around 3 times/year. We helped in November and processed some of our extra Langshan roos. My DH thought that I couldn't do it but it was fine. I don't think that I could do the actual killing at least at this point. We processed over 40 birds and my friend's DH did the actual killing. Jenny is currently fattening up all of our reject Langshan roos with milk and high quality grain. They are now around 40 weeks old with big developed breasts so we'll see how good they taste at this age.

 

[juststruttin]

Its kinda hard to tell but the area that looks bare there because its a bit bulbous. Bout the size of an egg lending credence to the internal layer idea.

It could be cancer. Are you good with needles? You could extract liquid and if it is murky it could be an an internal laying issue, but if clear it could be cancer. How is her breathing? If it is labored, it is likely cancer because they tend to fill up with liquid. How is her chest bone? If protruding, also sign of cancer. Chickens with cancer often have low apatite. Fingers crossed its internal laying and not cancer as if cancer she should be euthanized. Good luck

 

[Wishing4Wings]

My new chicks will be here in less than 4 weeks. I am headed over to Ukiah where there is Kings feed as well as multiple places at which I can look at chicks but will keep my hands in my pockets...I think.

PetRock I am attempting a bunch of mixed chicks in my hatch too...Collecting eggs starting today We will see what hatches but like you, all but 1 of any boys will be table bound. It makes me a little sad but then I think about the fact that they will have a great life up to the point where they give it up and it makes me feel better. Do you process your own?

And I need to get in touch with Cheryl...we can take a few of her hens. I had PMd her but it doesn't show in my messages and I need to get back in touch to tell her that my husband who is a wonderful bird loving enabler has given the green light. Anyway I don't remember her user name so can't find her and looked back to where I thought her messages were and didn't find them.

cherlycohen is her user name. Omelet Ranch is her website. Her birds look lovely and I wish I had room to take some.

 

[redriver]

Some people don't like to put an egg next to the turner motor. It tends to be slightly warmer there. I tried to keep mine towards the center. Were you also asking about when to cull, or was that someone else? As a total novice, I waited until Day 12 before I made final decisions. It was really obvious which ones were clear or had blood rings by then.

Thank you! That was me. I actually ended up moving the egg that was by the turner, good thing it was small! It was wedged in. So, candled for Day 7 and I am amazed how many of them are developing. I only had five out of 34 that were question marks, and they were all very dark shells. Every other one showed veining, and in a few there was even a baby moving a bit. Sadly, one of these was put in upside-down.

The aircell was at the end pointing down. Did I doom this baby to pipping and not being able to get air? I'm so sad. What, if anything, can or should be done? Another egg is developing but has a small hole in it. What should be done with that? Thanks!

I put one in upside down, too. Flipped it as soon as I noticed. It ended up hatching just fine, on the correct end. Don't know what to say about your holy egg. Prayers if you got 'em? But, seriously, someone probably already told you, but depending on how big the hole is you can seal it with crayon or candle wax.

 

[chiqita]

It could be cancer.  Are you good with needles? You could extract liquid and if it is murky it could be an an internal laying issue, but if clear it could be cancer.  How is her breathing?  If it is labored, it is likely cancer because they tend to fill up with liquid.  How is her chest bone?  If protruding, also sign of cancer.  Chickens with cancer often have low apatite.    Fingers crossed its internal laying and not cancer as if cancer she should be euthanized. Good luck

I am OK with needles if there are 2 of us like today. We are going to check the fluid and see. Reading on internal laying that looks like it can't be fixed either. She is still eating and drinking and clucking. If the tylan does nothing should we put her down next weekend or let her get skinny and worry then? She still eats some and has meat on her bones. By she is loosing weight.


Do just assume if it is cancer she is n a lot f pan and needs help passing? I put a young docile silkie pullet who can see in with her for company. LSO is turning into my nurse chicken!