Christmas Day Egg

[1 Critter Camp]

I purchased a pair of white silkies on Dec. 21st. The young girl who sold them to me had discarded 4 eggs out on a picnic table and the hen had two more on a the wooden floor. I placed all 6 eggs in an incubator and did not expect hatching. Then on Dec. 24 and 25th, I find an egg each day!

I placed them in the incubator also. (I know I am messing with hatching dates but I hated to leave them.) On the 24th and 25th, it dropped into the 20's that night.

I left on vacation and returned on Jan. 2nd. I have 4 embryos from the girls discarded bunch that are thriving and the one on the 25th actually lived! Its name is Chris Kringle! I am very excited!

My challenge now is to hatch the first 4 and not mess up Mr. Kringle!! They are 4 days apart in hatching!

I have been working on a mini-petting area I think I have named "CAMP CRITTER". I have two pygmy goats, a pot belly pig, two black polish chickens, two white silkies, two sizzles, a splash silkie, and two fantail pigeons which I just bought yesterday.



Pictured is PETA the pot belly pig's home... I'll work on getting picture of the pigeon roost.

 

[ChucktheChick]

Wow! I loooove your "petting zoo" idea! How cute! And if the babies make it out okay, we wanna see!

 

[1 Critter Camp]

I sure will thanks!

Day 21 is this Saturday, Jan. 11th.

 

[1 Critter Camp]

Finally Day 21!!!
One egg is pipping! I'll post pics as soon as they hatch.
Kringle, the Christmas egg, is still developing. I candled it two days ago. Lock down for it is Tuesday.

 

[1 Critter Camp]

Results terrible! Day 21... The one that pipped died! It looked shrinked wrapped; I had my humidity high because of this problem before. I had it around 75%. I waited until day 22 and candled... saw movement in two, one obviously dead. I heard one of the two living chirping. I had to make a call so I opened the air sack and exposed their heads. I wrapped the egg in wet paper towels.
I wish I could say they made it. Kringle, the egg from Dec. 25th, is still moving! But I think my hygrometer is not working! It says 50% and there is NO way; it has been measuring 70's up until today! I'm going to buy two thermometers and two hygrometers tomorrow. I am beginning to think that my trouble is due to inaccurate readings of humidity. This will be the last time I only have one instrument for reading temp. and humidity!
I know the eggs were discarded and going to not develop anyway but when you get all the way to day 21 and they die, it is sooo upsetting!!!!
I hope that I can post a picture of Kringle... Day 21 is Thursday.

 

[1 Critter Camp]

Oh, also I wanted to say that the one that died and the two that I opened, there is a think skin-like membrane that was tight around the chick, like panty hose! Is that what is called "shrink wrapped" due to low humidity! I have read and read about it and looked at pictures!

 

[1 Critter Camp]

Kringle is still making it! Shrink wrap vs. too sticky? I have looked at dead chicks in egg and I can't tell the difference even after reading information about the difference. Kringle is still going stronge. Today was lock down. I bought two thermometers and hygrometer, one digital. I have one saying 99 and one saying 102 degrees. After reading more about shrink wrap vs. wet chick due to high humidity, I have lowered the humidity to 70%. The digital says 52% but the glass says 70% along with the incubator reference hygrometer.
I found this egg, Kringle, laying on the ground Christmas morning when the temp was about 25 degrees. I so much want it too hatch.
The last 4 that were discarded as mentioned in the previous post were discarded to not be hatched. So I tried anyway. Two died in egg and one two died when I tried to assist.
If I can not improve my too wet too dry, I plan on investing in a better incubator! I have no fan.

 

[1 Critter Camp]

Chick did not hatch!! When I opened the egg, there was still a nickle size yolk attached. I've decided to buy a fan for my incubator and use two thermometers and hygrometers instead of only one.
If my hens lay any eggs this winter, I'll try again.