DAY 14. How are my air sacks?

[WVduckchick]

Wow!! Great save!!

 

[TxChick77]

Wow!! Great save!!

She would have shrink wrapped, right?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Whay Amy said. The bielefelders are auto-sexed at hatch. The roos have white on their head while the pullets are chipmunk striped. Super easy and WOW is the roo gorgeous! I'm trying to get a good photo.
4 hatched with the last bielefelder pipped about 1am.
Had a little bit of a freak out moment last night and had to assist the sussex out. The bator had been LOUD for the longest time. When they settled down, my pounding head was grateful. I was planning to leave the 2 in the bator for the night.
I had checked on everyone one last time about 11. I could hear the 2 newly hatches thumping around and loud peeping. By 11:30 things were starting to slowly get quite. Notad much tthumping. Midnight I was going to go climb in bed and something told me to go peak one more time and thank gosh I did.
I first noticed the LG temp was 105 and I said to myself, yeah right. Looked at the other reptile probed digital and it was 106.9 . Panic mode set in. Saw that the acurite was also spiked at 105 and without thinking, I took the top off to get the chicks out. They were what I'm guessing, panting....laying almost still with their beaks open.
I grabbed them and took off to the kitchen. Still don't know what for...lol
I sat down with them and began giving sugar water. Slowly they started peeping. I then realized I took the top off the bator. With a pipped chick. AND didn't put it back on. At lesst 30 mins had gone by. By then my mind switch to listen for peeps from the other room while I'm trying to find a safe spot for the others (brooder was too hot and I want them to cool down a bit).

I grabbed the barely peeping egg, closed the bator and head to the bathroom. Turned the hot shower on and starred at my little sussex not sure what I should do. She had made the hole big enough that I could see the inner membrane. It didnt look right...but I dont know what normal is. I grabbed the tweezers and tapped the inner membrane and it was HARD. Ackkkk.
Every time she would peep, I could see her movements were not as freely. I freaked.
The tweezers and I dug in. The steam started helping and before I knew it, nugget #4 was in my hands. Will never forget thst feeling in my fingers or when that little head turned and we made eye contact.
I cleaned her off as best I could and took her (I'm guessing...hoping..especially after all of THAT) back to the bator. I checked on her several times during the night and this morning all 4 were united in the brooder.

No clue why the bator spiked like thst other than the 2 roudy chicks flopping around. When I put the sussex back in, the temps & humidity was dead on. Spot checked the other eggs. Nothing new. Could still hear one chirping back.
Then I heard it. A pip. The last bielefelder.
So now I don't know what to expect with the other 23 eggs. Its day 23. Obviously my temps had to have been off for such a delayed hatch. I'm hoping once this one starts zipping the others will want to play. Time and more gray hairs will tell.

Holy excitement!! lol And you did an awesome job. Pat yourself on the back! If you wet the membranes down (wth warm water) when that happens (They dry out and become glued.) It will loosen them up as well so you can pull it back better with the tweezers. What time do the boys get back?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

She would have shrink wrapped, right?

Well, my personal opinion is not as many as they say shrink wrap from opening the bator, (unless it was a very long exposure to the outside air). I personally think the majority of these chicks that are effected by drying membranes are what they called "glued chicks". The air or long exposure to the air (sometimes even in an unopenend bator) can dry the exposed membranes and as they dry (in the exposed area) they become sticky and as it dries further it becomes hard like glue. When that happens the chick is unable to turn or move to finish the job and if not helped eventually becomes weak and dies in the shell. I believe this is the greater cause of what happens and not a true shrinkwrapping. I just do not believe that shrinkwrapping happens in moments and is a longer more rare effect. One day I will prove it.

 

[TxChick77]

Holy excitement!! lol And you did an awesome job. Pat yourself on the back!  If you wet the membranes down (wth warm water) when that happens (They dry out and become glued.) It will loosen them up as well so you can pull it back better with the tweezers. What time do the boys get back?

It was scary, I tell you. But oh my. When that little nugget kicked his way into my fingers, it was like when I helped deliver my granddaughter. That new life in your hands. Will never forget it.

I was warming up the water in the sink when i realized how effective the steam was, but little nugget moved quicker than my water heater could work...lol

I was so upset with myself for being so careless. If she would've made it, I would have been so devastated. She's doing good this morning. A little crusty, but wobbling around.
None of them seem interested in the water. Ive repeatedly shown them the nipples but they're still a little shakey. I put my little blue cochin, Anesthia in their broder hoping they'll follow her lead soon. It's so sweet to watch. All they want to do is snuggle her, but there isn't enough of her...lol She's only a week old.

Loading pics now ;p

 

[AmyLynn2374]

It was scary, I tell you. But oh my. When that little nugget kicked his way into my fingers, it was like when I helped deliver my granddaughter. That new life in your hands. Will never forget it.

I was warming up the water in the sink when i realized how effective the steam was, but little nugget moved quicker than my water heater could work...lol

I was so upset with myself for being so careless. If she would've made it, I would have been so devastated. She's doing good this morning. A little crusty, but wobbling around.
None of them seem interested in the water. Ive repeatedly shown them the nipples but they're still a little shakey. I put my little blue cochin, Anesthia in their broder hoping they'll follow her lead soon. It's so sweet to watch. All they want to do is snuggle her, but there isn't enough of her...lol She's only a week old.

Loading pics now ;p

That's too cute. I have never tried the water bottles with the nipples, but I have heard that sometimes it takes them longer to learn with those.

 

[TxChick77]

My little crusty sussex. Her pink legs and beak melt me.

Hey sis! Don't just stare at those feet. You use them like this!

My first born, Phoebe (bielefelder #1 pullet)

Look at that sweet sleeping nugget (RIR) and Phoebe's eye liner.

 

[TxChick77]

Now look at this bielefelder roo. We will rehome him at some point, but i would really like to see how he turns out. His colors are amazing. Blue mixed with gray, yellow and touch of light brown. I'm going to get my big Nikon out to capture his true colors.

I'm naming him Ross

OMG..fuzzy butt

 

[TxChick77]

That's too cute. I have never tried the water bottles with the nipples, but I have heard that sometimes it takes them longer to learn with those.

My shipped chicks caught on immediately. Showed 1 right out of the box and...well monkey see monkey do. I love them and plan to add them to the coop with a self watering system.

btw...the boys get home at 8. Hoping this bielefelder will hold out until then. I'm not interacting much with it. The occasionally tap for some peeps in response but I don't want to encourage her yet.

 

[WVduckchick]

Adorable pics! Very happy for you! And I hope that last one holds out for your boys. Too bad they missed the one hatching in your hand. I bet that was something!!