Day 20 first pip!!! - Update - another one zipped and we have a chick!

[MountainChickenMama]

How are things going?

 

[crunchynut]

Three more eggs have little pips. The one from yesterday didn't make it.

 

[MountainChickenMama]

Quote:
so Sorry the first one didn't make it....I will keep watching for the next 3

Have you figured out why the first one didn't make it?

 

[crunchynut]

I'm not sure, but it didn't pip into the air sack and it had lots of dried goo all over its beak which was crusted on and I think preventing it from breathing. The humidity was 65% in the incubator, so maybe I'll throw in a damp cloth to get it a bit higher for the rest?

One of the new pips (the brown egg one) has pipped quite low in the shell. I won't wait as long to help it and maybe it will survive.

 

[MountainChickenMama]

Quote:
I go into lockdown on Sunday night and I am SOOOOO nervous!

 

[littlelemon]

I just had my hatch, and the first chick to pip also did not make it. It struggled for 2 days to get out of the shell. He got the bottom half of the shell off and his little legs are out, but he could not get the top half off from around his head. I have learned from experience that it is best not to intervene. I have tried to help chicks out of their shells two times in the past, but both times the chicks were lame and did not survive. Sorry your little guy did not make it.

My advice is to not open the incubator at all during the hatch- I don't even take the hatched chicks out until all the eggs are hatched. This last batch of chicks was in the bator for 48 hours without food or water before I opened it and they are all healthy and fine in the brooder now. Changes in humidity when you open the bator during hatching can cause the shell memberane to dry out and the chicks can get stuck. My best advice is to leave the incubator shut and leave the chicks alone until the hatch is over and let nature take its course.

How did the rest of your hatch go?

 

[crunchynut]

Thank you - that was my original plan, but I just felt so bad for the little one! I did it in a very steamy bathroom that was actually even more humid than the inside of the bator, so hopefully no damage.

Three others are pipping. One is really working hard and the others seem to be taking a nap.

 

[storminstaffs]

the chick that's zipped doesn't look like it's going to take much longer to fully hatch

 

[crunchynut]

It is out!

Yayy!!!

 

[storminstaffs]

I watched it come so far out but missed to coming all the way as had to pop to the shop, it's a little cutie, good luck with the others