December Hatch-A-Long 2014

[frillydishes]

I can't quite make out from this photo exactly what I'm seeing, looks like yolk possibly not absorbed yet?

The yoke isn't quite absorbed and there's a bit of flesh still out there and it almost looks like the waste sack has absorbed a bit and not allowed the yoke to get in there, if that makes any sense at all. I've had chicks that hadn't absorbed their yoke all the way but this is new to me. He's acting a lot sower than the others and his breathing pattern is a lot slower so I know his body is stressed. He's about 3 hours out of the shell and he is showing some signs of strengthening up, he's standing for a sec in between rolling into ALL the other eggs and napping.

He still hasn't sucked up his behind though and his breathing is worrisome.

 

[PD-Riverman]

At what point humidity wise do you add water during lockdown? I'm at 68-74% now it fluctuates when the fan kicks on, just wondering how low to go before I add more?

@PD-Riverman

In the cabinet hatcher I do not have to add water during lock-down. In the newer styrofoam ones that has the bigger water tray I just keep water in the trays during lock-down----the older ones that I have a sponge laying on the top---I keep the water in the trays and keep the sponge moist. I mentioned somewhere recently that for years I did not check the humidity but once I got a meter to check it with---I checked it during a few hatches and now most of the time I do not have the meter in the incubator----I just do it the same way I always have. For hatching I like to be around 70% but if I was 60 or 80% for a while I would not be bothered by that----BUT If it stayed 80% or 60% through the entire lock-down I would make a adjustment for the """next""" hatch to try and get it to stay closer to the 70%. I feel Some on here worry Way to Much about the humidity being exactually right and do things that Might hurt the hatch trying to correct it. I have had good hatches at 45% and at 95%----70% is Just ""My"" Ideal Spot for hatching. Good Luck

Another thing---all the stryofoam bators I mainly use----the fan is modified to stay on 24-7---I just rather have it that way----But AGAIN---I would NOT try to change this during lock-down----I Do Not open the Incubator during Lock-down For Nothing. The only thing I can think of that would cause me to open the incubator during lock-down is if the heating element, etc burnt out---I would quickly snatch the top off and replace with another top I have as a back-up.

 

[only1bgirl]

The yoke isn't quite absorbed and there's a bit of flesh still out there and it almost looks like the waste sack has absorbed a bit and not allowed the yoke to get in there, if that makes any sense at all.  I've had chicks that hadn't absorbed their yoke all the way but this is new to me.  He's acting a lot sower than the others and his breathing pattern is a lot slower so I know his body is stressed.  He's about 3 hours out of the shell and he is showing some signs of strengthening up, he's standing for a sec in between rolling into ALL the other eggs and napping. He still hasn't sucked up his behind though and his breathing is worrisome.

Oh no Frilly, I really hope he absorbs it, I really don't think anything could be done to help him besides just keeping him in lockdown now and waiting. He might absorb more or his belly could also seal itself and that yolk would dry up. Here's hoping!

 

[only1bgirl]

Thank you so much for taking the time to explain this to me, I really appreciate it! I'm just going to leave it unless I start seeing anything below 60's I can add water with a straw.


@PD-Riverman

 

[frillydishes]

Oh no Frilly, I really hope he absorbs it, I really don't think anything could be done to help him besides just keeping him in lockdown now and waiting.

I know, I'm crossing my fingers for him...it's been my most difficult hatch so far. It's the first time I've had eggs that didn't come out of my yard and I may have gone too big too quick. I put 80 into lock down and I've got 49 hatching on the 6th all from a free range chicken farm but I worry, or am almost certain, the vast majority came from inferior stock simply bred for meat regardless of quality of the bird. Usually I'm absolutely elated come hatch day and this day started out that way and quickly turned and now I'm a bit sad. I have a feeling I've brought all these eggs this far and I'm still going to lose quite a few. I've never lost a chick after lockdown but this hatch is so different it's hard not to smell it in the air. Chin up though right?! It's still a fascinating process and the peeping of a few fluffy butts will turn this frown upside down for sure!

 

[The Colonel]

Hoping everything goes ok for you frilly. I've also never had that happen, so I can't be of much help. Congratulations to all the early birds, I also have two that hatched early here so far. And it's only day 19! Looking like action in a couple more at the moment, but as they are in egg cartons it limits their mobility, I won't really know until they pip. But I can see them rock slightly now and then.

 

[only1bgirl]

So sorry Frilly, stressful hatches are not fun at all, I've had some bad ones here. I get crazy and order shipped eggs because there are not many around here with Silkies. This batch that's going now in lockdown had a rough 3000 mile journey. I'm hearing peeps and little pecks at the eggs so here's hoping some make it. I really hope the rest of your hatch goes smoothly and things work out with the chick. You are so right about the conditions of the hens to. I have a feeling I might be awake tonight so I'll check back in.

 

[frillydishes]

Thanks guys! I hope yours go smooth as well! I'm off to nap a couple hours till the sponges need topping off!

 

[ochochicas]

Frilly - If I were you I'd just let him sit in the incubator undisturbed to see if the rest of they yolk will absorb. I left one in the incubator for about 36 hours and he eventually ended up being OK. He was weaker than the rest so I had to keep him separate for a few days.

Only1bgirl - if you have to add water to the incubator, do it as quickly as you can and make sure it is WARM. If you are worried about the humidity dropping when you open the incubator, you can spray the sides with very warm water and it will bring the humidity up immediately. If you have to open the incubator during hatch it is not the end of the world. I opened mind during hatch to get chicks out since they were knocking eggs all over the place. No one shrink wrapped and everyone hatched. Do what you feel is best for your chicks.

 

[frillydishes]

Something else I've never seen before! This poor guy has a seriously crooked neck but other than being the most talkative and looking exhausted he doesn't really seem half bad.
I didn't plan on opening up the boxes but I couldn't sleep, had to check them, came in and found in 2 of the boxes they had managed to get the sponge out of my Tupperware dish and chicks were in the water...one of them upside down, but was fine, there wasn't much in there. So I went ahead and got all but 2 that hadn't soaked up their yoke all the way. The one from before actually made some decent headway soaking up his rear end and he's in the box under the light now and seems to be okay! 13 out so far..still got a LONG way to go!