Diary & Notes ~ Air Cell Detatched SHIPPED Chicken Eggs for incubation and hatching

[Sally Sunshine]

And give him more antibiotics

 

[foxvalleyfarm]

His eyes are open brighter I think, I may be seeing things, I thought he was a gonner not too long ago!  I am gonna see if he will swollow some grow gel, he didnt have any since supper because he seemed out of it. 

Go baby duck go!

 

[casportpony]

UPDATE on little booger duck

he is moving around in the bator somehow lol
I look in he is at one spot and then I watch him and he doesnt move and then I get tired of standing and when I go check he is elsewhere!

So IDK

but look at the am pic and the just now pics
WED MORNING



WED NIGHT

Wow, that looks way better than I thought it would! And he looks quite perky.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Quote: His eyes are open brighter I think, I may be seeing things, I thought he was a gonner not too long ago! I am gonna see if he will swollow some grow gel, he didnt have any since supper because he seemed out of it.
FYI, the ducklings that I lost due to the umbilicus infection were also severely dehydrated even though they were only 4 days old and because of that, had visceral gout. If the infection hadn't killed them, the gout/renal failure would have. Not saying you should do anything differently, 'cause you're obviously doing something right, just sharing what I learned.

Glad to see him hanging in there!

-Kathy

Note: Muscovy ducklings are especially susceptible to dehydration and hypoglycemia.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote: His eyes are open brighter I think, I may be seeing things, I thought he was a gonner not too long ago! I am gonna see if he will swollow some grow gel, he didnt have any since supper because he seemed out of it.
FYI, the ducklings that I lost due to the umbilicus infection were also severely dehydrated even though they were only 4 days old and because of that, had visceral gout. If the infection hadn't killed them, the gout/renal failure would have. Not saying you should do anything differently, 'cause you're obviously doing something right, just sharing what I learned.

Glad to see him hanging in there!

-Kathy

Note: Muscovy ducklings are especially susceptible to dehydration and hypoglycemia.
Thanks, I will assume thats for any breed duck? this guy is a silky duck, I am trying every 15-30 minutes, I dont want to aspirate it. I put some grow gel in his mouth and offer water in a cup not sure if he drinks it or not, but he shakes his head and opens and closes his mouth.

 

[casportpony]

I have two internally pipped chicks. One I can see dancing around in there like a little fraggle/muppet. The other one looks just like a moving shadow, very thin like 1/4 inch thick if that, and I can't see the point lyrics beak at all. Could he be shrink wrapped? I know he's internally pipped, I hear his tiny very quiet peeps. Could he be malpositioned? I'd really like it to not die, I only got 4 to develop out of 28!

I'm in no position to offer any advice, but will tell you what's been working for me lately... Once internally pipped I wait 24 hours for an external pip, then make small hole and verify nostril are free. If no progress after 24 hours I will very slowly start peeling away the shell while trying to keep the membrane intact. If blood, stop, wait a few hours and then proceed.

Another thing I've seen twice... peeping, but *not* internally pipped! Not even sure how that's possible, but I have seen it twice. In those cases I will pip for them, then wait 24 hours to do more.

Like many others, I too have helped too soon and killed some, but I have also killed some by not helping, so I think it's a very personal decision and remember, you're there, we aren't, so do what you gut tells you.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Quote: His eyes are open brighter I think, I may be seeing things, I thought he was a gonner not too long ago! I am gonna see if he will swollow some grow gel, he didnt have any since supper because he seemed out of it.
FYI, the ducklings that I lost due to the umbilicus infection were also severely dehydrated even though they were only 4 days old and because of that, had visceral gout. If the infection hadn't killed them, the gout/renal failure would have. Not saying you should do anything differently, 'cause you're obviously doing something right, just sharing what I learned.

Glad to see him hanging in there!

-Kathy

Note: Muscovy ducklings are especially susceptible to dehydration and hypoglycemia.
Thanks, I will assume thats for any breed duck? this guy is a silky duck, I am trying every 15-30 minutes, I dont want to aspirate it. I put some grow gel in his mouth and offer water in a cup not sure if he drinks it or not, but he shakes his head and opens and closes his mouth.
Aspiration is always my biggest fear and for some reason ducklings are very hard to tube, maybe due to the shape and location of their crop? Done lots of reading lately and I was shocked to read that dehydration can occur during incubation, that was an eye opener for me.

-Kathy

 

[foxvalleyfarm]

Is it just me or does the one on the right look like it has 2 face silhouettes on it. A man and a woman looking at each other talking.

(Yes I'm going crazy over here...)

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote: LOL I SEE IT now that you pointed it out!

 

[mklorber]

I'm not sure if there is any piping yet. This has all been very hands off for me since the teacher is running the hatch. I don't have access to the incubator except for in the mornings and few days a week.

I have read through the hatching 101 once but I know I missed some things. I get double vision this time of night and that is a looooong document. Thanks for putting it together for all of us newcomers. There are a lot of things I could have done differently...like getting an independent thermometer. I just started questioning the whole 21 day thing this afternoon because the breeder mentioned that they would hatch tomorrow. Do those of you who hatch their own eggs find that certain breeds hatch earlier or later with all else being equal?

Any recommendations for a light to candle the eggs? Do most of you buy the commercially available ones or make your own?

I have the coop ready...the brooder ready...but seems I was under-prepared for the incubation end.

Hopefully I get a few. Just to make sure I'm on the same page, it is okay to pull the plug at day 25/26 if nothing happens. I'll pick up some fresh chicks from the neighbor if this is all a bust. I figure that I can slip them in the brooder on Sunday and "surprise" the kids on Monday. They are 3 and 4 year olds. They should be distracted enough not to ask too many questions.