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

[cochins1088]

Hi cochins! how are your stinky cute duckies???

Huge, stinky, messy, and adorable. You weren't kidding! These guys are growing incredibly fast and they are extremely stinky and messy. I had no idea how bad they really were, they make the chicks look like neat freaks. I will never raise ducklings in the winter again. It's a good thing that they're cute.

Their cuteness must come as an adaptation because no one would raise them otherwise, hahaha.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

I forget it I told you all I moved stuff from my notes to malpositions to the assist article.... go figure...
I swear I jinx myself more than not... first I did the poem on melvin and he died. then fluffy died and I did the vent gleet article about her, and now malpositions??
WTHECK is going on!
scroll down past the normal assist info....

ASSISTING MALPOSITIONED CHICKS.....
CLICK here....https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching​

 

[cochins1088]

Hey Sally, when did yours start feathering? My ducklings are 2 weeks old and they're huge, but I don't see any signs of feathering yet.

 

[cochins1088]

I have two that were stuck and have crud dried all over them this am.....

we have two Ameracauna drying in the bator, a silkie and a cochin just went into lockdown with them.

in the brooder with me is grrrrr Bubba (who seems to stand a little bit closer legged this am, but I slept with him at the head of the couch and set my alarm every hour to check on him.... I figured out that when he is on his side he is sleeping!!! why? because of that stupid leg and he wont bend it right so he can lay front down like most chicks!! so he sleeps on his side like me! sooooo I will let him stick around for a while and see what happens, I am PRAYING that he starts to be able to wiggle himself upright after napping and I can get a break!


oh and there are 2 cochin in the NEW brooder box and I think 5 ameracauna? I need to count but I have new kiddo today so they will have to wait for me until later!

BAD bator experience with the amercauna!! 4 Malpositioned!! 4! out of the 10-11 in lockdown, one pipped wrong end and I assisted she is drying in the bator. the other three never pipped. I took my own advice too late AGAIN! but it wasnt just one or two it was 4 that were straggling so I just figured they were in a cooler spot in the bator!

I need to read again why so many were like this.... I would bet its from the not turning the first few days! but I will go check now.

I've had 2 hatches that had high numbers of malpositioned chicks. 90% of them tried hatching at the small end, it drove me nuts. One of the hatches was shipped and left unturned for the first few days, but the other hatch was local eggs that were turned everyday from the start. I have no idea what causes it, but if you find out anything, please share.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Malposition 2 – Head in small end of egg

Easily identified because the hocks, yolk sac and/or navel of the 18-day+ embryo are immediately visible on opening the shell over the air cell (Figure 19). This position is commonly seen in eggs that have been incubated upside down and is also more prevalent in eggs that have been incubated horizontally compared to eggs incubated with their large ends uppermost. The position can occur in eggs that have been incubated the right way up (especially those eggs with a rounder shape), eggs which have been exposed to high temperatures in the setters or when the angle of turning is too small. The frequency of this malposition is heavily influenced by the percentage of eggs that are set upside down. Ideally, the frequency of this malposition should be less than 10 per cent of total malpositioned embryos.

Eggs that have been set upside down can be reinverted up to day eight of incubation without ill effect. Inverting eggs after this time risks breaking the blood vessels in the chorioallantois which is beginning to attach itself to the shell membranes from day nine onwards. Embryos that are upside down on day 20 of incubation hatch at about 80 per cent of the normal rate.
- See more at: http://www.thepoultrysite.com/artic...amining-the-hatch-debris#sthash.82xJpG77.dpuf


Everyone of them was this position! I left them in the carton until day 10 when I knew the air cells were ok and then I laid them down to turn.

I am not sure this fits my situation.... all of the malpositioned were saddle shaped air cells, I bet they couldnt get into a position for hatching, but I thought they actually grow in a certain position.... I am so confused and cant think right now.... this is what I have found "in general" but the actual position matches breakdown analysis from above!

Common reasons of Malpositions are:
Eggs are set with small end up.
Advancing breeder hen age and shell quality problems.
Egg turning frequency and angle are not adequate.
Inadequate % humidity loss of eggs in the setter.
Inadequate air cell development, improper temperature and humidity regulation, and insufficient ventilation in the incubator or hatcher.
Imbalanced feeds, elevated levels of mycotoxins, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
Lower than recommended temperatures in the last stage of incubation.

Normal hatching position and the six recognised malpositions Images:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/1608/investigating-hatchery-practice-examining-the-hatch-debris

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Hey Sally, when did yours start feathering? My ducklings are 2 weeks old and they're huge, but I don't see any signs of feathering yet.

about a month old and then it took a week! lol

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote: I told you!! EVERYONE was telling me too!! LOL I still have them in the house! well garage! I need a dog house and then they can go out!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote: I shared!! lol overload as usual!!

 

[cochins1088]

Common reasons of Malpositions are:
Eggs are set with small end up.
Advancing breeder hen age and shell quality problems.
Egg turning frequency and angle are not adequate.
Inadequate % humidity loss of eggs in the setter.
Inadequate air cell development, improper temperature and humidity regulation, and insufficient ventilation in the incubator or hatcher.
Imbalanced feeds, elevated levels of mycotoxins, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
Lower than recommended temperatures in the last stage of incubation.





I don't think any of these were the problem.. Eggs were large end up, from young healthy breeders, turned 3 times a day more than a 45 degree angle, air cells were nicely developed, ventilation and temperature should have been good. I guess I don't know about the imbalenced feed though. It was strange, I've hatched many times, but those 2 hatches really through me off guard.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Lookey what came today!! ​

Harmony and I will candle tonight at dark! ​

Blue and splash!​

​

I WON these in the NYD Hatchalong!! Thank YOU!​

SunnySideUp Micro Farm's

"Holiday Poultry" Photo Contest
​

FINAL COUNT ~ 4 splash, 1 black, 1 blue Amercauna & 1 Infertile, 4 malposition
(1 splash saved after pipping wrong end, others died in shell because they couldnt pip through wrong eng, she is drying off below)



and 2 black cochin in this brooder with some of them....


uPDATE ON BUBBA black cochin.... STARTING TO WALK BETTER, only found twice on his side today, but its been a loooooong night again!