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

[MissBroodyHen]

There was over 100 unread post this morning   I'll try and catch up, but don't mind if I don't! Update from here: had another malpositioned chick. Saddle shaped, huge air sac. The chick managed to pip internally, but couldn't proceed, so I created an artificial pip, opened the shell enough so I can see the situation and left it overnight to finish absorbing etc. Released a thoroughly ticked off chick first thing when I got up   I now have 2 chicks in the brooder, the newbie and my other "problem" chick that I nearly lost. She seems to have a problem with gunky eyes and she's still weak, so I'm keeping an eye on her for now. I moved mom and chicks to the small coop yesterday and gave her 2 more chicks this morning. All I did was open the door and put the chicks down. She growled at me and let the chicks crawl under her. No problems. Current count is 9 chicks. I still have a couple of eggs in the incubator and I discarded 7 or 8 clear ones when I removed the remainder from the broody.

I may have a couple with saddle bags in the brooder! They look really wierd. Although I have to say I am running a dry hatch at the minute. And where I have marked the line for the sac it seems to have shrunk a little which I think is good as I'm at day 7/8 now and they were huge from the start. There is 4 in total like this with live babies. But what problems will I face when hatching comes about? I didn't think it would be a problem. But the sacs wobble a lot but are attached. Which actually they had reattached by there selfs! Any ideas?

 

[sumi]

I may have a couple with saddle bags in the brooder! They look really wierd. Although I have to say I am running a dry hatch at the minute. And where I have marked the line for the sac it seems to have shrunk a little which I think is good as I'm at day 7/8 now and they were huge from the start. There is 4 in total like this with live babies. But what problems will I face when hatching comes about? I didn't think it would be a problem. But the sacs wobble a lot but are attached. Which actually they had reattached by there selfs! Any ideas?

Are you doing a dry hatch and you've got huge air sacs already? I think you should up the humidity to around 50-55% then to cut back on the moisture loss and keep them upright. I had a big air sac on this chick I helped yesterday and it was really odd shaped. I candled and marked where I saw the beak and made the pip hole closer to the fat end, but little one shifted herself a bit, spreading the clear space around the side of the egg, which did help me find her beak!

I think when your chicks pip internally make a note of the time, candle and mark where they pipped and listen to the eggs. Hold them against your ear and listen to the chick pipping. You should be able to hear from it's taps if it's pipping strong enough to break the shell or just tapping it, like mine did. If they pip sideways like my last 2 did you may need to create an artificial pip for it.

I've decided with all these problems hatches I had recently that opening the egg and investigating the situation is absolutely worth it. The last 2 chicks wouldn't have been able to pip externally, they were simply not in the position to. If I feel there may be a problem I remove some of the shell, moisten the inner membrane and have a look what's going on in there. If I see veins I moisten the membrane and replace it in the incubator and check on it after a few hours (usually after 2-3 hours). You can leave the chick like that for a full day and it will be fine. Just don't remove the inner membrane except a little to help the chick breathe, but only if needed. If I see good veins in the membrane I leave the chick like that for up to 18 hours, only occasionally wetting the membrane to check on progress and to soften the egg fluids up a little.

 

[MommaBee]

You're so right. I started leaving the eggs for hours and hours, even up to 24 hours before I assist. As long as the chick can breathe it's fine. Good luck with your baby!

Sumi- Looks like everyone was up late partying on here last night. We might be the only ones talking to each other for a while!

I checked on stubborn chick this morning, looked like it had tried to rotate a bit. I went ahead and took the other chickadees out, they were getting curious about it and pecking over the lil cup I had it in. So I I zipped it a lil more this morning because the direction it had rotated to was just backwards, not in a circular direction. I can still see the tiniest and I mean TINY little blood veins, so back in the bator it went. I hated removing the other birds, I think in these cases they need a cheerleading squad in there with them... just not a pecking squad. So I am guessing if there is still tiny veins then that means the yolk has not yet been absorbed? This lil booger is really taking it's sweet time. The others all hatched 36-48 hours ago.

In other news? How is the weather in Ireland today? And is the Island of Skye really worth a visit? What a the best non-touristy spots? Haha, we are going to plan a trip soon I think.

 

[NestingHillsSC]

I'm just waiting for Thursday. Day 7 to candle my 30 eggs.

 

[Knittycat]

Two ameraucana/orpington chicks, two pips in the OE eggs (two still intact) aaaaaand...still no action in the cream legbars. I really really really hope I get at least one. I'd love for both of them to hatch though. Then again, I really wanted FOUR to hatch, but with one clear and one early quitter. :/ As for the remaining two, one developed, but it was the one with the crack in the shell (repaired with nail polish) and the other one I couldn't tell. So...


I'm going to be especially bummed if *everything* but the CLs hatch. They were not cheap eggs.

 

[blzzrdqueen]

Good morning!

 

[MommaBee]

Sorry for posting so many pictures, but I hope you enjoy them. I know Sally was asking for them.

Ummm do NOT be sorry! LOVED them! The first ones will be helpful to someone assisting and help show when a chick is actually ready to come out. And the remakes are hilarious!

 

[MommaBee]

Good morning!

GOOD MORNING!

Two ameraucana/orpington chicks, two pips in the OE eggs (two still intact) aaaaaand...still no action in the cream legbars. I really really really hope I get at least one. I'd love for both of them to hatch though. Then again, I really wanted FOUR to hatch, but with one clear and one early quitter. :/ As for the remaining two, one developed, but it was the one with the crack in the shell (repaired with nail polish) and the other one I couldn't tell. So...


I'm going to be especially bummed if *everything* but the CLs hatch. They were not cheap eggs.

Good Morning! I bet the CL's were not cheap! I would love some but could not stomach the prices I was finding. And I had a nail polish chick hatch 2 weeks ago. I hope yours does too!

 

[Knittycat]

That's why I only got four

 

[Sparkypatriot15]

Ancona DUCKS had an upgraded pond today! took them until 7 pm to not be afraid of it and head in! ummmmm but I screwed up..... they couldn't get out of it and the bottom is tapered so I cant put a block in it, so tomorrow I think I will make a hinged ramp into it that has a soda bottle with half water half air under it so it sink/floats to a good level that they can get on it to get out, just hope it don't take up too much room. ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS????

Wow! Those ducklins grew up fast!

I'm finally uploading pictures. First up is Goosey and "Aflack" Please excuse the mess in the background, the pictures were taken in the old farm house where we store stuff and brood chicks. Goosey wondering why her house house is beneath her. "Aflack" standing tall and proud. Goosey needs to realize that the whole world doesn't revolve around her, haha. If I give "Aflack" attention, she starts yelling at me. "Aflack" For some odd reason, I always feel like I'm being followed.

Awww they both look so sweet and adorable!

So I went to the old folks home thread - yes there is one - and what was the first post I read?

I thought it was poignant here

LOL