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

[familypendragon]

That is weird. And there's so many of them! Here's what I got on causes of malpositions, you'll have to see what you think could be to blame here. I'll keep it short, since you are an experienced hatcher and knows what I'm talking about:

1. Eggs set small end up or in horizontal position.
2. Inadequate or improper turning.
3. High or low incubator temperature.
4. High humidity (also causes big chicks?).
5. Old breeder flock.
6. Round shaped or very big eggs.
7. Nutritional deficiencies, especially Vit A and B12.
8. Eggs handled or stored incorrectly.
9. Retarded development.

Good luck with them and big  !

Yeah, the only one I can figure might be it is low incubator temp :/ Incukits due tomorrow!

And my replacement Quechua and Colloncas eggs came today. I specifically called and left a message yesterday to HOLD them for me to pick up at the post office but I got home today and there they were sitting out in the 100 degree sun They said that since they didn't have the Live Animal sticker and no phone number or a note to hold for pickup that they just delivered them like regular mail - even though it did say "HATCHING EGGS - THIS END UP" all over it and even had photos of chicks and eggs taped on the box on several places.... ugh! He generously included 8 extra eggs for 20 total. 2 are cracked, 7 have rolling air cells and the others have no air cells I can detect but some do have floating dark spots inside or yolks that look plastered to one side of the egg. In a couple I can't be sure I even see a yolk. Do you think that these started incubating on the trip here? If they did should I still wait a day before getting them in the incubator? Or will I kill whatever started to grow by cooling them like that? I'd rather wait till tomorrow when I get the incukits in and the hatcher is free to convert it. But if they need to keep warm I can figure something out.

 

[familypendragon]

So the last chick that needed assist was the one that pipped out the side, had the blood etc. I believe it also ruptured its yolk sack - maybe?? When the blood vessels receded I cleared a little of the membrane and when I did I realized there was an extra membrane. It was thick, yellowish, and stretchy. No wonder it had such a hard time! I had to work and work with tweezers to finally rip it to free around the beak a little more. When I realized it might somehow be the actual yolk dried onto him I set him back in the bator and was trying to look up info. But then I had to get the boys to bed and when I came back out the chick had pushed out. There was a drop or two of yellow clear liquid that came out of the shell and his naval was protruding some. He looked like he might still have been attached to part of the shell or something so I set him back on it in a cup in the bator to be sure he had enough time for the naval to heal if its going to.

Am I on the right track? I can take a picture in a minute and see what you all think. It doesn't seem weak at least, and not overly stressed.

 

[familypendragon]

Never mind, I think its fine now. Her belly does look smaller than any other chicks though so I don't think she got her full amount of yolk. I may see abut offering some yolk mixed with warm water in a dropper....

 

[chicksooner]

Never mind, I think its fine now. Her belly does look smaller than any other chicks though so I don't think she got her full amount of yolk. I may see abut offering some yolk mixed with warm water in a dropper....

If it is active and moving around it is probably fine. Make sure you are giving these hard hatchers some electrolytes like Save A Chick. Energy and vitamins. If not very active you can try the egg yolk. Good luck!

 

[chicksooner]

My little dog who has never been a problem caught himself a little chick last night. I don't know where it was that he got it or where the momma hen was. She tore up my big dog the other day that just happened to walk by her and the chicks so I would have expected her to eat the little dog for dinner. I have gotten complacent with the little mutt as he is generally only interested in the chicken poop. Lesson #953 learned the hard way.

 

[rbaker0345]

Never mind, I think its fine now. Her belly does look smaller than any other chicks though so I don't think she got her full amount of yolk. I may see abut offering some yolk mixed with warm water in a dropper....

From now on keep some iodine on hand for hatches. When I have one with a ruptured yolk sac I take the whole sac and umbillicus and dip it in a strong solution of iodine. In fact, I drip a little of the iodine on all navels after they get out of the shell.

 

[cochins1088]

I have another little survival story.

A broody silkie made a hidden nest. When I found it, I candled and there were already heart beats so I decided to let her sit. 1 day later, she cracked an egg causing the rest of the eggs to become covered in egg yolk. 2 days after that, she gave up on the nest. The eggs were cold that morning, but I left them to see if she'd come back. She didn't, so at 2 pm, I took them. I figured they were dead since it was only day 6 and they had been cold for at least 6 hours, but I threw them in the incubator anyways.

Well I just candled and every single one of these yolk covered eggs are alive.

 

[cochins1088]

My little dog who has never been a problem caught himself a little chick last night. I don't know where it was that he got it or where the momma hen was. She tore up my big dog the other day that just happened to walk by her and the chicks so I would have expected her to eat the little dog for dinner. I have gotten complacent with the little mutt as he is generally only interested in the chicken poop. Lesson #953 learned the hard way.

aww... sorry chicksooner.

 

[cochins1088]

Never mind, I think its fine now. Her belly does look smaller than any other chicks though so I don't think she got her full amount of yolk. I may see abut offering some yolk mixed with warm water in a dropper....

I agree with rbaker, put some iodine on its navel.

 

[wescottwomen]

Ok we opened the bator and out of 45 we had 30 live chicks ,there are still some eggs hatching, 2 chicks hatched but got trampled ,and two died before they could complete the hatch so I'm very happy and hopeful for the other eggs