OK - weird and disturbing hatch day today.
I had a Silkie pip a day later than all the others and then it took a looong time getting out of its shell and it seems to have not absorbed the yolk and it is really small and looks sorta deformed. It seems to be in the process of dying slowly...
I also had a Welsummer pip and hatch today [on its "due date" - 2 others hatched a day early yesterday and are vigorous and healthy]. This one also seems to have "something" hanging from its stomach - a reddish glob about the size of a pencil eraser - and it is energetic but the other chicks are picking on it - it is only about 6 hours old and already they picked a bloody spot on its bum. They are in a big box, not overcrowded. I put him in a clear plastic storage container inside the brooder with food and water to see if he makes it and to keep them from murdering him... but...
Am I doing something wrong with incubation to cause this weird freaky stuff? I had 12 chicks hatch so far and 2 of them "ain't right". I have not had this happen with other hatches before... I turned the eggs at least 3 times a day and have my still air incubator set on 101.5, per the recommendation.
Is this just normal stuff that happens sometimes with incubating chicks or am I messing them up somehow? These two chicks were from two different eBay sellers so it wasn't like they came from "Freak Farm" or anything...
Kelly
I had a Silkie pip a day later than all the others and then it took a looong time getting out of its shell and it seems to have not absorbed the yolk and it is really small and looks sorta deformed. It seems to be in the process of dying slowly...
I also had a Welsummer pip and hatch today [on its "due date" - 2 others hatched a day early yesterday and are vigorous and healthy]. This one also seems to have "something" hanging from its stomach - a reddish glob about the size of a pencil eraser - and it is energetic but the other chicks are picking on it - it is only about 6 hours old and already they picked a bloody spot on its bum. They are in a big box, not overcrowded. I put him in a clear plastic storage container inside the brooder with food and water to see if he makes it and to keep them from murdering him... but...
Am I doing something wrong with incubation to cause this weird freaky stuff? I had 12 chicks hatch so far and 2 of them "ain't right". I have not had this happen with other hatches before... I turned the eggs at least 3 times a day and have my still air incubator set on 101.5, per the recommendation.
Is this just normal stuff that happens sometimes with incubating chicks or am I messing them up somehow? These two chicks were from two different eBay sellers so it wasn't like they came from "Freak Farm" or anything...
Kelly
