Early Lockdown with Varying Air Cells

[Waterfaery]

Thanks so much, that's great information.

I first saw the pip 8 hours ago now and that was first thing this morning so it could have pipped anytime over the night, which would make it anywhere between 8 hours and 20 hours ago. I will keep watching and waiting as you advise.

I can actually see the beak now. The chick seems to have cleared away the brown part but it's still behind a clear film. It's doing a combination of constantly pecking and pushing against the membrane and then resting while looking like it's panting. It is also occasionally opening and closing its beak, like it's chewing something as you described. Is the chewing thing a good sign or bad?

 

[Rose Quartz]

Thanks so much, that's great information.

I first saw the pip 8 hours ago now and that was first thing this morning so it could have pipped anytime over the night, which would make it anywhere between 8 hours and 20 hours ago. I will keep watching and waiting as you advise.

I can actually see the beak now. The chick seems to have cleared away the brown part but it's still behind a clear film. It's doing a combination of constantly pecking and pushing against the membrane and then resting while looking like it's panting. It is also occasionally opening and closing its beak, like it's chewing something as you described. Is the chewing thing a good sign or bad?

The chewing is it working on pulling the yolk into it's stomach, if it's still doing it, it's not ready to come out of the shell yet.

Malpositioned chicks that hatch on their own often have some yolk remaining on the outside because of the weird position they're in. If that happens and it's big enough to do so stick it to it's underbelly, it'll dry up and fall off eventually. You don't want it to rupture. It will also likely need more heat than the other chicks if that happens.

 

[Waterfaery]

Thank you, that is fantastic advice to have in advance for when it hatches. Hopefully the chick will make it to that point. I'm becoming very attached to this one!

 

[Waterfaery]

I couldn't sleep so I got up early to check and I have 3 more pips but they are all in the wrong place!

Number 7 has pipped on the underside of the egg, directly facing the floor. The pip is below the line I drew to mark the air cell. I can just about see the hole but I can't tell if there's a beak there or not.

Number 8 is down at the pointy end and also facing mostly underneath, a bit to the side.

Number 13 is also at the pointy end but directly on top of the egg and there is a slit in the outer membrane. That egg is wobbling very slightly.

Numbers 7 + 8 are very still and quiet. Should I flip them so the pips are facing upwards? My humidity is at 65% at the moment.

The one that pipped yesterday, number 22, has made no progress. It's still chewing and it's pulsating a lot, as if it is breathing heavily. Does that mean it's still ok for the moment?

 

[Waterfaery]

I have an update with some good news and bad news.

Good news:

• Number 22 has hatched! It's a Light Sussex. It's very lively and currently causing havoc in the incubator. It's only been an hour and it's already on its legs.
• I finally have one normal pip in the right place. It's egg 21. The shell is just cracked but there is no hole yet and now 22 has knocked it upside down. Will it be ok?

Bad news:

• I have another pip in the wrong place. Number 6 has pipped along the side of the egg. That makes 5 malpositions so far.
• Number 22 has been knocking the eggs around and none of the malpositioned ones are reacting in any way. They are completely quiet and still. Is there any hope for them?

I never had to decide about whether to upright the ones with pips underneath because 22 has done that for me. Here are some photos of the new arrival and of the malpositioned pips:

 

[Rose Quartz]

I have an update with some good news and bad news.

Good news:

• Number 22 has hatched! It's a Light Sussex. It's very lively and currently causing havoc in the incubator. It's only been an hour and it's already on its legs.
• I finally have one normal pip in the right place. It's egg 21. The shell is just cracked but there is no hole yet and now 22 has knocked it upside down. Will it be ok?

Bad news:

• I have another pip in the wrong place. Number 6 has pipped along the side of the egg. That makes 5 malpositions so far.
• Number 22 has been knocking the eggs around and none of the malpositioned ones are reacting in any way. They are completely quiet and still. Is there any hope for them?

I never had to decide about whether to upright the ones with pips underneath because 22 has done that for me. Here are some photos of the new arrival and of the malpositioned pips:

Ive had chicks hatch from all these positions before, they dont look too bad.

6, 7, and 8 might have pipped internally first. After day 18 the aircell draws down really far on one side. Usually on the side that already has a lower point but not always.

Eggs dont seem to mind getting kicked around by newly hatched chicks, but if you're worried about them being too wet then pip side up is better. The liquid can fill the breathing hole if it's facing down.

 

[Waterfaery]

Thank you, that's great to hear. Those lines were actually drawn at the end of day 17, which was the last time I candled them when I thought lockdown was supposed to start at the beginning of day 18, not the end. So that, combined with what you've said could be good news.

6 is the only one upside down now. It's been knocked around a lot and has been up and down a few times so I have got a good look at its pip. It has made the hole quite wide and I saw its beak last time it was upright. I've been keeping a close eye on it and have been tempted to open up to upright it but I'm scared of compromising the others. Maybe I should do it very quickly? It's right where I can grab it easily without fully lifting the lid.

8 has made a second pip not far from the first one. The two pips are joined by a crack and I can see a slit in the membrane and the movement of breathing.

7's membrane is starting to look very yellow. It has rocked and shaken a few times like it's trying very hard but hasn't made any progress at all. It is really starting to look a bit leathery.

There has been no more sign or sound of anything from 13 until a few minutes ago. It's just popped its beak out of the hole and back in.

I only have 2 eggs now without pips, number 12 and 20. The rest have all pipped in the right place. The chick is doing a good job of waking them all up! A couple of them have no hole, just a barely visible crack, like a circle with an asterisk in it. Is that an ok pip and can they breathe ok?

I so appreciate your support. I've been such a nervous wreck!

 

[Waterfaery]

Here is a photo of no. 7's pip and one of the ones that just looks like a crack. Should I be worried about either of those?

 

[Rose Quartz]

Even tiny cracks you can barely see are good enough pips for them.

In that last pick I cant tell if you were trying to get a picture of yellowing or just of the pip hole. It should be fine for humidity so long as it hasnt significantly dropped. That first chick didnt have a problem with the humidity.

 

[Waterfaery]

Thank you. That's a relief about the tiny cracks because I have four like that.

I was trying to show the yellowing in the picture but maybe it's hard to see. The humidity has been up to 80% for a short time after chicks hatched and it went down to about 55% twice when I opened it. I was very quick and it only took 15 second or so to get back up. I have it set to 65%.

I opened it to take out shells to help relieve some of the obstacles and reduce the bumping and I opened another it time to upright number 6. Its pip hole has gone very dark but I'm remembering what you said yesterday about the blood vessels so I'm trying not to panic about that.

Number 23 has hatched and it's an Australorp. It pipped about 5 hours ago and hatched about an hour ago. I'm so glad I got at least one of each breed!