Eggs set on 2/11! Who needs a hatch buddy?

[redhen689]

Here are the first 3 chicks, They all came from the same mama:



Here's mama:

 

[ChickInNanaimo]

Well it turned out mostly ok. I have 9 healthy chicks out of the 14 I put in lockdown. Two of the 14 had died a few days before I opened them and the other three died during the hatching procedure as a result of shrink wrapping. I maintained humidity at 45% for the first 18 days and then increased it to 65% for the last three days and yet half the chicks were too dry. The six that hatched on their own did it with no trouble and no dryness. The three that I helped hatch were either glued into their shell or shrink wrapped. I am confused about how this could have occurred but I will do more research and try with higher humidity next time. Crazy experience. Thanks very much for the info on this site about how to help chicks hatch...those three little guys would have died for sure if I hadn't hatched them. As it was for the ones I helped I had 3/3 survive and do well so obviously the advice worked. As we speak all the chicks are eating and drinking well and have normal behaviour...they are friendly and curious, very cute.

 

[jphendrix]

Here are the first 3 chicks, They all came from the same mama:



Here's mama:

Yay! Congrats! They are so cute and that mama is one pretty bird!

 

[jphendrix]

Well it turned out mostly ok. I have 9 healthy chicks out of the 14 I put in lockdown. Two of the 14 had died a few days before I opened them and the other three died during the hatching procedure as a result of shrink wrapping. I maintained humidity at 45% for the first 18 days and then increased it to 65% for the last three days and yet half the chicks were too dry. The six that hatched on their own did it with no trouble and no dryness. The three that I helped hatch were either glued into their shell or shrink wrapped. I am confused about how this could have occurred but I will do more research and try with higher humidity next time. Crazy experience. Thanks very much for the info on this site about how to help chicks hatch...those three little guys would have died for sure if I hadn't hatched them. As it was for the ones I helped I had 3/3 survive and do well so obviously the advice worked. As we speak all the chicks are eating and drinking well and have normal behaviour...they are friendly and curious, very cute.

I had one that did that too. It had zipped about half way around the egg, and I didn't want to open the incubator, and couldn't tell what was going on exactly as it had rolled to where I couldn't see where is zipped. I just figured that it was taking it's time, and by the time I saw the zip again it looked really dry and I couldn't see any movement, it had died. I don't know what happened why it didn't finish hatching.
That is so awesome that you were able to help the 3. It doesn't make sense that they shrink wrapped, because your humidity sounds right about where I run mine.

 

[redhen689]

After chicks 3 had hatched successfully, I had one that pipped but didn't zip. I finally helped it and one wing was stuck to the membrane keeping it from turning in the egg. That chick is doing fine.
That left 3 eggs, One had no activity and had died in the shell, probaby on day 20 or so.
I could hear activity in the two remaining eggs, but it seemed they were unable to break through. This had gone on for many hours, actually for over a day. I was nervous I was going to lose them. I carefully broke open the shells and made sure they had their beaks free and could get air. There was a little bleeding in both cases so I let left them alone for a while. After a few hours I tried to help them some more. One of them bled just a tiny bit and has done well, the other bled more, which I had read could happen when you assist the too early, I lost that one. It was sad, but I do have 5 healthy chicks. This is one of the worst hatch rates ever for me. I think it might be because it was so cold out during the time I was collecting the eggs, and possibly the incubating temperature being a little low, I think in the past I incubated at 100, and this time it was about 99.

 

[jphendrix]

After chicks 3 had hatched successfully, I had one that pipped but didn't zip. I finally helped it and one wing was stuck to the membrane keeping it from turning in the egg. That chick is doing fine.
That left 3 eggs, One had no activity and had died in the shell, probaby on day 20 or so.
I could hear activity in the two remaining eggs, but it seemed they were unable to break through. This had gone on for many hours, actually for over a day. I was nervous I was going to lose them. I carefully broke open the shells and made sure they had their beaks free and could get air. There was a little bleeding in both cases so I let left them alone for a while. After a few hours I tried to help them some more. One of them bled just a tiny bit and has done well, the other bled more, which I had read could happen when you assist the too early, I lost that one. It was sad, but I do have 5 healthy chicks. This is one of the worst hatch rates ever for me. I think it might be because it was so cold out during the time I was collecting the eggs, and possibly the incubating temperature being a little low, I think in the past I incubated at 100, and this time it was about 99.

I am so glad you were able to save the ones you did! So sorry for the ones you lost! I know how you feel

When are you going to start another one? I started another in my new incubator on the 2nd after I put the others in lockdown, so I should have some more before the end of the month.