FEB HATCH-ALONG THREAD ...COME JOIN US.... EVERYONE!

[PugBug]

I am ashamed to admit how long I have just sat and watched them today. they are on my night table so I just rest my head on the incubator and watch through the window! LOL!!!

I have a dining chair next to the bator, just sit & watch for hours

 

[PugBug]

we got the stuff to seal the roof on the pen, but it's pouring down so we had to just put a tarp over the whole thing for now- this rain really needs to give us a break!

 

[Debs55]

PROBLEM!!
So I just went out to check for chicks since hatch day for my broody is tomorrow. I notice she sitting kind of strange so I thought maybe she had a chick under her...NO! She has two extra eggs that shouldn't be there! The silkies she's in a pen in weret laying yet so I hadn't been really looking for that.
So what do I do?
I figure I have. Few options...
A- take the silkie eggs now and throw them out
B-try to get a friend of my moms to put them in his incubator (unlikely)
C-try to build an incubator ASAP
Or
D- leave them and see what happens

The extra eggs were not there when I candled 6 days ago and I'm not sure when they got there after that. I'm goin to candle them tonight and maybe that will help with the decision...if they are clear obviously they will be thrown out

 

[hokankai]

Hmm, it depends on how badly you want them. If it were me I would see how far along they are and if they are 3 days or less I'd toss them since leaving them could mean mama hen won't leave the nest to teach her new chicks how to eat. I also wouldn't bend over backwards for them, building a new incubator or instance, because I can always hatch more chicks later. But that's just me!

If you really want them and you're willing to spend the money to build a new bator, then by all means go for it.

 

[Debs55]

I don't really want them but I thought it would be cruel to toss them if they are several days old. So what should be my cut off? If I see veins when I candle should I still toss them?

 

[hokankai]

That's a personal decision. I don't see it as cruel personally, so I would toss them regardless because I don't have a backup incubator and I don't want to spend a whole lot of money for a few eggs that might not make it. *shrug*

If it bothers you and you don't want them, don't candle and just leave them outside. They will cool and stop developing, and you can put them in the garbage or compost.

 

[Maah]

You will get a kink in your neck. Oh, and you will get a back ache. Oh, but it's so worth it! Ha...

Spot on!! I just spent the weeked watching chicks hatch. First thing this morning I made a chiropractor appointment. I just got back! Wow, I needed that - no joke.

I'm waiting to see pics of the baby that comes out of that mammoth egg LOL

ME TOO!!! Lets see that monster chickie. Maybe it will hatch this little tiny peanut and when you look in the shell there will be a sofa & tv on the side. To be honest, I want to see lots of pictures, of all the chicks, mammoth and tiny, in all their various stages of incubation, hatching, drying, and puffiness. LOL.

Pug... Was that one of the ebay coops? Hope you didn't leave your feedback yet. If so... post an addition that it's shabby!

 

[Maah]

My 3 silkie chicks!!!



They are perfect, healthy little babies!!!

The other 2 eggs did not hatch. I candled them again this morning and then did an eggtopsy. That "sludge goo whatever" stuff (they both had it) was pretty sticky yuck stuff. The chicks were glued to the shell. No idea what caused that but I have a few ideas. The eggs had been stored for quite a while, they were old, (all at least 1 week, & up to 3 weeks old before incubating), and I didn't turn the eggs as often as I should have while I was storing them prior to incubating. Don't know if that is the cause, but it sounds likely to me. If you know why eggs get sludge/glue, let me know.

Anywho... I have 3 gorgeous little chicks! I am one happy momma hen!!

 

[Phoenix Farms]

So far with the hatched chicks we have a crooked neck one and a splayed leg one. We figured out how to fix splayed legs but the crooked neck....nothing. He acts fine, runs up to my hand, eats and drink as far as we can tell and is a little snot. He just holds his head crooked. He can move his head around to look at you.

By the way, I need some urgent help. I have a broody who has only one egg that has been peeping for almost 48 hours. she is sitting on five but one night she got ran off the best and stayed off that night. The eggs were cool when I found them when locking birds up. The eggs were stunned for a while but about 5 days ago and only two had movement. Before then 4 out of the 5 had devolpment before she got off them. Now only one is peeping. I can hear it pecking. What should I do?

 

[Debs55]

That's a personal decision. I don't see it as cruel personally, so I would toss them regardless because I don't have a backup incubator and I don't want to spend a whole lot of money for a few eggs that might not make it. *shrug*

If it bothers you and you don't want them, don't candle and just leave them outside. They will cool and stop developing, and you can put them in the garbage or compost.

Well I candled them and one was clear and one had just formed a small circle, not veining yet. So I tossed both of them