February 2023 hatch-a-long

[dreamofwinter]

I candled last night and saw 5 that are for sure developing. Very exciting since these are from my own flock and my cockerels are still learning their job. I'll candle again on day 7 and remove any obvious clears. It was really exciting to see obvious embryo formation! The only other time I've hatched at home was under a broody, and she wasn't keen on letting me candle too often - just enough to pull the one quitter out.

 

[lilwanderer]

Good news y'all, one has internally pipped and the other one I'm 85% sure I heard moving around.

 

[FeatherProfessor]

Not a single pip! These chicks are going to be the death of me haha

On a more serious note, the “bruise”/wet looking spot on the one egg has not changed in size or shape at all. Unsure of what to do at this point as it’s been at least 24 hours since it appeared

 

[BarnyardChaos]

On a more serious note, the “bruise”/wet looking spot on the one egg has not changed in size or shape at all. Unsure of what to do at this point as it’s been at least 24 hours since it appeared

Here's what you do: Sit. On. Your. Hands. Patience, Grasshopper!
It'll be fine! I would be more concerned if it had grown in size or turned dark. What day are you on?

 

[BarnyardChaos]

The LAST chick of my "Alfredo" batch has hatched! I had to assist fully at the end, the only assisted hatch of this batch. Disregarding one early quitter, I had 100% hatch!!! 26 eggs = 26 chicks!

This last chick has had a struggle. I dropped his egg several days ago on accident, from about 2" height on top of another egg. Worried and watched while everybody else was hatching right and left. Until he was the only one left. For a long, long, time. He had pipped sometime before 7am yesterday, with no progress all day. I gave up at 11pm last night and decided to help him out, whatever the outcome.

While assisting his hatch, I noticed quite a lot of blood around the pip area and his head/face was glued to the membrane/dried blood/etc. Coconut oil had not loosened the stuck part. I think he was unable to turn and zip. I peeled a little more membrane away, noticed no fresh bleeding - only old dark blood, so I proceeded. He was weak and not trying to kick out, so I did it for him. Emerged perfect! Yolk sac all absorbed. I left him alone in the 'bator overnight to get some unmolested rest, and put him in the brooder with his 25 buddies this morning. He's doing GREAT so far! All of them are.

Here's the little survivor this morning:

And the whole batch below. I'll move them to the bigger brooder with a heat plate later this morning. (Temp directly under that heat lamp is 96.6-deg-F and they're active but quiet and happy.):

 

[FeatherProfessor]

Here's what you do: Sit. On. Your. Hands. Patience, Grasshopper!
It'll be fine! I would be more concerned if it had grown in size or turned dark. What day are you on?

day 20 until this afternoon! but I love your advice. I'll sit on my hands

 

[BarnyardChaos]

day 20 until this afternoon! but I love your advice. I'll sit on my hands

I'll just bet if you open the incubator and examine each egg closely, you'll see pips. Anytime now!

 

[LhickenChicken]

Actually it might not be best to examine eggs! No chicks are in the incubator but one is (I think?) externally pipped, because I can hear peeping coming from the incubator but I don't know which egg. I have at least 3 or 4 big eggs in there but last I saw they were developing. So...I don't know?

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Actually it might not be best to examine eggs! No chicks are in the incubator but one is (I think?) externally pipped, because I can hear peeping coming from the incubator but I don't know which egg. I have at least 3 or 4 big eggs in there but last I saw they were developing. So...I don't know?

I picked up and examined each of my eggs several times over the last few days, looking for pips that were hidden, and recording the time and progress of each pip. I carefully placed them back in the same position they were in, unless the pip was on the bottom in which case I turned it slightly so the pip would be visible.
I had all 26 hatch, so no ill effects. On my batch, anyway.
I don't know why folks advise to "lockdown" and "don't open the incubator" during lockdown. A broody hen doesn't do that. She gets up once or twice a day to eat, drink and poop, and jostles the eggs. So.....

 

[LhickenChicken]

I picked up and examined each of my eggs several times over the last few days, looking for pips that were hidden, and recording the time and progress of each pip. I carefully placed them back in the same position they were in, unless the pip was on the bottom in which case I turned it slightly so the pip would be visible.
I had all 26 hatch, so no ill effects. On my batch, anyway.

Ok... But only 2 of the big eggs hatched and 3 are still in the incubator. And also since you have more experience, how do you do an eggtopsy because it might have to come to that. I really hope I have a 100% hatch rate like you. So can you help me figure out why I had a chicky boom and now there's only one pipped?