First pip ever!

[crazyhen]

a sad update. The chick was dead. I think the mom who is hugh broke the egg and the del chick was not ready yet. Now I am down to 7 del eggs.

Gloria jean

 

[MIgourdgirl]

Gloria Jean, so sorry! I share your sorrow--I lost one too a few days ago. It made it all the way out of the egg, but I found it just laying there dead when I came in in the morning. It is heartbreaking! Hope the others all make it for you.

 

[MikeS(erama)]

Well, last night was sad but also amazing at the same time. The first egg that pipped started zipping around 9PM. Being that we are completely new to hatching eggs we didn't realize that something was wrong at the time and just thought it was a few hours shy of 21 days. It seemed to be really struggling to zip the egg and was having a hard time breaking through the membrane (it was still very wet looking). Half way through it's zip it just stopped. We waited about half an hour, and it still wasn't moving. At that point we decided we should intervene. I broke a little more of the egg of and realized at that point that the chick had died. We opened it the rest of the way and it still had a large sack attached to it and it was bloody.
Then almost at exactly 1:30AM (almost exactly 21 days) I check the other egg, and it's starting to zip. This one had no problem breaking the shell and through the membrane and out popped a little silkie chick! I have a feeling the first little chick must have had some kind of deformity or growth problem for it to be zipping when nothing inside was ready for it to.
Anyway, here's a couple pics of the little silkie!

Right after hatching

Today after having a few hours to dry off and learning what feet are

BTW, now I'm trying to decide what eggs I'm going to go with next....lol

 

[MIgourdgirl]

So sorry you lost one. What kind of silkie is the cutie you posted--grey? I have some whites and blacks and they're terrific. Suggestions on new eggs?? If you haven't tried bantam cochins, they're smaller than silkies and have lots of varieties. They can go broody on you like the silkies, but I like mine as much as my silkies. Here's a pic of my favorite cochin, Buddy, a barred rock bantam roo. You may not be looking for ideas, but it's always fun to share a pic of our favorites