First Time Egg Candler Scared!

[AmyLynn2374]

Deformed day 24 chicks gave me a cold heart. Not joking, that's why I shut down on day 23

My very first ever chick from my own flubbed first hatch was hatched on day 24. Adorable perfect little chick.....well, almost. He seemed to be perfect, loud, but he was my baby. He functioned like any other chick for a few months then as he put on weight and grew physically I noticead he was "off". Or, his balance was. While he runs and walks alright, he can't pick a foot up to scratch himself and he'll fall over. He can't roost, he doesn't have the balance. His legs are short and I almost think turned in the slightest bit, but I just can't tell. He's also prone to mouth breathing when overly active which leads me to believe the respiratory system was not developed 100% correctly. I contribute both these to the developmental day that caused the late hatch, I am very glad that we got him, I probably wouldn't have tried again because I had no interest in raising chicks as it was only for a science lesson, but once he was here...it was all over...lol But he will always be "special needs". He will never be out in the coop with the others, he will never be used to breed, (not even sure he could if he tried...that takes balance..lol) So I see everyday how delay can effect a chick, so I can understand the need to put limits out there. I don't think I could throw out an egg that I knew had life in it, but I guess if you don't candle you don't know huh??

I'm sure most of us understand that (checking for pips every 10 minutes) LOL

10?? Who waits 10 minutes?

What is an internal pip?
I removed all the water from the channels in my incubator but humidity is still 64% What do I do? Today is day 10

I was going to say what SC said.

Using what kind of incubator and hygrometer? Have you checked the hygrometer against anything else? I find it hard to believe that any dry incubator would remain at 65%. At day 10, you aren't in trouble yet, but I don't trust that humidity at all. Is it built into the incubator?

 

[Critterwoman]

What is an internal pip?

I removed all the water from the channels in my incubator but humidity is still 64% What do I do? Today is day 10

Internal pip is when they break into the air cell in the fat end of the egg. They break through and start breathing with their lungs and then take a break and hopefully start breaking the egg.

How do you tell?

 

[Critterwoman]

 
Deformed day 24 chicks gave me a cold heart. Not joking, that's why I shut down on day 23

My very first ever chick from my own flubbed first hatch was hatched on day 24. Adorable perfect little chick.....well, almost. He seemed to be perfect, loud, but he was my baby. He functioned like any other chick for a few months then as he put on weight and grew physically I noticead he was "off". Or, his balance was.  While he runs and walks alright, he can't pick a foot up to scratch himself and he'll fall over. He can't roost, he doesn't have the balance.  His legs are short and I almost think turned in the slightest bit, but I just can't tell. He's also prone to mouth breathing when overly active which leads me to believe the respiratory system was not developed 100% correctly. I contribute both these to the developmental day that caused the late hatch, I am very glad that we got him, I probably wouldn't have tried again because I had no interest in raising chicks as it was only for a science lesson, but once he was here...it was all over...lol  But he will always be "special needs". He will never be out in the coop with the others, he will never be used to breed, (not even sure he could if he tried...that takes balance..lol) So I see everyday how delay can effect a chick, so I can understand the need to put limits out there. I don't think I could throw out an egg that I knew had life in it, but I guess if you don't candle you don't know huh??  

 

I'm sure most of us understand that (checking for pips every 10 minutes) LOL

10?? Who waits 10 minutes? 

What is an internal pip?

I removed all the water from the channels in my incubator but humidity is still 64% What do I do? Today is day 10

I was going to say what SC said.

 
Using what kind of incubator and hygrometer? Have you checked the hygrometer against anything else? I find it hard to believe that any dry incubator would remain at 65%. At day 10, you aren't in trouble yet, but I don't trust that humidity at all. Is it built into the incubator?

no it is not built in. It is a stand alone that I use in the house but small enough to put in the bator. I haven't checked it this morning. Rainy & nasty here.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

How do you tell?

You don't normally know unless you hear the chick peeping inside. An internal pip can be noted when candling by a triangular shadow in the air cell (the beak.) However unless it is past hatchtime, candling isn't something that is advised during lockdown, so you don't "see" the internal pip.

 

[firsttimehatch1]

so 1 out of my 11 chicks constantly has poop on its bum. can i put him in a very shallow warm bath to try to get it off?

 

[scflock]

so 1 out of my 11 chicks constantly has poop on its bum. can i put him in a very shallow warm bath to try to get it off?

yes. Its called pasty butt and it can kill them if not cleaned. Shallow bath, damp cloth, and a toothpick will do the trick

 

[sideWing]

End of day 23 and no more pips. I will give them 24 more hours and then call it a 25% hatch rate for the batch and a 50% hatch rate for the Silver Laced Wyandotte.

I'm going to count it 50% since the others were shipped.

 

[WVduckchick]

End of day 23 and no more pips. I will give them 24 more hours and then call it a 25% hatch rate for the batch and a 50% hatch rate for the Silver Laced Wyandotte.

I'm going to count it 50% since the others were shipped.

Darn it. Have you candled them lately? You could also try the float/wiggle test.

 

[BYC910]

please explain the float test. as old as I am all I know is a egg rotten floats .

 

[AmyLynn2374]

please explain the float test. as old as I am all I know is a egg rotten floats .

You use a bowl of warm water (100F) and set an egg in it. If the egg floats and moves independently (wiggles and jiggles) then you know it's still alive. If it sinks, usually it's a goner. If it floats with no independent movement chances are pretty good it's a goner.