First Time Incubating! SO EXCITED!!

[StephensonC]

Here's the malpositioned one. His beak was under his right wing, but he pipped in the middle, outside of the air cell. I guess his beak didn't point up far enough or maybe his whole body was just sitting at the wrong angle. I did like you did, I helped and put him back, helped and put him back, etc. to see if he could do anything on his own. He wasn't getting anywhere and went from lots of peeps this morning to nothing, so I figured he was getting weaker. I went ahead and help him out after seeing he wasn't going to do it on his own, and this is right after. It's like he is stuck in the fetal position. He does move around some and chirp now, but I have a feeling he isn't going to make it.

Have you noticed I'm calling him a he? I just get that feeling that he is, in fact, a he. Lol

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Here's the malpositioned one. His beak was under his right wing, but he pipped in the middle, outside of the air cell. I guess his beak didn't point up far enough or maybe his whole body was just sitting at the wrong angle. I did like you did, I helped and put him back, helped and put him back, etc. to see if he could do anything on his own. He wasn't getting anywhere and went from lots of peeps this morning to nothing, so I figured he was getting weaker. I went ahead and help him out after seeing he wasn't going to do it on his own, and this is right after. It's like he is stuck in the fetal position. He does move around some and chirp now, but I have a feeling he isn't going to make it.

Have you noticed I'm calling him a he? I just get that feeling that he is, in fact, a he. Lol

Are his feet formed right? They look a little odd in the pic, but it could just be the pic. I hope he gets stronger. Do you happen to have any sav a chick on hand to put in their water when they go to the brooder?

 

[dorpersheep]

Yay, congrats on a beaut little bubba!

Get some rest!! Hopefully the rest will make their grand entrance real soon. Some of our silkie bantam X chicks have emerged tiny and stayed real wet looking for 12-18 hours post hatch, but then they fuzz up and get going. Enjoy!

 

[StephensonC]

Are his feet formed right? They look a little odd in the pic, but it could just be the pic. I hope he gets stronger. Do you happen to have any sav a chick on hand to put in their water when they go to the brooder?

I noticed that too, but I think it's just the way he has them curled up. He still isn't stretching out too much, but is breathing and occasionally chirping. However, he is very weak and doesn't open his eyes much either. I don't know how much longer he will last, or if he will pull through. I couldn't stand to cull him, if he has a chance, but don't won't to see him suffer either.

I have another egg, that pipped the same way very early this morning. Midway the egg, but it was the one with the wonky air cell. At some point after it pipped, this is how it looked all day. It had no change, so I got to looking and it was dead.




I've been reading about hatch failures, and it seems maybe my temps and humidity were a lot to blame. I still have 8 eggs in there, but no signs of life in them. I will probably do eggtopsies to get a better understanding and figure out what to do different next time.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I noticed that too, but I think it's just the way he has them curled up. He still isn't stretching out too much, but is breathing and occasionally chirping. However, he is very weak and doesn't open his eyes much either. I don't know how much longer he will last, or if he will pull through. I couldn't stand to cull him, if he has a chance, but don't won't to see him suffer either.

I have another egg, that pipped the same way very early this morning. Midway the egg, but it was the one with the wonky air cell. At some point after it pipped, this is how it looked all day. It had no change, so I got to looking and it was dead.




I've been reading about hatch failures, and it seems maybe my temps and humidity were a lot to blame. I still have 8 eggs in there, but no signs of life in them. I will probably do eggtopsies to get a better understanding and figure out what to do different next time.

Awe. I recommend doing the eggtopsies if the person has the stomache for it. For one, to make sure that the chicks are dead. I tap into the air cell first to make sure there is no movement then proceed to open the egg. My first hatch I did not do it, I just threw them out and then spent a week wondering if I had thrown out chicks that might have still hatched. And second, because you do learn from the experience.
How many do you have out now?

 

[StephensonC]

Awe. I recommend doing the eggtopsies if the person has the stomache for it. For one, to make sure that the chicks are dead. I tap into the air cell first to make sure there is no movement then proceed to open the egg. My first hatch I did not do it, I just threw them out and then spent a week wondering if I had thrown out chicks that might have still hatched. And second, because you do learn from the experience.
How many do you have out now?

I just have 4 seemingly healthy ones, and the 1 that isn't doing so great. I have 8 left that haven't pipped, peeped or moved. I candled 2 of them a few minutes ago, and it seems they also grew some outlandish air cells after day 18. Doesn't it sound like a humidity problem to you?

Also, I have put the 4 chicks in the brooder. They are pecking at and eating their food, but I'm not having much luck with water. I tried gently dipping their beak in it, but they don't seem to like it. I did put the sav a chick in it and used warm water. Did yours take to it at first?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I just have 4 seemingly healthy ones, and the 1 that isn't doing so great. I have 8 left that haven't pipped, peeped or moved. I candled 2 of them a few minutes ago, and it seems they also grew some outlandish air cells after day 18. Doesn't it sound like a humidity problem to you?

Also, I have put the 4 chicks in the brooder. They are pecking at and eating their food, but I'm not having much luck with water. I tried gently dipping their beak in it, but they don't seem to like it. I did put the sav a chick in it and used warm water. Did yours take to it at first?

My first one (only one) that hatched out of my first hatch attempt, seemed to take forever before he was actually drinking, but would peck at the food. I drove myself crazy worrying and kept dipping his beak to "show" him where it was. It wasn't until either real late 2nd day or 3rd before I actually saw him helping himself to water...lol The second hatch I had so many it seemed I didn't have time to worry and since Peep did fine after a couple days I wasn't too worried about worrying...lol

I would assume anything to do with air cell shape (other than shipping eggs) would have to do with humidity, but I don't know that. I only had one with a wonky air cell and that was a refrigerated egg, so I chalked it up to that since it was wonky from day one.

 

[StephensonC]

Look who was up and running around in the incubator this morning!! It's the one I assisted! When I went to bed last night, all he was doing was just laying there. I just knew for sure, that he wouldn't survive through the night. What a surprise!! It's unbelievable how curled up in the fetal position he was, to now being able to run around. None of the other 8 eggs have done anything. I will be looking further into them today. Will try to get some good pics on my findings. P.S. I had a space heater on him for the pic and only had him out of the brooder for 1/2 a second.

 

[StephensonC]

Help please!! I have 3 eggs that have pipped!! They are all mispositioned. I can see their beeks moving underneath the membrane. I did remove a little bit of shell, so I could get a better look at what was going on. What do I do now? Do I need to open a membrane just a teeny tiny bit for them? I am doing my research, but any help would be appreciated. #'s 16, 12, 20..


I can't believe they pipped! I had given up on them!!! Was going to open them up tonight if nothing was going on with them.

 

[ImNotYogi]

Look who was up and running around in the incubator this morning!! It's the one I assisted! When I went to bed last night, all he was doing was just laying there. I just knew for sure, that he wouldn't survive through the night. What a surprise!! It's unbelievable how curled up in the fetal position he was, to now being able to run around. None of the other 8 eggs have done anything. I will be looking further into them today. Will try to get some good pics on my findings. P.S. I had a space heater on him for the pic and only had him out of the brooder for 1/2 a second.

Thats great that hes up and running. It didnt sound/look like it was going to end well from earlier posts. Maybe he just needed to regain some strength?