Five Tough Chicks and TWO Amazing Embryos!

[DwayneNLiz]

Amen! And even when you think you are almost done, the rain causes a big branch to fall on top of your duck netting and rip it all down!!

aw crud, did anyone get out or injured?

 

[Wickedchicken6]

THE UPDATE:

When I last wrote about the chick, it was zipped and dry looking. I stayed up with it. It was a strong chick and a loud one. It tried repeatedly to break out of the shell but after an hour, I cracked the shell just a bit for the one hatching when I candled the other 60 hour egg. It was enough to get the chick on its way.

Here's a short video showing how lively the chick is. This is right after he popped out of the shell.

The five Old English Game Bantams were listening intently to the new chick calling out. And then they fell asleep in a neat pattern. Above is a pic of all the chicks that hatched after being left out in the sun, wind and then cold for 12 hours before I candled and put them in the incubator. There is 5 OEGB chicks, 1 LF chick and two OEGB cross chicks.

None of these chicks show any signs of impairment; physical or mental. They've been 100% healthy so far.

To be continued as soon as I get in from chores...

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Update on the 60 hour chick.

I took the 60 hour chick out of the incubator yesterday afternoon. The chick was up moving well but I did notice the chick had a wide stance when standing and one toe was bent when standing.

So I put the non slip shelf type mat down over the paper towels. I used a small piece of hospital tape (not quite as slippery) to tape the three front toes and straighten the crooked toe. I felt it was wise to use the vet wrap and wrap the chick's legs together to avoid the possibility of problems later on. (splay/spraddle leg)

The picture above is the chick this morning. The stance is improved and the chick is getting around with no issues. So well in fact that I took the grip mat out this afternoon. The remaining 4 chicks are back on paper towel.

Regarding the other eggs; I candled the few 12 hour eggs and the last 60 hour egg. All the embryos had passed.

One chick appeared ready to pip and hatch, one chick was in fluid meaning it had died earlier and the rest appear to be malpositioned.

I'm saddened that the other 60 hour chick didn't make it. It looked like things weren't right the night before. But on the other hand I'm amazed I got any chicks at all from the 60 hour eggs.

So here's the information on the chick that survived being cold for 60 hours.

The eggs were gathered up on Saturday, June 17 at 2pm.
Most of the eggs were placed in the incubator Sunday, June 18 at 2am.
8 chicks hatched from the eggs that were left cold for 12 hours.

I candled again on Tuesday, June 20 at 2am and set eggs that had visible embryos
The 60 hour egg hatched on July 5th, 2:11 am.
It hatched 2 weeks, 1 day to the hour from when it was set.
Three weeks earlier would put it at June 14th...but add 2.5 days for the cold storage meaning the egg was likely laid June 12.

So...
The egg was incubated for approximately 5 days before it was gathered.
It sat in the sun and wind for 4 hours, then stored in a pail for 2 days 2 hours
This egg was turned a maximum of 7 times in the 2 weeks 1 day it was incubated by me.

Outstanding!!!

I plan to continue to monitor the chicks for health issues.
I hope this information can help someone with their eggs/chicks in the future!

 

[DwayneNLiz]

Sorry about the losses but that is still amazing for the chicks you did get!!

Well done!

 

[WVduckchick]

aw crud, did anyone get out or injured?

No, all fine. I heard the ruckus, thought a hawk was out there, but just a couple of collapsed strands of overhead netting. Of course the pieces hanging down scared the crap out of them! Lol

 

[WVduckchick]

Update on the 60 hour chick.

I took the 60 hour chick out of the incubator yesterday afternoon. The chick was up moving well but I did notice the chick had a wide stance when standing and one toe was bent when standing.

View attachment 1067312
View attachment 1067313

So I put the non slip shelf type mat down over the paper towels. I used a small piece of hospital tape (not quite as slippery) to tape the three front toes and straighten the crooked toe. I felt it was wise to use the vet wrap and wrap the chick's legs together to avoid the possibility of problems later on. (splay/spraddle leg)

View attachment 1067321 View attachment 1067325

The picture above is the chick this morning. The stance is improved and the chick is getting around with no issues. So well in fact that I took the grip mat out this afternoon. The remaining 4 chicks are back on paper towel.

Regarding the other eggs; I candled the few 12 hour eggs and the last 60 hour egg. All the embryos had passed.

One chick appeared ready to pip and hatch, one chick was in fluid meaning it had died earlier and the rest appear to be malpositioned.

I'm saddened that the other 60 hour chick didn't make it. It looked like things weren't right the night before. But on the other hand I'm amazed I got any chicks at all from the 60 hour eggs.

So here's the information on the chick that survived being cold for 60 hours.

The eggs were gathered up on Saturday, June 17 at 2pm.
Most of the eggs were placed in the incubator Sunday, June 18 at 2am.
8 chicks hatched from the eggs that were left cold for 12 hours.

I candled again on Tuesday, June 20 at 2am and set eggs that had visible embryos
The 60 hour egg hatched on July 5th, 2:11 am.
It hatched 2 weeks, 1 day to the hour from when it was set.
Three weeks earlier would put it at June 14th...but add 2.5 days for the cold storage meaning the egg was likely laid June 12.

So...
The egg was incubated for approximately 5 days before it was gathered.
It sat in the sun and wind for 4 hours, then stored in a pail for 2 days 2 hours
This egg was turned a maximum of 7 times in the 2 weeks 1 day it was incubated by me.

Outstanding!!!

I plan to continue to monitor the chicks for health issues.
I hope this information can help someone with their eggs/chicks in the future!

wow that's amazing, and great documentation, I'm sure will help others in the future.

what's the little chick that you banded the legs on? I see 5 toes, feathered legs, but light skin, so I'm stumped.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

wow that's amazing, and great documentation, I'm sure will help others in the future.

what's the little chick that you banded the legs on? I see 5 toes, feathered legs, but light skin, so I'm stumped.

I'm a little stumped too. Well, not stumped but surprised. I have 3 oegb derivatives in the front: Mr Olga, Mr. Flash and now the half/half. (full sdw, full crele, .5/.5 mix respectively)

The plastic wire wall had a slice in it and the birds broke it open again. I have two little roosters in the back that "could" be the dads. Mr. Peek Frean has 5 toes, I "think" Mr. 10 Gallon does too. Perhaps a cross bantam slipped some mystery eggs in the mix. If you notice the last three don't look like oegb. The feathered legs were a shock. I only noticed an oegb laying eggs in this nest but others may have laid too.

To add interest, this nest of eggs was being incubated by Chewbacca, who had hatched keets a few days earlier. I left one keet with her. She was setting on these eggs and raising the keet at the same time. That's why I left these eggs out initially (heck, I didn't want to even look) because I didn't know what they were for sure and I didn't want more crosses etc...lol.

But then I felt guilty for 2.5 days and candled.

I do have a lot of crazy mixes. I know I have Silkie ...but I wonder if I have faverolle. Many do have the white skin, 5 toes and look Faverolle-ish.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Sorry about the losses but that is still amazing for the chicks you did get!!

Well done!

Thanks Liz.

I thought more 12 hour chicks "might" have made it. It's interesting most were breech. That could be something I did...like not turning enough.

I didn't think the 60 hour embryos would develop that far at all when I set them. I thought they'd die partway through. Once they were developing and looking good...I started believing they might make it.

I was worried the chick/chicks would have major issues. You cannot imagine how relieved that the chick is pretty much ok.

I'm going to check out how it's doing as far as the toe and legs.
I'll update when I do.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

No, all fine. I heard the ruckus, thought a hawk was out there, but just a couple of collapsed strands of overhead netting. Of course the pieces hanging down scared the crap out of them! Lol

I'm sorry that this happened! Ugh..more work that's not wanted.

I was fighting with editing software and loading to Youtube yesterday.
I've never done either before. I lost the battle but got the one tiny clip up...lol.

 

[JaeG]

Or you end up with two newly hatched finches to try and hand rear because their parents are useless and squashed the other two babies!!! This requires hourly feeds on top of everything else! I already have seven of this pairs offspring I've had to hand rear and I really thought they'd do fine this time around. I give up!


Your babies are gorgeous!