Hands on hatching and help

[Ravynscroft]

They're all teenagers now so I need to stop treating them like babies

Especially once they start ACTING like typical teenagers!

 

[newchickmama91]

Especially once they start ACTING like typical teenagers!

My big boy Marley has tantrums just like a teenager when he doesn't get what he wants

 

[rookhomestead]

What was your humidity for incubation?

It was pretty much a dry incubation, it stayed around 35%. The air cell was perfect size when it pipped. The membranes looked fine. Same as any other egg I've hatched. I think the temp did spike on me a few times, but not any higher than the last 3 batches did, and I've had like 90% success, haven't had any with deformities, and everything that hatched survived until culled for being a rooster.

 

[KaylorFarms]

What's the difference between an internal and external pip? Also, how long can you candle the eggs for before putting them back in the incubator?

 

[Pyxis]

What's the difference between an internal and external pip? Also, how long can you candle the eggs for before putting them back in the incubator?

An internal pip is when the chick pierces the internal membrane of the egg, forcing its beak into the air cell to begin breathing. An external pip comes after that, when the chick makes the first break in the shell of the egg to allow more air in so it can continue to breathe while it finishes absorbing the yolk.

For candling, you can take quite a while. Hens get off the nest for 30 minutes each day so you have at least that long. I accidentally took eggs from a broody's nest, left them sitting out overnight, realized they were developing, put them in my incubator, and they continued to develop and then hatched. So don't be worried about the eggs cooling off while you're candling them.

 

[KaylorFarms]

An internal pip is when the chick pierces the internal membrane of the egg, forcing its beak into the air cell to begin breathing. An external pip comes after that, when the chick makes the first break in the shell of the egg to allow more air in so it can continue to breathe while it finishes absorbing the yolk.

For candling, you can take quite a while. Hens get off the nest for 30 minutes each day so you have at least that long. I accidentally took eggs from a broody's nest, left them sitting out overnight, realized they were developing, put them in my incubator, and they continued to develop and then hatched. So don't be worried about the eggs cooling off while you're candling them.

Thank you so much! That helps a lot!

 

[Georgina Fritznoodle]

So sorry... we try our best, but some just don't make it... don't beat yourself up, it sounds like there was something wrong before he even hatched, nothing you could do about that... still going to keep for him and you!

My little duckling seems to be doing a lot better now. This morning when I went to check on him he still seemed weak and didn't want food. I sat and watched him for a while. At one point he went to cuddle with his sibling that I had in the brooder with him and got pecked in the eye. I removed the other duckling when it attempted to peck him again. So now he's by himself. He didn't open his eye for a couple hours, but it seems fine now. Anyway, once his eye was open I saw him go over to get a drink of water, and then he started eating as well. Throughout the day he continued to eat and drink regularly and by this evening he started acting like a totally normal duckling. He's been eating, drinking, pooping, playing in his water, and running all over the brooder. I know this doesn't mean he'll live and be okay, but it definitely gives me hope. I still worry that his stunted growth is a sign of a bigger problem. I don't know why he made the sudden turn-around. Do you think it could have anything to do with having the brooder to himself? Thanks again for all your help!

Oh, and I'm sorry that none of this has to do with being a hands-on hatcher. I've used this forum a couple times to ask questions about ducklings I thought might need assistance to hatch, and didn't think about this being a totally unrelated topic until after I first posted about this duckling.

 

[Ravynscroft]

My little duckling seems to be doing a lot better now. This morning when I went to check on him he still seemed weak and didn't want food. I sat and watched him for a while. At one point he went to cuddle with his sibling that I had in the brooder with him and got pecked in the eye. I removed the other duckling when it attempted to peck him again. So now he's by himself. He didn't open his eye for a couple hours, but it seems fine now. Anyway, once his eye was open I saw him go over to get a drink of water, and then he started eating as well. Throughout the day he continued to eat and drink regularly and by this evening he started acting like a totally normal duckling. He's been eating, drinking, pooping, playing in his water, and running all over the brooder. I know this doesn't mean he'll live and be okay, but it definitely gives me hope. I still worry that his stunted growth is a sign of a bigger problem. I don't know why he made the sudden turn-around. Do you think it could have anything to do with having the brooder to himself? Thanks again for all your help!

Oh, and I'm sorry that none of this has to do with being a hands-on hatcher. I've used this forum a couple times to ask questions about ducklings I thought might need assistance to hatch, and didn't think about this being a totally unrelated topic until after I first posted about this duckling.

No worries, we all like to help here in all areas... I don't think AmyL or anyone else even felt it shouldn't be post here... besides, it's an ongoing worry/issue directly related and/or after a hatch... we support everyone, no matter what type of help is needed...

So glad he is doing better!

Maybe he just wasn't quite finished absorbing his yolk/developing internally and the siblings being rambunctious and accidentally trampling just aggravated his issues and slowed him down a bit more... please keep us updated... we do like to know how things turn out...

 

[AmyLynn2374]

My little duckling seems to be doing a lot better now. This morning when I went to check on him he still seemed weak and didn't want food. I sat and watched him for a while. At one point he went to cuddle with his sibling that I had in the brooder with him and got pecked in the eye. I removed the other duckling when it attempted to peck him again. So now he's by himself. He didn't open his eye for a couple hours, but it seems fine now. Anyway, once his eye was open I saw him go over to get a drink of water, and then he started eating as well. Throughout the day he continued to eat and drink regularly and by this evening he started acting like a totally normal duckling. He's been eating, drinking, pooping, playing in his water, and running all over the brooder. I know this doesn't mean he'll live and be okay, but it definitely gives me hope. I still worry that his stunted growth is a sign of a bigger problem. I don't know why he made the sudden turn-around. Do you think it could have anything to do with having the brooder to himself? Thanks again for all your help!

Oh, and I'm sorry that none of this has to do with being a hands-on hatcher. I've used this forum a couple times to ask questions about ducklings I thought might need assistance to hatch, and didn't think about this being a totally unrelated topic until after I first posted about this duckling.

No worries, we all like to help here in all areas... I don't think AmyL or anyone else even felt it shouldn't be post here... besides, it's an ongoing worry/issue directly related and/or after a hatch... we support everyone, no matter what type of help is needed...

So glad he is doing better!

Maybe he just wasn't quite finished absorbing his yolk/developing internally and the siblings being rambunctious and accidentally trampling just aggravated his issues and slowed him down a bit more... please keep us updated... we do like to know how things turn out...

What Ravyn said.

Needing help is never off topic. That's a big part of why we started this thread. It's titled "hands on" more to state our philosophy and have a place for hands on hatchers to come together without ridicule from the opposite line of thought. Basically anyone is welcome as long as they understand we are hands on and will not tolerate hands off philosophies being spewed. We accept that there are many successful ways to incubate/hatch, but this thread is not for debating those, it's for coming together to help-anyone who needs it providing we can.

 

[newchickmama91]

This is why this is my favourite thread helped me save many chicks/ducklings