Hands on hatching and help

[pipAchick]

How sweet!
How hands on are you? lol I roll mine back over if a pipper gets rolled. Is it neccessary? Probably not, but I feel better. 

Sorry to see that. The membrane should be papery white. The fact that it looks pretty tough could have something to do with it. It could have exhausted itself trying to get through it. The chick could have been just too weak. It's hard to say.

Sounds like you've done what you can at this point.

What day is it on? It's hard to see anything in the pic.

Well, "they" say that it's the co2 build up that propells the chick/duck to make the external pip. So if you use that logic then it's understandable to conclude that by adding a hole then yes, it would. Does it for a fact?    Sometimes it might extend a chick's chance to get out by giving it a little extra air before it sufficates giving it more time to externally pip, but it's a tough call. If you are worried about extra fluid  in the egg you can hatch it upright in a cut down carton to give it a little more chance to hatch w/o excess fluid finding it's way to the air cell.

4&half days. I'll try to get a better pic later. T hinken it's a backwards air cell,not sure yet though still reading old threads.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Ugh, just came home to find one egg is trying to zip. Only prob is that he is zipping from top to bottom instead of across the side. Is this a problem or will he be able to still get out this way???

Well, that aint the way they are supposed to do it. I'd keep a close eye on him. If he stalls and seems stuck and there are no prominent veins, I'd help. His positioning may be hindering his ability to hatch.

Hi all. Caesargirl, I wish I could help you. I'm definitely not an expert and get sticky and hard and gooey all mixed together, so can't really help.

It is day 20 on my 2nd hatch attempt. Last time, I set 42, ended with 34 fertile, had pretty high humidity throughout and ended up with 2 in great shape, and 1 that I helped with a rock hard membrane. He did survive and is now my fav chick, but it was a longgggg, scary event!

This time, I have kept humidity fairly low, only adding a bit of water when it hit about 25, but we've had rain throughout the first couple of weeks which really helped to keep humidity between 35-50. I candled along the way and even bought a digital scale and weighed and recorded everything. I feel like I'm pretty close to on track. On lockdown I upped humidity (with tubing into a sponge) and it has been slowly climbing from 55 to about 68 in the last 2 days. It's getting ready to rain again.

I am truly a nervous wreck right now. My daughter is visiting and she is so excited to participate in a hatch. I am even More afraid now that her expectations are high and it might be a bad hatch again.

Two questions:
First is that I am using my first shipped eggs. They were wrapped extremely well. No cracks, chips, anything. Out of 14, 12 have made it to day 18 on my last candle. They are BLR Wyandottes. I also have blue/black/splash Copper Marans, and 2 blue EEs setting. What scares me is that so many say that shipped eggs make it to lockdown and never hatch. I guess that I just don't understand why that would be on shipped vs unshipped. Yes, a few of the air cells are a little wonky, but they all seemed to do very well up to this point. So should I expect that only maybe 2 or 3 of the shipped to hatch? Or none?

Second, it is DAY 20!!!! And absolutely nothing has happened. In fact, it's actually day 20.5. Last hatch, 1 pipped and hatched on day 19 and one pipped and hatched on day 20. The third difficult hatch pipped on 20 and worked for 36 hours trying to zip until I helped him.
Is this completely unusual?

And does everyone else feel so much pressure or fear when hatch time rolls around? And does everyone feel such a sense of responsibility to almost Make the chicks live?

I THINK that alot of it has to do with the rough handling during shipment causing damage weakening the chick so that even if they develop, the chick is weaker. Some of it may have to do with positioning and the air cell. It's sad to know that they get that far and don't make it. It's easier to deal with non development or early quitters than late deaths.

Yes. I feel an immense responsibility to "make the chicks live". The main reason I am as hands on as I am. I hate feeling like I failed them.

 

[BigWeenMachine]

Hi all. Caesargirl, I wish I could help you. I'm definitely not an expert and get sticky and hard and gooey all mixed together, so can't really help.

It is day 20 on my 2nd hatch attempt. Last time, I set 42, ended with 34 fertile, had pretty high humidity throughout and ended up with 2 in great shape, and 1 that I helped with a rock hard membrane. He did survive and is now my fav chick, but it was a longgggg, scary event!

This time, I have kept humidity fairly low, only adding a bit of water when it hit about 25, but we've had rain throughout the first couple of weeks which really helped to keep humidity between 35-50. I candled along the way and even bought a digital scale and weighed and recorded everything. I feel like I'm pretty close to on track. On lockdown I upped humidity (with tubing into a sponge) and it has been slowly climbing from 55 to about 68 in the last 2 days. It's getting ready to rain again.

I am truly a nervous wreck right now. My daughter is visiting and she is so excited to participate in a hatch. I am even More afraid now that her expectations are high and it might be a bad hatch again.

Two questions:
First is that I am using my first shipped eggs. They were wrapped extremely well. No cracks, chips, anything. Out of 14, 12 have made it to day 18 on my last candle. They are BLR Wyandottes. I also have blue/black/splash Copper Marans, and 2 blue EEs setting. What scares me is that so many say that shipped eggs make it to lockdown and never hatch. I guess that I just don't understand why that would be on shipped vs unshipped. Yes, a few of the air cells are a little wonky, but they all seemed to do very well up to this point. So should I expect that only maybe 2 or 3 of the shipped to hatch? Or none?

Second, it is DAY 20!!!! And absolutely nothing has happened. In fact, it's actually day 20.5. Last hatch, 1 pipped and hatched on day 19 and one pipped and hatched on day 20. The third difficult hatch pipped on 20 and worked for 36 hours trying to zip until I helped him.
Is this completely unusual?

And does everyone else feel so much pressure or fear when hatch time rolls around? And does everyone feel such a sense of responsibility to almost Make the chicks live?

I'm in the same boat you are with shipped eggs. This is my first ever hatch and I have 26 shipped eggs going into lockdown Monday and Wednesday and 20 more going into lockdown in 3 weeks. I have noticed the air sacks on several of my shipped ones are fluttery or spread all the way down one side. I'm counting on those to quit at some point but I guess we will see.

 

[JillZ]

Well, that aint the way they are supposed to do it. I'd keep a close eye on him. If he stalls and seems stuck and there are no prominent veins, I'd help. His positioning may be hindering his ability to hatch.

I THINK that alot of it has to do with the rough handling during shipment causing damage weakening the chick so that even if they develop, the chick is weaker. Some of it may have to do with positioning and the air cell. It's sad to know that they get that far and don't make it. It's easier to deal with non development or early quitters than late deaths.

Yes. I feel an immense responsibility to "make the chicks live". The main reason I am as hands on as I am. I hate feeling like I failed them.

I keep trying to think that in nature, so many eggs don't hatch for whatever reason because they aren't "meant to." But I can't get over the feeling that if I am going to try to incubate, that I should do it right (and that's such a variable!), that if the hatch fails, then I am 100% responsible.
Could you please, for probably the 30 millionth time, explain the results of a too high humidity hatch and a too low humidity hatch? My humidity was extremely high last time and my struggler could barely make it out of a gray concrete membrane. So what should I be on the lookout for this time? I have all of my "assisting" tools ready, but need to be mentally prepared. Also, I'm seeing that many of you candle them if they are not hatching for whatever reason. Should I just give it time and if nothing happens by day 22, candle then? I'm just not having a good feeling and am second guessing a low humidity incubation.
And I so agree about early quitters.

 

[BigWeenMachine]

Well, that aint the way they are supposed to do it. I'd keep a close eye on him. If he stalls and seems stuck and there are no prominent veins, I'd help. His positioning may be hindering his ability to hatch.

He is the one that is rocking the egg around like crazy and has been doing it since yesterday so I'm starting to wonder about helping him out. Still hasn't completely made a hole yet but he has 3 separate pecks that are all going up and down. I can see him pushing the crack up but he can't break through it. He's been pipped for 29 hours now. I'm starting to wonder if maybe my humidity needs to come down a bit cos maybe the shell is too rubbery to push through? Any thoughts? I've got one hygrometer reading 79 and the incubator hygrometer is reading 73.

 

[JillZ]

I'm in the same boat you are with shipped eggs. This is my first ever hatch and I have 26 shipped eggs going into lockdown Monday and Wednesday and 20 more going into lockdown in 3 weeks. I have noticed the air sacks on several of my shipped ones are fluttery or spread all the way down one side. I'm counting on those to quit at some point but I guess we will see.

When I received mine I let them sit for 24 hours at room temperature without turning. Then the 2nd day I incubated them without turning for 24 hours. The third day I began (auto) turning. Now I'm reading that some people let them sit for like 3 or 4 days in the incubator. I had two blood rings with them on around the 14th day. I kept one of those two that was a little questionable and it didn't make it to day 18. But only 2 didn't make it to day 18, so I felt really good about it. Most of the air cells seemed to kind of level out, but I have about 3 that are way down the side. I guess we'll see. Many, many people hatch shipped eggs well. Hoping for the best for you!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I keep trying to think that in nature, so many eggs don't hatch for whatever reason because they aren't "meant to." But I can't get over the feeling that if I am going to try to incubate, that I should do it right (and that's such a variable!), that if the hatch fails, then I am 100% responsible.
Could you please, for probably the 30 millionth time, explain the results of a too high humidity hatch and a too low humidity hatch? My humidity was extremely high last time and my struggler could barely make it out of a gray concrete membrane. So what should I be on the lookout for this time? I have all of my "assisting" tools ready, but need to be mentally prepared. Also, I'm seeing that many of you candle them if they are not hatching for whatever reason. Should I just give it time and if nothing happens by day 22, candle then? I'm just not having a good feeling and am second guessing a low humidity incubation.
And I so agree about early quitters.

Sure. If your humidity is too high over the course of the incubation the moisture in the air prevents the egg from being able to release moisture. When this happens the air cell does not grow like it should and the extra fluid in the egg can cause the chick to aspirate on it and essential drown. There's other things that is associated with high humidity such as chicks growing too big to turn, developmental problems and such.
If your humidity is too low, the egg looses too much too fast. This can cause the inner membrane to dry out too much and pull down around the chick "shrink wrapping" it. If the chick is able to internally pip chances are it won't be able to move to make an external pip. Many chicks suffocate and aren't able to make the internal pip. I see more high humidity issues than low.

The best way in my opinion to judge humidity is to monitor the air cells.
My method is: http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity

Sometimes, it is better for the hatcher to go ahead and candle on the expected hatch day, in my opinion, if they are seeing no action. Sometimes just a hint of movement or seeing an internal pip is enough to calm our nerves and keep the hope going. But that's just my personal feelings on it.

 

[BigWeenMachine]

When I received mine I let them sit for 24 hours at room temperature without turning. Then the 2nd day I incubated them without turning for 24 hours. The third day I began (auto) turning. Now I'm reading that some people let them sit for like 3 or 4 days in the incubator. I had two blood rings with them on around the 14th day. I kept one of those two that was a little questionable and it didn't make it to day 18. But only 2 didn't make it to day 18, so I felt really good about it. Most of the air cells seemed to kind of level out, but I have about 3 that are way down the side. I guess we'll see. Many, many people hatch shipped eggs well. Hoping for the best for you!

I let one batch sit for 24 hours and other two for 36. Guess I'll see which ones hatch better

 

[AmyLynn2374]

He is the one that is rocking the egg around like crazy and has been doing it since yesterday so I'm starting to wonder about helping him out. Still hasn't completely made a hole yet but he has 3 separate pecks that are all going up and down. I can see him pushing the crack up but he can't break through it. He's been pipped for 29 hours now. I'm starting to wonder if maybe my humidity needs to come down a bit cos maybe the shell is too rubbery to push through? Any thoughts? I've got one hygrometer reading 79 and the incubator hygrometer is reading 73.

I hatch at 75% + it often goes up to between 80-90 after they start, though not for long. I don't know how different it is for ducks, I do chicks. I will say, if you have a pipper with a decent amount of membrane exposed, if it is exposed for an extended amount of time, even with high humidity and a hands off approach, it can still turn bownish and start to get leathery, especially in a forced air incubator. I've seen it happen.

 

[FridayYet]

Shipped eggs are a gamble. You may have them all hatch or you may have none of them hatch. From everything I've read, 50% is about average.

You can't tell by looking whether they had a relatively easy trip, or if they were tossed around, left on s freezing loading dock, or in the back of a broiling truck.

Eggs shipped shorter distances, with less transfers do better. The route makes a difference too, since certain hubs are notorious for beating up packages.

All we can do is give them the best chance we can, and hope that the least damaged ones make it.