Hands on hatching and help

[AmyLynn2374]

Wish things had turned out differently - you do so much to help other people like me.

And I'm a tapper too, I confess.

I've concluded it's the egg quality. The ones that I'm having a problem with are the eggs of the daughter nn. They are huge and rather porous. They were from the same hen that I had the problems with the two eggs last hatch, so her eggs will be eating eggs only. Good thing is I know. So if in the future I do sell any mixed eggs from hatching I will exclude hers from any I sell. The momma nns eggs are producing rather well.

Well, I made a quick trip home, thinking I would pull the 3 out and put them in the brooder, but another had hatched since I left this morning, so I left them until that one fluffs up a bit more. #5 has expanded its pip, and #6 and final one has pipped... but on the wrong end. Wayyyy down toward the point, definitely below the air cell, so it may end up being assisted. Good news is that its a good strong pip, full hole, tiny triangular piece broken off, so its got good air.

In other bad news, it looks like the first 3 hatchers may be boys! I'm still holding out until they are fluffed up better, and hoping the white dots that I see are just optical delusions.

YAY!!!!!!!


I'm not holding out too much hope for the malpositioned pipper. Still has a full yolk sac and doesn't look like it's absorbing at all in there. We will see. Counting the one I eggtopsied last night, 4 nns and 2 non nns, so so far my sister is getting a better nn ratio than I did....lol

 

[AmyLynn2374]

On a happy note. This hatch has produced much quicker pip to zip times. I have never had so many chicks go from pip to zip in under 12 hours!!!

 

[WVduckchick]

I've concluded it's the egg quality. The ones that I'm having a problem with are the eggs of the daughter nn. They are huge and rather porous. They were from the same hen that I had the problems with the two eggs last hatch, so her eggs will be eating eggs only. Good thing is I know. So if in the future I do sell any mixed eggs from hatching I will exclude hers from any I sell. The momma nns eggs are producing rather well.  

YAY!!!!!!!   


I'm not holding out too much hope for the malpositioned pipper. Still has a full yolk sac and doesn't look like it's absorbing at all in there.  We will see. Counting the one I eggtopsied last night, 4 nns and 2 non nns, so so far my sister is getting a better nn ratio than I did....lol

Don't count her totally out. They could improve as she gets older. Um...how old is she? Lol

On a happy note. This hatch has produced much quicker pip to zip times. I have never had so many chicks go from pip to zip in under 12 hours!!!

Mine seem to be around 14 hours or so this time. Maybe I'll get to be home to watch #5.

 

[RubyNala97]

Thanks, guys. Do you suppose Silkie chicks are smart enough to know that I missed the lockdown deadline by 12 hours? I mean, technically it's still day 18, right? Wanna know the kicker? I had LD in big red letters on not one, but three different calendars - all today's date.

That's ok, Blooie. I lockdown a lot on day 19. One time I had some bantam eggs that my son had won in a raffle. It was the first time I used my octagon 20 and I didn't realize some of the fluid in the thermometer had been separated, so I was running a whole degree hotter then I thought. Was supposed to lockdown on a Thursday, figured Friday morning would be fine. Went to lockdown and over half the eggs were externally pipped and still upright in the rails! I was not happy with myself. Quickest lockdown ever. They were all yelling at me while I was trying so gently to take them out of the rails! They all hatched fine!

Ok, so 5 out, 4 nns and one feather necked. The malpo is still hanging in there, but he has a lot of unabsorbed yolk and it isn't looking good. 2 more external pips and one internal and one egg that is still living (well, actually the chick is), but not doing anything. I don't think it ever turned upright, so it probably won't make it. Looking like possibly 9?? Two I had set aside cause they were quitters and one had internally pipped Monday night. When I candled I could see shadow in the air cell, yesterday when I candled you couldn't see into the air cell at all. It was like the chick pulled down a blind. Last night before bed I tapped on the shell and got no response. Knowing that it was up in the air cell and having everything go black I decided to put a hole in the air cell. I could see the chick so I touched it-no movement. It was a goner so I opened it up. Yellow chick feathered neck. It had pipped into a major vein. Still had the bloody membrane in it's beak and blood going up the nose. The reason I couldn't see into the air cell was the membrane had been covered with blood. So it either internally pipped and bled out or drowned/aspirated on the blood. I hate it when they make it that far and don't make it out. It must have still been heavily veined for it to hit a vein in the internal pip.

Oh man, that stinks!! So sorry you lost that one. There was absolutely nothing you could have done in a situation like that!!

So my update: 5 bantam cochin eggs set, then another 1 added the next day. All 6 proved fertile, all 6 made "lockdown". 3 have hatched so far, 2 others are pipped, the one that I put in a day later has not pipped yet, but I can see big drawdown when candling through the window, so I am still hopeful for 100% Haven't gotten any great pics, as I left them in the hatcher and came to work But I did get a couple shots to show that they got their Momma's furry legs! (this chick is NOT dead, I tapped the window after taking this pic to be sure! lol)

Awesome! Looks like you'll get 6/6!!

Well, I made a quick trip home, thinking I would pull the 3 out and put them in the brooder, but another had hatched since I left this morning, so I left them until that one fluffs up a bit more. #5 has expanded its pip, and #6 and final one has pipped... but on the wrong end. Wayyyy down toward the point, definitely below the air cell, so it may end up being assisted. Good news is that its a good strong pip, full hole, tiny triangular piece broken off, so its got good air. In other bad news, it looks like the first 3 hatchers may be boys! I'm still holding out until they are fluffed up better, and hoping the white dots that I see are just optical delusions. :/

How can you tell boys so soon? Someone came yesterday and bought 8 chicks (first timer with chickens) and asked me if chances were good that he would get 1 boy and 7 girls. I started smiling and said he should keep he's expectations around 4 boys and 4 girls. "But I only need 1 boy" he said.

On a happy note. This hatch has produced much quicker pip to zip times. I have never had so many chicks go from pip to zip in under 12 hours!!!

That's interesting! I wonder why? Hmmmm.

 

[RubyNala97]

I received the box of shipped call eggs today. Ravyn does an amazing job packing her eggs!! The postal system does all the damage! I have my work cut out for me but I'm staying optimistic!!

And I found a use for my left over shells from the hatch. They are the only egg shells that I don't feed back to my chickens. I used them to start some seeds!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Don't count her totally out. They could improve as she gets older. Um...how old is she? Lol
Mine seem to be around 14 hours or so this time. Maybe I'll get to be home to watch #5.

She was from my pullet hatch last year and that was June I think. June or July, so she's not quite a year yet. Technically she's still a pullet....lol

That's ok, Blooie. I lockdown a lot on day 19. One time I had some bantam eggs that my son had won in a raffle. It was the first time I used my octagon 20 and I didn't realize some of the fluid in the thermometer had been separated, so I was running a whole degree hotter then I thought. Was supposed to lockdown on a Thursday, figured Friday morning would be fine. Went to lockdown and over half the eggs were externally pipped and still upright in the rails! I was not happy with myself. Quickest lockdown ever. They were all yelling at me while I was trying so gently to take them out of the rails! They all hatched fine!
Oh man, that stinks!! So sorry you lost that one. There was absolutely nothing you could have done in a situation like that!!

Awesome! Looks like you'll get 6/6!!

How can you tell boys so soon? Someone came yesterday and bought 8 chicks (first timer with chickens) and asked me if chances were good that he would get 1 boy and 7 girls. I started smiling and said he should keep he's expectations around 4 boys and 4 girls. "But I only need 1 boy" he said.

That's interesting! I wonder why? Hmmmm.

I wonder why too. But I am liking it....lol

I received the box of shipped call eggs today. Ravyn does an amazing job packing her eggs!! The postal system does all the damage! I have my work cut out for me but I'm staying optimistic!!

And I found a use for my left over shells from the hatch. They are the only egg shells that I don't feed back to my chickens. I used them to start some seeds!

 

[Blooie]

That's ok, Blooie. I lockdown a lot on day 19. One time I had some bantam eggs that my son had won in a raffle. It was the first time I used my octagon 20 and I didn't realize some of the fluid in the thermometer had been separated, so I was running a whole degree hotter then I thought. Was supposed to lockdown on a Thursday, figured Friday morning would be fine. Went to lockdown and over half the eggs were externally pipped and still upright in the rails! I was not happy with myself. Quickest lockdown ever. They were all yelling at me while I was trying so gently to take them out of the rails! They all hatched fine!
Oh man, that stinks!! So sorry you lost that one. There was absolutely nothing you could have done in a situation like that!!

Awesome! Looks like you'll get 6/6!!

How can you tell boys so soon? Someone came yesterday and bought 8 chicks (first timer with chickens) and asked me if chances were good that he would get 1 boy and 7 girls. I started smiling and said he should keep he's expectations around 4 boys and 4 girls. "But I only need 1 boy" he said.

That's interesting! I wonder why? Hmmmm.

Thanks! I'm worried because now that they're in lockdown I won't be keeping as careful watch on them as before - I'll still be watching but not doing anything with them until - unless - I need to. Still can't get this stupid FI to hold temp and humidity so I hope hatching in the Brinsea works. So much that can go wrong at this point in the hatching process. <sigh>

I think you should offer a 100% guarantee on the gender ratio - tell him there's a 100% chance that you won't be happy with how it comes out, sir, so you see, I do stand behind what I sell!

 

[WVduckchick]

That's ok, Blooie. I lockdown a lot on day 19. One time I had some bantam eggs that my son had won in a raffle. It was the first time I used my octagon 20 and I didn't realize some of the fluid in the thermometer had been separated, so I was running a whole degree hotter then I thought. Was supposed to lockdown on a Thursday, figured Friday morning would be fine. Went to lockdown and over half the eggs were externally pipped and still upright in the rails! I was not happy with myself. Quickest lockdown ever. They were all yelling at me while I was trying so gently to take them out of the rails! They all hatched fine!
Oh man, that stinks!! So sorry you lost that one. There was absolutely nothing you could have done in a situation like that!!

Awesome! Looks like you'll get 6/6!!

How can you tell boys so soon? Someone came yesterday and bought 8 chicks (first timer with chickens) and asked me if chances were good that he would get 1 boy and 7 girls. I started smiling and said he should keep he's expectations around 4 boys and 4 girls. "But I only need 1 boy" he said.

That's interesting! I wonder why? Hmmmm.

Bwahaha! Sure, 7 and 1 out of 8!

The momma of these is cuckoo, so her barring will carry to the male offspring and have the white head dots.

I received the box of shipped call eggs today. Ravyn does an amazing job packing her eggs!! The postal system does all the damage! I have my work cut out for me but I'm staying optimistic!!

And I found a use for my left over shells from the hatch. They are the only egg shells that I don't feed back to my chickens. I used them to start some seeds!

Good luck with the calls!

And EXCELLENT idea! I love it!

 

[WVduckchick]

@RubyNala97

Does this chick look bearded? Its one of my 9-week old silkie/cochin mixes. None of the possible parents are bearded, but this one sure looks it to me! (maybe something in one of the silkie momma's backgrounds)

 

[RubyNala97]

I need some advice...I have so much trouble with broody hens! I have a first time mom in a separate indoor pen with 4 chicks. Chick feed and waters are right next to her "nest" and the pen is about 4 feet by 4 feet. Well my son ran inside crying today because he went to check on them and one of the chicks was dead. I hatched in my incubator same day these hatched. My inside chicks are thriving and a lot bigger then the chicks with mom. I never see her showing them the food and water. Should I take the chicks from her? Or let her figure it out? I'm really torn here. Any advice welcome!

@RubyNala97 Does this chick look bearded? Its one of my 9-week old silkie/cochin mixes. None of the possible parents are bearded, but this one sure looks it to me! (maybe something in one of the silkie momma's backgrounds)

Yes, definitely looks bearded to me!