Hands on hatching and help

[Ravynscroft]

Out of my hatch I am only keeping 2 or 3 chicks. I have 2 really nice black (silkie) chicks. Both have great features. They are very similar but one is more wide & chubby looking and the other is a little slimmer and more narrow (maybe slightly taller) looking. Otherwise both have great toes, eyes, skin color, both vaulted skulls. How do I decide which to keep between the 2?? Anyone with silkies know which would be better to keep?
@Pyxis, @RavynFallen

Wider and chubbier would be my pick... generally the more round look is desired by most... plus I think width in hips is an indicator for a bit better layer, but could be wrong... jmo...

 

[Pyxis]

I'd go with the chubbier chick too

My guinea keets hatched! They are super cute. They were all externally pipped upon lockdown and then one hatched about an hour after I locked them down! Anyway, I think I've got some pied, gotta wait till they fluff up to be sure.

 

[RubyNala97]

Wider and chubbier would be my pick... generally the more round look is desired by most... plus I think width in hips is an indicator for a bit better layer, but could be wrong... jmo...

I'd go with the chubbier chick too

My guinea keets hatched! They are super cute. They were all externally pipped upon lockdown and then one hatched about an hour after I locked them down! Anyway, I think I've got some pied, gotta wait till they fluff up to be sure.

Perfect! Thanks guys! The little chubster stays!

Congrats on the keets, Pyxis!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I highly recommend reading hatching 101. It's not perfect but it has a lot of great links. I read through it 3 times and read every link before my first hatch. It will equip you with everything you need to know to get started.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101

And Amy's link for humidity is the best!
I recommend this article to everyone with humidity issues. So many people with failed hatches are asking why on the threads. When you get their basic hatch info they say they did this, that and ran 50-60% humidity and have no idea how that correlates with the air cell on the egg. That's when I copy & paste the link to your article!
I also use sav-a-chic for the first few days with every hatch. If you have a chick with issues then you can give a drop or 2 of the nutridrench. With ducks I skip the sav-a-chick and go right to the nutridrench. You said your one chick has splayed legs? How old is the chick now? I know with my bantams many of them appear to have the splayed leg look but after the first 24 hours they are running around looking good. If it is true splayed legs I really like the vet tape. If you can't get "vet tape" Walmart sells an "ouchless tape" and it works the same. Cut a thin strip and make sure the chicks legs are wide enough for it to walk but tight enough to correct the splay. It's flexible, holds up good and is super easy to take off. Good luck to your little chick!!

that's awesome!

Awe thanks.

I also have a hatching guide from a hands on persepctive that Ruby so nicely edited for me...lol http://hatching411.weebly.com/

I think once hatchers understand how humidity is important and why we need it, they are better able to control it to their specific needs. Half the problem with newbies is that they are told you need "x" amount of humidity, but they have no idea why or what it does, so they have no means to judge if their humidity is doing what it's supposed to. There's so many hatchers that after seeing how humidity effects their eggs have said to me, "Oh, that makes so much more sense now. Now I understand."

Out of my hatch I am only keeping 2 or 3 chicks. I have 2 really nice black (silkie) chicks. Both have great features. They are very similar but one is more wide & chubby looking and the other is a little slimmer and more narrow (maybe slightly taller) looking. Otherwise both have great toes, eyes, skin color, both vaulted skulls. How do I decide which to keep between the 2?? Anyone with silkies know which would be better to keep?
@Pyxis , @RavynFallen

Both!! If you look at my black boy and girl they are both beautiful and full, but my boy is wider and chubbier and my girl is more petite and narrow. Both had the vaults too.

I'd go with the chubbier chick too

My guinea keets hatched! They are super cute. They were all externally pipped upon lockdown and then one hatched about an hour after I locked them down! Anyway, I think I've got some pied, gotta wait till they fluff up to be sure.

These that I have in the bator for my nephew are supposed to be pearl?? I looked them up and adult guineas are just unattractive to me....lol

 

[Pyxis]

These that I have in the bator for my nephew are supposed to be pearl??  I looked them up and adult guineas are just unattractive to me....lol

I'm not a big fan of pearl either, I gravitate towards the other colors. I do have two pearls but both are split to lavender, one is split to brown, and the other might be split to brown also, so they don't throw a ton of pearl keets.

 

[babychicks7]

I highly recommend reading hatching 101. It's not perfect but it has a lot of great links. I read through it 3 times and read every link before my first hatch. It will equip you with everything you need to know to get started.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101

And Amy's link for humidity is the best!
I recommend this article to everyone with humidity issues. So many people with failed hatches are asking why on the threads. When you get their basic hatch info they say they did this, that and ran 50-60% humidity and have no idea how that correlates with the air cell on the egg. That's when I copy & paste the link to your article!
I also use sav-a-chic for the first few days with every hatch. If you have a chick with issues then you can give a drop or 2 of the nutridrench. With ducks I skip the sav-a-chick and go right to the nutridrench. You said your one chick has splayed legs? How old is the chick now? I know with my bantams many of them appear to have the splayed leg look but after the first 24 hours they are running around looking good. If it is true splayed legs I really like the vet tape. If you can't get "vet tape" Walmart sells an "ouchless tape" and it works the same. Cut a thin strip and make sure the chicks legs are wide enough for it to walk but tight enough to correct the splay. It's flexible, holds up good and is super easy to take off. Good luck to your little chick!!

that's awesome!

the chick with splay leg was hatched on the 23rd she was in the incubator for 1 1/2 days hoping she would start walking then i looked up splay leg and how to fix it lucky i had vet tape so i wrapped her legs on thursday redid this morning one leg is already moved back in the other is still out not sure how to do that leg with out pulling the other leg in too, any suggestions i am making her a mash to eat she drinks but wont eat the crumbles so i thought if i make a mash she might eat it

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Last night my son says too me, "I don't think any of those eggs are going to hatch". There were 12 in there that were developing. I just went to candle and mark air cells, for day 7 and I am 99% sure that they have all quit!!!

Not that I am surprised because of the temp problems I've had in the incubator this time around. (I had problems last time, but not to this extinct.) But this isn't the first time my son has said something offhanded and it's happened.

 

[jenniferlamar70]

Last night my son says too me, "I don't think any of those eggs are going to hatch".  There were 12 in there that were developing. I just went to candle and mark air cells, for day 7 and I am 99% sure that they have all quit!!! 

Not that I am surprised because of the temp problems I've had in the incubator this time around. (I had problems last time, but not to this extinct.) But this isn't the first time my son has said something offhanded and it's happened.

I think all 4 of my chocolate orpingtons have quit. 2 look like dis and the other 1 is questionable. I've only seen a chick moving in one.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I think all 4 of my chocolate orpingtons have quit. 2 look like dis and the other 1 is questionable. I've only seen a chick moving in one.

That sucks.

The last two days I could see development in about 12 of these. Today there's only two that look like they may possible still have some veining. The rest are black dots no veins that move with teh movement of the egg. I told my sister, but haven't mentioned it to my nephew yet. Today is his bday, so I don't want to be the one that tells him he's scoring a zero on these ones. Definietly the last time I try to hatch with the old LG. The element is just way off. My therms are accurate. One can read 99.8 and I can have the other one just an inch or so away and be 101.5. and if you switch them they will read what the other one was within a tenth or two. I'm thinking the fan isn't doing it's job either. It's just old and time to retire.

 

[jenniferlamar70]

That sucks.

The last two days I could see development in about 12 of these. Today there's only two that look like they may possible still have some veining. The rest are black dots no veins that move with teh movement of the egg.  I told my sister, but haven't mentioned it to my nephew yet. Today is his bday, so I don't want to be the one that tells him he's scoring a zero on  these ones.  Definietly the last time I try to hatch with the old LG. The element is just way off. My therms are accurate. One can read 99.8 and I can have the other one just an inch or so away and be 101.5.  and if you switch them they will read what the other one was within a tenth or two. I'm thinking the fan isn't doing it's job either.  It's just old and time to retire.

Adleast you know what's happened with yours though. I don't think my temps have been off and my brinsea is fairly new. Must just be a shipped egg issue. These are the ones the postal service messed up. I'm so sad. They were supposed to be my breeding stock. hopefully your nephew doesn't take it to hard. Fingers crossed.