Hands on hatching and help

[arr36]

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This is my second hatchling, he is end of day 23. I helped him out, totally random positioning. There was a bit of a blood clot near his navel and some whitish stuff that looked like thick membrane, plus a teeny bit of sort of stringy yolk on his back (a tiny bit). The veins in the shell were all absorbed I reckon. He looks like he hasn't totally sucked everything in. I have him resting in a small cup in the brooder, I think it's cleaner than the incubator which has general chick detritus in from the last 2 days and I can't clean it yet as we still have eggs hatching. He's tired but is cheeping and responding to his little friend in the brooder. Any hope for survival do you think?

 

[WildHens]

It's easer to buy your baby duck/ chicken/ turkey ect raise it let it lay it's eggs and keep trying for what you want in the long run.

If you have access to them..where I am there is very few people with purebred chickens..even fewer with non-hatchery stock and rare breeds are almost non existent here. Almost every bird I have was bought as shipped eggs.. I had no other choice for the breeds I wanted short of paying one of the huge name breeders 100$ per chick and that wasn't happening. .
My goal was to have a few harder to find breeds so that locals would finally have some of a selection in the area.. in the past couple of years there have been 3 or 4 others within a 2 or 3 hour circle around me that have the same idea so we're getting there slowly but surely

 

[WildHens]

[/IMG]

This is my second hatchling, he is end of day 23. I helped him out, totally random positioning. There was a bit of a blood clot near his navel and some whitish stuff that looked like thick membrane, plus a teeny bit of sort of stringy yolk on his back (a tiny bit). The veins in the shell were all absorbed I reckon. He looks like he hasn't totally sucked everything in. I have him resting in a small cup in the brooder, I think it's cleaner than the incubator which has general chick detritus in from the last 2 days and I can't clean it yet as we still have eggs hatching. He's tired but is cheeping and responding to his little friend in the brooder. Any hope for survival do you think?

As long as that spot doesn't get infected, looks like it'll do fine ♡♡
You could drip some betadine on it or put some triple antibiotic cream on it (make sure it doesn't have any added pain reliever in it.)

 

[ShanandGem]

So despite my claims not to be candling here I am with a bright flashlight and a dark egg. As you can see the air cell is in a weird spot. I incubate them upright but when it comes time to lay them down should that cell be facing up, or down?

That is the fat end of the egg but the air cell's edge is just along the very top of the egg, instead of being middle of cell in the top dead center of the egg.

 

[arr36]

Thanks for the reply. Fingers crossed! Should I keep him in the cup until he's fluffed to stop any pecking?

As long as that spot doesn't get infected, looks like it'll do fine ♡♡
You could drip some betadine on it or put some triple antibiotic cream on it (make sure it doesn't have any added pain reliever in it.)

 

[WildHens]

Thanks for the reply. Fingers crossed! Should I keep him in the cup until he's fluffed to stop any pecking?

I'd keep him in the cup as long as it'll stay (usually til energy picks back up).. do u have anything down on the bottom of the hatcher so that it doesn't rub or catch on the wire or plastic? I use rubber shelf liner and it really helps in that regard

 

[arr36]

We have some puppy pad type things which are pretty soft (though not too smooth) so there's nothing for him to catch it on. The only concern would be the older (hatched last night) chick but hopefully by the time this one is ready to investigate his new world he can fend off any attacks of his belly. I so hope he makes it. This hatch has been fraught and I'm still trying to understand what went wrong.

I'd keep him in the cup as long as it'll stay (usually til energy picks back up).. do u have anything down on the bottom of the hatcher so that it doesn't rub or catch on the wire or plastic? I use rubber shelf liner and it really helps in that regard

 

[WildHens]

I think you'll be fine ♡♡ I am still holding my breath on the one of mine that hatched last night but I think if it dries up just a bit more, he'll be in the clear as long as his insides are working properly. .
I keep a temporary brooder in my bedroom with the incus and hatcher. .I keep a heating pad hen on one end, nice dry bedding and some moistened food and water on the other end.. that way if u have a chick that's not in great shape and there's some that are, I can stick them under the heating pad hen to finish fluffing without worrying about them pecking the weak one, or trampling it..once everyone is eating, drinking, pooping and playing, they go into the huge brooder in the barn.. they're usually about 3 days old by then tho..

 

[WildHens]

My temp brooder. .could be used for only a few chick's for a lot longer if needed too

 

[Blooie]

My temp brooder. .could be used for only a few chick's for a lot longer if needed too

A set up similar is all I use. Never using a heat lamp again, ever!

I brood outdoors, all kinds of weather, using nothing more than a heating pad cave. Strong, healthy, active chicks that know how to find their comfort level and already know that night is night day is time for playing, eating, exploring and growing. Love it!