Hands on hatching and help

[WildHens]

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!

I agree...I even buy extra heating pads to send home with my chicks sometimes.. my chicks always seem happier, healthier, seem to feather out faster, no freaking out when lights go out at bedtime. .they just go in, go to bed and I don't hear a peep until daylight

 

[chickengirl72]

i'm so excited here, i have ducklings due tomorrow, but we are hearing some little peeps and two of the eggs have the starts of pips today. not broken all the way thru yet, just little hairline cracks starting at the pip site. i put up a picture, but not really sure if you can see the pip starting?

we had humidity issues the last time, and this time i hope we got it fixed up in time. the air sacs looked really good when i moved the eggs into the hatcher.

Please cross your fingers for us! my kids are really excited.




a couple of questions:
1. How long usually from peeping to hatching? Last time we heard peeping, but nobody actually hatched out. It was really heartbreaking and this time i'd rather intervene before it's too late
2. There was a recent post about using that grippy shelf liner stuff on the bottom of the incubator. I'm guessing that now that the eggs are in lockdown, it's too late to put that in?
3. Any suggestions for keeping the duck eggs from getting so grubby?

 

[WVduckchick]

i'm so excited here, i have ducklings due tomorrow, but we are hearing some little peeps and two of the eggs have the starts of pips today. not broken all the way thru yet, just little hairline cracks starting at the pip site. i put up a picture, but not really sure if you can see the pip starting?

we had humidity issues the last time, and this time i hope we got it fixed up in time. the air sacs looked really good when i moved the eggs into the hatcher.

Please cross your fingers for us! my kids are really excited.




a couple of questions:
1. How long usually from peeping to hatching? Last time we heard peeping, but nobody actually hatched out. It was really heartbreaking and this time i'd rather intervene before it's too late
2. There was a recent post about using that grippy shelf liner stuff on the bottom of the incubator. I'm guessing that now that the eggs are in lockdown, it's too late to put that in?
3. Any suggestions for keeping the duck eggs from getting so grubby?

for the pip! And best of luck!

1 - Ducks take their own sweet time! Patience is definitely a virtue with them! LOL It could easily be 36-40 hours before it does anything else, but usually within 12-24 hours, it will hit the spot a few more times. It will rest between each stage, so as long as you can hear strong peeping, don't get too over anxious. (easy for me to type, I know!)
2 - the shelf liner is much better for chickens because of their toes. For ducks, I still use it, but since you didn't put it in, I wouldn't worry about it right now. Maybe be prepared if you get in there, you could have it ready, if you think you can do it quickly and easily, but they should be ok without it.
3 - yea, ducks like to get their eggs dirty. I have pine wood shavings in my girl's "shelter" where she usually lays her eggs. If I fluff it every so often, and keep a couple handfuls of fresh stuff in there, they stay pretty clean. Otherwise, its a crap-shoot with ducks. Maybe others will have some better suggestions.

 

[Ravynscroft]

i'm so excited here, i have ducklings due tomorrow, but we are hearing some little peeps and two of the eggs have the starts of pips today. not broken all the way thru yet, just little hairline cracks starting at the pip site. i put up a picture, but not really sure if you can see the pip starting? we had humidity issues the last time, and this time i hope we got it fixed up in time. the air sacs looked really good when i moved the eggs into the hatcher. Please cross your fingers for us! my kids are really excited. a couple of questions: 1. How long usually from peeping to hatching? Last time we heard peeping, but nobody actually hatched out. It was really heartbreaking and this time i'd rather intervene before it's too late 2. There was a recent post about using that grippy shelf liner stuff on the bottom of the incubator. I'm guessing that now that the eggs are in lockdown, it's too late to put that in? 3. Any suggestions for keeping the duck eggs from getting so grubby?

for the pip! And best of luck! 1 - Ducks take their own sweet time! Patience is definitely a virtue with them! LOL It could easily be 36-40 hours before it does anything else, but usually within 12-24 hours, it will hit the spot a few more times. It will rest between each stage, so as long as you can hear strong peeping, don't get too over anxious. (easy for me to type, I know!) 2 - the shelf liner is much better for chickens because of their toes. For ducks, I still use it, but since you didn't put it in, I wouldn't worry about it right now. Maybe be prepared if you get in there, you could have it ready, if you think you can do it quickly and easily, but they should be ok without it. 3 - yea, ducks like to get their eggs dirty. I have pine wood shavings in my girl's "shelter" where she usually lays her eggs. If I fluff it every so often, and keep a couple handfuls of fresh stuff in there, they stay pretty clean. Otherwise, its a crap-shoot with ducks. Maybe others will have some better suggestions.

X2 on all that... will just add, patience, patience, patience for waiting on ducks hatching, lol... And if you ever hatch bantam ducks, that shelf liner is a must... I had a Call get its bill stuck in the meshh, poor thing... As to clean duck eggs... well... When they are determined to dirty them, not much we can do, lol...

 

[WildHens]

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.

I think u got the short end of the answers..lol.. Is that a shipped egg by any chance? If not, I've still had a few like that..it should be okay.. When it's time for hatching..I like to mark my air cell on about day 18 or so, and then if you sit your egg upright with little end down, put a small x about a quarter inch below the lowest point of your air cell..that's about where your egg should pip.. that is the side you want to orient facing up when u get close to hatching. Earlier hatching chicks will bump them all around and some will roll with that x down..some people leave them, I am OCD and rearrange everyone x side back up again anytime I'm in the hatcher.. it's a personal choice I guess. .I'm much more at ease knowing I will be able to see if and when they pip easier

 

[kdvail]

Help!!!!! One of my eggs pipped on the side, not at the air pocket. Is there anything I can do?

 

[WildHens]

Help!!!!! One of my eggs pipped on the side, not at the air pocket. Is there anything I can do?

Is it bleeding? Are u sure it's not in the air cell? They grow dramatically in the last couple days and sometimes are as far down as the middle of the egg..best way to check is a quick candling. .if it's not bleeding and can get air, it should be okay

 

[kdvail]

Not bleeding. I am also worried because I didn't see the pip so I opened the incubator to put my chicks that had hatched into the brooder. They weren't getting dry because of the humidity. This is my first time hatching so I am worried I messed it up. I have even reading everything under the sun and they all stress the importance of not opening the incubator if one has pipped

 

[arr36]

Well here they are - the incubator crew! Fluffiest chick hatched last night, the one in the middle I helped out a couple of hours ago and I think he's ok, in the cup is the troublesome middle child. His little stump is drying out and he's chirping. Should I give him some sugar water?

I have one sibling still alive in the incubator in his egg. I confess I helped him internally pip as he just wasn't doing anything. I'm not expecting him to make it. I gave him some sugar water just to perk him up a little to give the best chance. It's now beginning of day 24.

Shipped eggs are a tricky beast!! Out of 12 - 4 survived to pipping, 2 infertile, 2 early quitters, 1 died just before pipping on day 22, 3 look like they died around day 19-21. The eggtopsies on the last four were sad, perfectly formed though slightly small.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Ok..both of these pics originated here on BYC.. found them via google, would give credit where it's due, but didn't take the time to view each article yet..
The 1st pic is closer in color and size to what my chick had.. 2nd is similar buy much more yellow. My chick's sac was even dark than pic 1..





ETA: 1st pic is from a thread started by Kedreeva, picture is organs on outside of a chick..

Is it even possible for the organs to have somehow been pulled inside this chick after hatch?? I'm guessing not, but swear I don't have any other explanation. ..I considered getting it out and trying to get some yolk in it but I'm afraid that if it is organ related, all I'm going to be doing is making issues worse by starting it's digestive tract before it umbilical is healed . ..
Shall go play with the bigger babies and make my rounds checking for eggs for a little bit to keep my mind busy..

Those look like infected yolk sacs. I wouldn't expect a chick to survive after taking in yolk like that, but weirder things have happened.

[/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?

Always hope, well, at least where I stand.

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.

I've had air cells like that with no issues hatching. I always mark my air cells at day 18 (actually at day 7/14/18) and lay them with the dip up.

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

xs 2

I agree...I even buy extra heating pads to send home with my chicks sometimes.. my chicks always seem happier, healthier, seem to feather out faster, no freaking out when lights go out at bedtime. .they just go in, go to bed and I don't hear a peep until daylight

I have always used the lamps with no issues.

I did switch to a regular clear bulb to the red ones after my first hatch though, it's a little less bright at night for them.

i'm so excited here, i have ducklings due tomorrow, but we are hearing some little peeps and two of the eggs have the starts of pips today. not broken all the way thru yet, just little hairline cracks starting at the pip site. i put up a picture, but not really sure if you can see the pip starting?

we had humidity issues the last time, and this time i hope we got it fixed up in time. the air sacs looked really good when i moved the eggs into the hatcher.

Please cross your fingers for us! my kids are really excited.




a couple of questions:
1. How long usually from peeping to hatching? Last time we heard peeping, but nobody actually hatched out. It was really heartbreaking and this time i'd rather intervene before it's too late
2. There was a recent post about using that grippy shelf liner stuff on the bottom of the incubator. I'm guessing that now that the eggs are in lockdown, it's too late to put that in?
3. Any suggestions for keeping the duck eggs from getting so grubby?

I was going to stick my 2 cents in but the rest covered what I would have said...lol

I think u got the short end of the answers..lol..
Is that a shipped egg by any chance? If not, I've still had a few like that..it should be okay..
When it's time for hatching..I like to mark my air cell on about day 18 or so, and then if you sit your egg upright with little end down, put a small x about a quarter inch below the lowest point of your air cell..that's about where your egg should pip.. that is the side you want to orient facing up when u get close to hatching. Earlier hatching chicks will bump them all around and some will roll with that x down..some people leave them, I am OCD and rearrange everyone x side back up again anytime I'm in the hatcher.. it's a personal choice I guess. .I'm much more at ease knowing I will be able to see if and when they pip easier

xs 2

Help!!!!! One of my eggs pipped on the side, not at the air pocket. Is there anything I can do?

Give it time to do it's thing. If it is truely malpositioned it can still hatch on it's own, many do, many need assistance too.

Not bleeding. I am also worried because I didn't see the pip so I opened the incubator to put my chicks that had hatched into the brooder. They weren't getting dry because of the humidity. This is my first time hatching so I am worried I messed it up. I have even reading everything under the sun and they all stress the importance of not opening the incubator if one has pipped

You came to the right thread....lol Many of us here actually open the bator during hatch, I am constantly in and out of the bator...lol One, you don't even have exposed membrane, so I wouldn't be a bit worried, but then I don't worry when I have pippers or hatches.

I strongly strongly strongly believe a lot of post pip deaths that are blamed on opening the bator is pure BS. I feel that people need an answer to why, need a reason and have to have something to blame it on and that's the easiest thing to blame. I am constantly in and out of my incubator during hatching. I have never (knock on wood) lost a pipper or zipper. I have had to moisten membranes around pips from them starting to dry out, but that is usually from chicks that have pipped early and made no progress over 18 hours or more. I have seen hands off people that will not open the bator after lockdown have the same problems, especially with prolonged pippers. So I tend to disbelieve the claims of evil upon opening the bators, especially when I have no problems being as hands on as I am.

The key, I believe, is having adequate humidity, not holding the bator open letting the cooler dry air blow across the eggs for any length of time, and knowing what to look for when membranes do become dry. I do believe that you can cause membranes to become drier even sticky, I don't belive opening the bator for 15-30 seconds "shrink wraps" a chick. But that's my opinion, and definitely not the majority outlook.

I started this thread because there are so many warnings against being hands on, and I wanted to give those of us that are, a place to come together and help others in areas that hands off people are unwillingly to partake in.

And all of that was to say, "relax, it's ok, you didn't harm the egg."