Hands on hatching and help

[AmyLynn2374]

I just wanted to say that I'm so glad that I read/stalked a large portion of this thread before ever embarking on incubating. It came in handy this morning on my first hatch ever. I had two chicks that would not have survived without assistance, and I knew exactly what to do. So thanks everyone who has contributed here. I have a very strong Swedish Flower Hen who  had pipped the very end of it's shell and not made a big enough area to zip out of and not made any progress after 14 hour of partial zip. Miraculously it was still alive. I also have a French Copper Marans chick who was malpositioned an pipped on day 19, then nothing until trying to zip for well over 24 hours. That little one is out and strong, but has a huge bubble on it's hip area that must have been what kept it from getting into the correct position. I've read this can be from air cell issues. I'm keeping in in a separate container in the brooder with it's hatch mates so that the bubble isn't ruptured. Hopefully it reabsorbs quickly.

We're glad you've been stalking us too! It's nice to hear the good stories. I've seen different cases of chicks having a bubble, usually on the neck area and I've seen many say the fluids absorbed and they were just fine, but I don't think I've ever seen anyone explain exactly what causes it. Good luck on your little one and congrats on your hatchers!

 

[Calichicken2015]

Hi All!!
First I wanted to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for all your advice and help in hatching!!!! Yesterday I had 4 baby quails hatch

They are all happy and healthy running around the brooder

All of your advice with keeping the humidity right made my hatch successful so far!!! Tonight I have 5 bantam Cochin eggs that have external pips and they are chirping to each other in there!!!! I did add sponges all over to get the humidity up to 65-70% but it has been a struggle!!! It is just so DRY up here!!! Fingers crossed they hatch out ok!!!!

Here are my air cells for my ducks in bator #2. 2 of eggs look like the air cells are big??? and 3 look small??? Please give some advice and let me know what I should do. I only had one duck make it to hatch last time due to air cells getting big too fast. Running humidity in this one at 55% already and on day 18 of 28. Also, should I be misting the eggs? Or not? I was reading that misting causes them to lose more moisture so nit sure what to do here?
Worried about this one...it is my biggest duck egg.



3 eggs are like this one? I am seeing movement and development in all 5 stiil

 

[WVduckchick]

Hi All!! First I wanted to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for all your advice and help in hatching!!!! Yesterday I had 4 baby quails hatch They are all happy and healthy running around the brooder All of your advice with keeping the humidity right made my hatch successful so far!!! Tonight I have 5 bantam Cochin eggs that have external pips and they are chirping to each other in there!!!! I did add sponges all over to get the humidity up to 65-70% but it has been a struggle!!! It is just so DRY up here!!! Fingers crossed they hatch out ok!!!! Here are my air cells for my ducks in bator #2. 2 of eggs look like the air cells are big??? and 3 look small??? Please give some advice and let me know what I should do. I only had one duck make it to hatch last time due to air cells getting big too fast. Running humidity in this one at 55% already and on day 18 of 28. Also, should I be misting the eggs? Or not? I was reading that misting causes them to lose more moisture so nit sure what to do here? Worried about this one...it is my biggest duck egg. 3 eggs are like this one? I am seeing movement and development in all 5 stiil

Were the eggs different ages going in? Like maybe the bigger air cells were older eggs? Yes, misting actually helps them lose more moisture, as the mist dries. Sounds backwards, I know. You could maybe mist the 3 eggs with the smaller air cells. That one pic does look a bit large for day 18, but I don't think any look too awful.

 

[Calichicken2015]

Were the eggs different ages going in? Like maybe the bigger air cells were older eggs?

Yes, misting actually helps them lose more moisture, as the mist dries. Sounds backwards, I know. You could maybe mist the 3 eggs with the smaller air cells. That one pic does look a bit large for day 18, but I don't think any look too awful.

Thank you! They could be older? They are not my eggs so I am really not sure

I will try just misting the smaller ones. It seems like their air cells haven't grown much, while the other 2 are growing more.

 

[BYC910]

I knew it.. I knew the chances of making it through my first hatch without being hands on would be well nigh impossible.

One of my Swedish Flower Hens decided to come into the world backwards.. or at least try to.. she pipped two days early face down/pointed end....no progress for almost 36 hours and the membrane was starting to look badly yellowed. so I helped her zip abit so she could get her head, which she quickly followed with a wing.

Once she got her back into it she did good.. though had to wait for her umbilicus to dry and pull from the shell. Yolk was fully inside.

Luckily I had taken all but one other chick out so she didn't get trompled while attached.

12 eggs to go... some running into day 23 with no pips but some movement. Can you pip the shell for them if you hear cheeping? Some of these brahma eggs are very solid.

You can pip the shell . I have piped them zipped them and taken them out of the shell a lot more than once . Go slow to ensure the yolk is absorbed completely . Assisted hatching is a lot better with small incubators .The survival rate is a lot higher . I've had a lot more success in small incubators than my GQF cabinets . Day 23 is getting late . Text book says go through day 25 and toss them out . I have very few that hatch on day 22 and by day 23 they are done .

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Hi All!! First I wanted to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for all your advice and help in hatching!!!! Yesterday I had 4 baby quails hatch They are all happy and healthy running around the brooder All of your advice with keeping the humidity right made my hatch successful so far!!! Tonight I have 5 bantam Cochin eggs that have external pips and they are chirping to each other in there!!!! I did add sponges all over to get the humidity up to 65-70% but it has been a struggle!!! It is just so DRY up here!!! Fingers crossed they hatch out ok!!!! Here are my air cells for my ducks in bator #2. 2 of eggs look like the air cells are big??? and 3 look small??? Please give some advice and let me know what I should do. I only had one duck make it to hatch last time due to air cells getting big too fast. Running humidity in this one at 55% already and on day 18 of 28. Also, should I be misting the eggs? Or not? I was reading that misting causes them to lose more moisture so nit sure what to do here? Worried about this one...it is my biggest duck egg. 3 eggs are like this one? I am seeing movement and development in all 5 stiil

I am so excited to read this! That's great news! You are finally finding what works for you.

 

[Wytchcat]

You can pip the shell . I have piped them zipped them and taken them out of the shell a lot more than once . Go slow to ensure the yolk is absorbed completely . Assisted hatching is a lot better with small incubators .The survival rate is a lot higher . I've had a lot more success in small incubators than my GQF cabinets . Day 23 is getting late . Text book says go through day 25 and toss them out . I have very few that hatch on day 22 and by day 23 they are done .

I had inadvertantly done this by mistake already with my little cracked egg. One of the hatchlings had pulled a bit of the tape off and a part of te shell... it appears it "helped" by nicking a vein. By the time I noticed the blood in the bator Crackers was gone.

I've pipped into the air cell from the egg on one other... used a touch of coconut oil on the bit of membrane I could see. Letting humidity go back up as one of the 21 day kids has zipped.

Another long night...

 

[Wytchcat]

OK.. so I am going to post this random idea here rather than the DIY incubator area because it applies more to "hands on" than general topic.

My incubator is made from a clear tub and fairly deep (I am going to change that next time actually)

I've mounted my lights on the lid and have a removable clip for the fan that hangs on the side so I can decontam without worrying about electrical sockets after a hatch.

BUT with the same premise... and depending on the size of your arms (I'm a big girl... I would imagine it would be tough for guys too....) why not add gloves the way they due in human baby bators? Or this diy contraption found under the heading "magic mushroom kit" (hmmm.. LOL)




Have it warmed and ready day 18 like a brooder but on day 22-23 you can transfer your "hands on"s over to it and not have to open it afterwards.

I hand turn so was in and out first 18 days but even with a good bator that can take the temp all over.

All the DIY vids cut holes for their sockets (I screw mounted mine.) and then seal the socket with silicone.

The same might be done with kitchen style or chemical protective gloves like these.

They could be pulled up and tucked up when not in use but for moments when hands on is needed...

Not ideal for your larger cabinet folks (the mind boggles... I'm still trying to figure what I will do with the 20 I'll soon have) But for smaller

 

[WVduckchick]

OK.. so I am going to post this random idea here rather than the DIY incubator area because it applies more to "hands on" than general topic. My incubator is made from a clear tub and fairly deep (I am going to change that next time actually) I've mounted my lights on the lid and have a removable clip for the fan that hangs on the side so I can decontam without worrying about electrical sockets after a hatch. BUT with the same premise... and depending on the size of your arms (I'm a big girl... I would imagine it would be tough for guys too....) why not add gloves the way they due in human baby bators? Or this diy contraption found under the heading "magic mushroom kit" (hmmm.. LOL) Have it warmed and ready day 18 like a brooder but on day 22-23 you can transfer your "hands on"s over to it and not have to open it afterwards. I hand turn so was in and out first 18 days but even with a good bator that can take the temp all over. All the DIY vids cut holes for their sockets (I screw mounted mine.) and then seal the socket with silicone. The same might be done with kitchen style or chemical protective gloves like these. They could be pulled up and tucked up when not in use but for moments when hands on is needed... Not ideal for your larger cabinet folks (the mind boggles... I'm still trying to figure what I will do with the 20 I'll soon have) But for smaller

I have actually imagined how cool that would be. If you try it, I'd love to see it and know how it works out!

 

[Wytchcat]

I have actually imagined how cool that would be. If you try it, I'd love to see it and know how it works out!

I may have to go read more on that Magic Mushroom Kit...

Purely educational of course!

---UPDATE----

Of course there is an Instructable on ow to do this!

http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Glove-Box/

And... I really am shocked to have not thought of the upside down method! Although more for the glove box style or with a turner.