Hands on hatching and help

[strangeanimal]

For a few months @RubyNala97 and I have talked about having a thread for Hands on Hatchers to come together and for help for those who want to be more involved or don't want to accept the "Never help a chick" theory. People have different methods of hatching, and that's ok. When you find something that works for you, you do it. Don't worry about what other's views are, as long as your method is working- that is what is important. This thread is meant for us hands on people. A place to come together and talk, exchange our "hands on" methods, or seek help in assisting or just to see how our methods really do work for us. We aren't a thread to debate the differences for hands on/hands off, there's a thread for that. We are strictly for people that want to experience hatching in it's entirety w/out being literally yelled at because you are doing it different or because you are being hands on. OH no you opened your incubator at hatch??? That's ok, here we understand and will help anyone who needs it regardless of wether you did something we wouldn't. One of the greatest and most knowledgeable things is candling, and you shouldn't be afraid to do it.

A little about myself: I use an old LG incubator with fan attatchement, and I have awesome hatches. My last was 100%. I prefer a low humidity incubation method, and a high hatch humidity. I am VERY hands on. I open my incubator frequently during hatch and I have NEVER lost a chick that has pipped or started zipping. I seldom have post hatch mortality and my chicks are very healthy with no leg problems. And I am more than willing to assist my chicks if I feel it is neccessary. Why am I saying this? Because these are the things that a lot of hands off hatchers will swear to you will happen if you are not hands off. I respect a hands off hatchers philospohies and that's great for them. But I hate the fact that some would condem and put down those of us that don't share their philosophy. So if you are looking for a place to share your experiences and excitment in being hands on, without the worry of being scolded or threatened you won't be helped in a time of need, feel free to jump in and inroduce yourselves. Tell us a little about your methods and share pics of your flocks and chicks.

I have never used the incubation-method before , this is the first time I do it because the lack of broody hens .
In my opinion it was the one I was raised with : the strong survive , nature's laws and respect it so hands of BUT since I am not my passed dad , but I am me I make another decision , hands ON .
I wasn't sure mine were going well because I noticed that black spot on some of the eggs , their eyes I learned here ( you can cee how new that is to me ) , now I lost track of date since the eggs had been trough much , first under a hen , after that the brooder got without elektricity , so I was sure they were dead , today I notice the eggs can move on its own and are totally black so there is life inside yet I'm guessing they are going to need help due all they have been trough , temperature is still deflecting and I use a dry method on sand which holds the water better for the humidity to go up , now incubation day 15 I put more water into the sand ( not anywhere on the eggs ) and they seem to do fine ,
I will be following this thread and if they hatched I will let you know how they did and how I did

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I have never used the incubation-method before , this is the first time I do it because the lack of broody hens .

In my opinion it was the one I was raised with : the strong survive , nature's laws and respect it so hands of BUT since I am not my passed dad , but I am me I make another decision , hands ON .

I wasn't sure mine were going well because I noticed that black spot on some of the eggs , their eyes I learned here ( you can cee how new that is to me ) , now I lost track of date since the eggs had been trough much , first under a hen , after that the brooder got without elektricity , so I was sure they were dead , today I notice the eggs can move on its own and are totally black so there is life inside yet I'm guessing they are going to need help due all they have been trough , temperature is still deflecting and I use a dry method on sand which holds the water better for the humidity to go up , now incubation day 15 I put more water into the sand ( not anywhere on the eggs ) and they seem to do fine ,
I will be following this thread and if they hatched I will let you know how they did and how I did

Welcome to thread!

 

[strangeanimal]

Welcome to thread!

Thank you ! It is a great thread too so I am very happy to keep up with this

 

[BigWeenMachine]

Anyone know of any bird swaps this weekend in Colorado? We have 38 baby ancona ducks that have hatched in the last couple days and they need a new home!

 

[lizardboy55]

The first two are of the one who sorta pipped internally but never externally. He/she is still moving, even though it pipped on day 23. Should I help it? It kinda looks like it's rubbing against the air pouch and is sorta in it, could it have never pipped and I just don't know what I'm looking at? We have one who pipped internally last night (same look as above) and there is an external pip now. I can clearly see that ones beak in the air pouch. The third picture is of one that is still moving and has yolk left. Is this okay? If the one breaks out will it encourage the others to come out too? Is it okay if the baby duck moves the eggs around?

 

[jenniferlamar70]

That could very well make a weak chick starting out. Glad to hear she's getting peppy.
What day are they on?

They are on day 16 now. I kept them in the incubator for a week. Then input them under our broodys. I candles them on day 14 and their was the fluid. Wasn't there before I put them under the broody...

 

[strangeanimal]

They are on day 16 now. I kept them in the incubator for a week. Then input them under our broodys. I candles them on day 14 and their was the fluid. Wasn't there before I put them under the broody...

hi , can I ask what that fluid looked like on your eggs ? Just to compare a little bit with my eggs , they are one day further , so it should look alike I think .

 

[strangeanimal]

The first two are of the one who sorta pipped internally but never externally. He/she is still moving, even though it pipped on day 23. Should I help it? It kinda looks like it's rubbing against the air pouch and is sorta in it, could it have never pipped and I just don't know what I'm looking at? We have one who pipped internally last night (same look as above) and there is an external pip now. I can clearly see that ones beak in the air pouch. The third picture is of one that is still moving and has yolk left. Is this okay? If the one breaks out will it encourage the others to come out too? Is it okay if the baby duck moves the eggs around?

my eggs looked exactly your last picture but now has gotten bigger and I have not once see real movement , is that a bad thing ? I guess so ? I think the eggs itself do move when I'm not there because if I put them on an x sometimes when I want to turn them to O they are different , they lay between that 'x' and ' o ' so it has moved but this doesn't always happen .... mmm , so much doubts right now ...

 

[WVduckchick]

I can't quite make out anything in the first 2 pics. I don't see any blood vessels. The 3rd pic looks like it has a few days to go.

In general, if you see any area besides the air cell that isn't dark blob of the body, you should see some blood vessels also. As it gets closer to hatch day, you should see less fluid area, and more solid darkness.

 

[lizardboy55]

I can't quite make out anything in the first 2 pics. I don't see any blood vessels. The 3rd pic looks like it has a few days to go.

In general, if you see any area besides the air cell that isn't dark blob of the body, you should see some blood vessels also. As it gets closer to hatch day, you should see less fluid area, and more solid darkness.

Okay thank you so much! Also the one who externally pipped still seems to have made no farther progress. Around 3:30pm today it would of been 24hrs since I realized the pip, if it still looks the same should I help it? It's only a small pip I'd just open that up to give it some air.