Hatching eggs with antibiotics

[Porpie Pie]

Just curious if anyone has ever hatched eggs from a hen that was on antibiotics. I can't remember the name but one was for pain for bumblefoot and the other was for swelling. Since we wont eat those eggs I figured I'd at least try to hatch them. She's a blue orpington and lays light blue eggs that are impossible to see into when candling but I think most where fertile because as time went on I could see the air sac and the rest if the egg was even darker than when I checked on say day 5. I got one little chick that hatched and one that made a good size pip looked like it was starting to unzip and when I checked again it was dead. It was my first time doing a dry hatch so my humidity was 20-30% and then 60-65% at lockdown. I see no movement in the other eggs but its day 2 of lockdown. I'm curious if anyone else has tried incubating eggs from a hen on antibiotics and what were your results? I've got more eggs from this same hen I have to hold her eggs until the 10th of this month and I'd rather try to hatch Instead of just tossing them.

 

[Porpie Pie]

For me it’s hard to tell whether that’s unabsorbed yolk (yes I have seen the yellow stuff that looks like poop on chicks that you mentioned) or if this is a case of gastroschisis. @Miss Lydia @Wyorp Rock or anyone know?

It's not yellow though it's brown and white and kind of dried out. I took another look I'm not sure if it's the vent or more toward the front where the umbilical cord was and maybe it didn't heal? I read the article that says you can gently push the intestines in but that is a..LOT..of intestines to push in and I'd be afraid of twisting something and it not being able to function properly. Even though I unzipped the shell it still went around and unzipped through that papery layer it didn't just bust out. It hatched about 830ish so almost 24 hrs after I saw it pipped. Not sure if it's a product of pain meds/ anti inflammatory that was given to the hen or the dry hatch I decided to try or the crap incubator thats impossible to keep the humidity steady in. All of my eggs went into lockdown on July 1st and some are still hatching. I had 2 duck eggs hatch almost immediately and 1 chick the next day and anotjer duck after that. No way to get them out without opening the lid. I've got a lot more eggs from this hen i want to try to hatch. I think I'm going to have to go back to a higher humidity incubate and go back to using my 'lockdown box'. I made a window and a little door flap that I can sneak my hand in and out of without disturbing the Temps too much.

 

[Porpie Pie]

Not probiotics but I have electrolytes in their waterers, poultry booster in the mix of chicken and duck food and nutritional yeast in the ducklings food for vitamin b I'm sure they all eat each others food. I've got another one thats pipped, I did make sure the hole was large enough for it to get air and I planned on helping it unzip if it doesn't make progress by tonight. I noticed it pipped about 10pm last night but I'm not sure how long before I noticed it that it actually pipped

 

[Porpie Pie]

I’


You’re probably going to have to help it. And I’d put her on some probiotics, I’ve heard it helps!!

OK. I've never helped one before. I read that on day 20 all of the yolk should be absorbed but also in the videos I've watched its possible that when they helped the chick hadn't absorbed all of the yolk. I figure I could help it unzip and make sure it has air at least then maybe give it a bit and see if it can do the rest on its own? Should I use a damp washcloth the keep the membrane moist? Should I wait until tonight or maybe start to help sooner??? DID I FORGET TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS SHOULD I THINK OF MORE!?!?

 

[Porpie Pie]

Haha, I havent used a damp washcloth before, I’ve just picked the outside very carefully and left them to get out of the membrane themselves. If you see he hasn’t been pecking where he pipped the egg it’s time to help him. I always try to get the whole top off first and see if they can do the rest themselves, not sure if that’s entirely what unzipping is but that’s what I’ve had to do. And any questions you have definitely ask!!

OK thanks! lockdown was the 4th and I noticed it pipped last night. If I wait until after work it'll be about 18 hrs since I noticed it pipped. Luckily I'm working from home so I can start it earlier if I need to. I've heard peeping but not any progress from last night but maybe it's resting before it starts going at it again? maybe I'll start unzipping it on my lunch at hr 16 and give it until I get done at hr 18 before I really start helping.

 

[Porpie Pie]

OK then maybe I'll start on it on my break in about 15 mins and check on it at lunch.

 

[Porpie Pie]

So this is what I did so far. I unzipped all the way around and left the papery layer there. I was able to see after I chipped away the shell a space where the beak is so I carefully tore away that papery layer to give it a bigger space to breathe. There's another clear slimy layer under that that I left alone. I did end up using a damp washcloth because that papery layer dried up pretty quickly but maybe it doesn't matter at this point? Anyway it's back in the incubator for now I'll post another update in a couple hrs. Fingers crossed its an update with a picture of a cute little chick!

 

[Porpie Pie]

So it hatched....but not without issue I took it out of the incubator to put it in the brooder and noticed a sac hanging out and thought it was unabsorbed yolk. Looking closer it looks like some Intestines hanging out of the vent? I've got it in a small coffee cup under a brooder light to help keep it from stepping on them. I can't find any info online to help this chick. Will it resolve on it own? Looks like a lot of guts. You can't see in the pic but it looks like poop is sticking out if the intestines. This breaks my heart even though I told myself you don't know what's going to happen so prep yourself for the worst and hope for the best

 

[Miss Lydia]

How’s the duckling this morning?

 

[Wicked Storm]

That’s why I was thinking it looked more like unabsorbed yolk because it’s so luch. How is he?