Hatching for Valentine's Day???

[TheNewMrsEvans]

So 3 have hatched! One died because he was upside-down

I opened it and he was perfect...I suck I should have helped him faster

One made it out on his own, the other two needed help, but now are out and starting to preen themselves

The last egg hasn't even piped internally...it looked so good, but now I'm not sure it's still alive...I'll just leave it in and keep my fingers crossed...

Phew! Hatching these guys is stressful! But at least I got more than one so he won't be lonely! I was worried there for a while...60%...grrrrr...

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

We had 15 of 15 of our cayugas hatch on Valentines Day.
They were from our blues/ blacks
9 turned out blue, 6 were blacks

These are from the week before

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Quote:
What a great hatch and what adorable ducklings!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Quote:
It's a tough call to know when to help & when to hold back when it comes to helping chicks hatch. No matter what you do, you have a 50% chance of doing the wrong thing. My theory about the leg weakness in "helped" chicks is that they need the exercise of pushing themselves out of their shells in order to make their legs strong enough to walk after hatching. I may be way wrong, but that's my theory.

Because once I had to help a chick hatch, there was no question about what to do because the poor thing was being attacked by fire ants that were crawling into the shell through the pip hole. This was in a broody's nest box on the ground, most of the other chicks had hatched the day before & Mama had taken them out for lunch, leaving the nest alone. I could hear this chick's screeches from across the yard! I had to quickly peel away the shell & membrane & blow off all the fire ants.

It happened so quickly that the poor lil' chick was left all wet & still curled up into an egg shape. I put it in a box with a lamp for heat, & we waited & watched. Gradually the chick straightened out & dried off, but it was very weak in its legs for several days. Slowly but surely it was finally able to stand straight and walk around.

After that, the chick was fine and grew normally, until several weeks later when a snake killed it...and couldn't swallow it!

 

[slickchick]

Here is my Valentine's Day brood..some hatched early this morning.

BBS Orpingtons from Tuffoldhen

SLW

barred rocks

Ameraucana

 

[slickchick]

Here are some updated pictures of the brood. Now 4 weeks old!!! Time flies and so are the feathers now.

BBS orps from Tuffoldhen:

SLW:

EE'S:

Barred Rocks:

Any ideas about who is what?

 

[Bock_Bock]

ok here is my update too lol i just got back inside from taking pics i had my 1 duckling hatch on valentines so here it is