I have a preemie - what do I do?

[nunlef]

Hi,
I have eggs in an incubator that are supposed to hatch on thursday. Well, one little guy didn't realize that, and he/she hatched today.

I noticed a small pip at 2:30 this afternoon when I was hovering - I mean, cleaning the floor of the bathroom. At 3:45 we have a fully hatched and flopping around blue silkie.

I don't see any other eggs pipping, though 2 others are starting to roll around a little bit.

Also, He is holding his head up and taking a few steps, but then laying down again. I realize he is just a brand new baby, but I want to make sure the behavior is appropriate. I do have electrolyte powder and brooder ready for babies, just didn't think I would have one so eager to be born. (all my human kids were induced 2 weeks past due, I don't know the first thing about someone that's early

)

Thanks for any advice. I'm the most nervous new momma alive, I think.

Thanks,
Heather

 

[HEChicken]

Hi Heather - congrats on the new baby. A couple of things. First is that an early hatch *can* indicate that temps were too high throughout incubation. However, since this is a silkie, that may not be the case. Bantams, if I understand it correctly (I've only ever hatched LF), often hatch closer to day 19, than day 21. So it sounds like he is right on time. Put it this way - if he hatched, he was ready to hatch!

As for the flopping around, yeah, it will take awhile before he figures out this whole walking thing. Having been cramped in that little egg all this time, he hasn't had a chance to use those legs and it will take a little while. Nevertheless, I still find it absolutely amazing that in only 19-21 days you can go from a fertile egg to a whole little creature that is able to see, hear, feed itself and walk around!

 

[NajmoNests]

Oh what a nice surprise! he/she saw you "hovering" and wanted mama. lol If all else seems ok, don't even think preemie. Perhaps you were off on a date? Incubator may have been a tad too high? Or: It was time! Congrats mom! Now you will be busy!

 

[nunlef]

Thanks so much. I can feel ulcers developing worrying about this little guy.

There are 3 silkie eggs and about 20 LF (chickens). The other 2 silks are the ones wobbling around, so maybe it is only 19 for bantams. The silkies were a "bonus" from the farm that sent my eggs, I had never thought to raise them, but I will definitely be keeping them now.

So, I know they can live in the incubator for a day or 2, but is there a better scenario? Do I have to wait until everyone is hatched before I put him in his brooder? I don't want to open the 'bator, but I also don't want this guy to "go without" for too long.

The 3 silkies will brood in a converted fish tank, the standards are to be brooded in my bathtub for the 1st week.


Thanks again. I didn't think I would get this excited, but I swear I've been on the verge of tears since I saw the pip - and I can't believe it was just over an hour, I thought I would have a whole day from pip to hatch.

 

[Fly Be Free]

Congrats on your new baby. The babies are good to go for up to three days due to the yolk that they have in them.

You can leave him warm in the bator for a day or two before moving him. He'll bump around into the other eggs but that's okay. They do that. Seems cruel to those who are still in the egg but it'll be okay.

 

[psycoforsilkies]

Hello
i have noticed most of my silkie eggs do pip and hatch by day 20 usually pip on day 19 and was also told that bantams due tend to hatch around day 19-20. but that is just my experience congrats onthe baby. they are so cute i just keep getting more.

 

[nunlef]

I know that's what "they say", but I have a hard time believing he's not hungry.

Also, does it matter if he doesn't dry out while in the incubator. I still have to keep the humidity up for the others, but he isn't dry.

Thanks

 

[HEChicken]

I know that's what "they say", but I have a hard time believing he's not hungry.

Also, does it matter if he doesn't dry out while in the incubator. I still have to keep the humidity up for the others, but he isn't dry.

Thanks

They spend their last bit of time in the egg absorbing the yolk so that they don't *need* to eat right away. However you are right - offer him food and he will most likely be quite interested in sampling it. Just don't feel that he is going to starve if he has to wait a day.

No, he probably won't dry out in the incubator (at least mine never do). But once he is in the brooder, he'll dry and fluff out in no time. If you have no other pips, and your brooder is set up and ready, with the heat at the right temperature, you can open the incubator real quick and snatch him out, and transfer him. However if he is all alone he might not be very happy and call for you to keep him company, whereas in the incubator they usually seem pretty content to wait for their hatchmates, in my experience.

 

[Tracy the chick]

They spend their last bit of time in the egg absorbing the yolk so that they don't *need* to eat right away. However you are right - offer him food and he will most likely be quite interested in sampling it. Just don't feel that he is going to starve if he has to wait a day.

No, he probably won't dry out in the incubator (at least mine never do). But once he is in the brooder, he'll dry and fluff out in no time. If you have no other pips, and your brooder is set up and ready, with the heat at the right temperature, you can open the incubator real quick and snatch him out, and transfer him. However if he is all alone he might not be very happy and call for you to keep him company, whereas in the incubator they usually seem pretty content to wait for their hatchmates, in my experience.

Hi there, ive had 1 hatch tonight too, she is also by herself in the bater. Everytime i go near her she shouts like mad for about 2mins solid! I really want to put her in her new bedroom but think she will be more appy next to the other eggs and with her shouting she is setting the other eggs off pipping lol.. Ive got one right next to her with a big hole forming! Its hard when you only have one lonely one but i would leave her in the bater for the time been.. My little chick is drying out too....welk done hun..x

 

[debs_flock]

From what I've read, the one peeping in the incubator, will act as a cheerleader for those still in the eggs. And don't forget, she isn't really alone, I'm sure she can hear her clutchmates peeping from inside their shells.

Deb