I NEED TO QUIT!

[LadyShred]

I did it again . . . I noticed 5 out of 27 eggs pipping so I took them out of the bator, peeled the membrane back over their noses so they could breathe, and sat them back in.

I'm sorry I'm paranoid! Just about all the chicks I try to let hatch on their own end up suffocating on their membrane and dying. I've been making little air holes for them since God knows when, and it's been very successful. I notice a pip, take it out, pull back the membrane for an air hole, apply some warm water to the membrane for moisture so it doesn't stick, and sit the chick back in for it to hatch on its own. Haven't lost a chick yet that way.

All 27 eggs are moving, so I'm just waiting for the rest to make a little pip. NEVER do I crack the egg for it. It has to do that much. I give it a little help, then leave it to it's own. The little guys look so adorable peering out of the little window I give them. So at least they get to look around at their surroundings and gets used to what the world looks like while their bloodveins and yolk finish absorbing

I know there's a ton of you guys who are against helping chicks hatch, and I'm right there with you. I hate doing it, but I hate seeing little lives get lost. I had to help a double-yolker hatch not too long ago and that was nerve racking, but BOTH chicks lived.

Chick #1 is out and happy. I once thought he was a brown red, but now that he's drying off, there's the all-too-familiar white dot on his head. BARRED ROCK! WoOt!! Chick #2 is yellow (still in egg enjoying the veiw). Chick #3 is B.B.Red or Crele (still in egg as well). Chick #4 is Dark Colored - probably a barred rock (still in egg). Chick #5 is standard sized Golden Ducking Game PIPPING ON THE WRONG END! Needless to say I was super careful dodging veins to make him an air hole. He is happily enjoying his view as well

 

[I LOVE COCHINS]

Quote:
Sounds to me like you have yourself a perfect method. I myself would be to affaid to help them hatch. I've followed a few BYC threads about helping them hatch. Some live and some don't. I encourage them to hatch on the out side of the incubator by tapping, talking to them and with a small flashlight. It worked beautifully. Good Luck to you and your little fuzzys!!

 

[Lil Chickie Mama]

wow, great info on this site! still not sure if i want to incubate myself though...

 

[I LOVE COCHINS]

Quote:
That is just fine

There is just some of us crazier then others. I'm on my 2nd hatch and I really love it. So I read that your expecting 20 little chicks, so when are they coming? Did you order from a hatchery, if so which one? Oh and we all love to see pictures of the babies, so hopefully you can post some when you get them.

 

[jacyjones]

I am about to set my first 12 eggs and will be way too scared to help them for fear of doing it wrong. I think they will have to do it themselves - that is if I am lucky enough to get it right so they get to that point. Very nervous about this!

 

[Lil Chickie Mama]

Well, I've been waiting to set my order (the list keeps growing only hubbie doesn't know) but I'm trying to get quite a variety. If it's silly, I want three

! For chickens I'll be ordering Ameraucanas, Polish, Silkies, Buff Orpington, California White (their spotted tee hee), and my brain isn't awake yet this morning so I know there's more. For ducks I will down the road be ordering Cayuga, Runner ducks (goofy bowling pin guys

), Swedish Crested, and I need to get some Muscovys too. Right now all I have is one Muscovy that adopted us, or I should say our land, she/he isn't very interested in me! I will be ordering from Welp because they have the variety I want. The soonest I could get them would be June or probably later now. I have to hold off until rice planting is over then hubbie can help me build up a nice big coop and run. Poor guy still thinks I'm only going to have about 5

oops, hope he doesn't get mad when he realizes it's up to over 30 chickens and Lord knows how many ducks...

I have contacted someone close to me though that was hatching Lavender Ameraucanas and was going to have too many to keep. She said I could buy the chicks and was second on the list for extras. Hope she has at least 3 for me. She said I'd get at least one visible lav if she could. I haven't heard from her lately, but I'm hoping that the hatch is going well. I should have them in my little brooder then my chicken tractor (build in progress), but I'll have them at the end of the month she said. Hopefully that means just a few days! I'm so excited about these as I haven't seen where you can order lav chicks, just lav eggs and as I said, I'm not up to incubating yet, I'd mess it up. Later when I have more experience, I'll probably try. Hah, and to think this all started for me as a way to get rid of rice hulls!

 

[I LOVE COCHINS]

Quote:
How exciting jacyjones! I know what you mean about not helping! But at least LadyShred seems to have it down on how to help her babies. I know I was so scared with my first hatch also. Eveyone kept saying "after day 18 don't open the incubator" So I thought it best to listen to the experienced ones!!! Good Luck with your hatch and keep us updated!!

 

[Intheswamp]

Quote:
I don't suggest incubating yourself...the temperature is really warm, around 100F, humidity is a killer...though living in the south helps adapt to that, plus...it seems awfully cramped in an incubator...even the big cabinet types... The big question is...what would you be when you hatched?

Ed
(sorry...been cleaning out an old freezer that had been without power for a month or so....my mind is still foggy from the, uh, er,..."stuff" that I dipped out.

 

[Wynette]

It truly is best to let them hatch on their own. Momma hen does not chip a hole for them...it's much more natural. Yes, it's nerve wracking. You for SURE have to find something to do when you see that first pip, because it can take over 24 hours for it to finally get out after the first pip! Yep - best to NOT open the incubator after day 18. Even though you "think" the temp & humidity gets back up quickly, it can be detrimental to your hatch. I don't know how we've gotten to where it seems like the right thing to do, helping them hatch, but it's really not. I feel a bit bothered that newbie hatchers, when looking for information, will think this is the norm......

That being said, I DO believe everyone has their level of comfort, and if you're comfortable with your process, then by all means, stick with it! Good luck with your hatch!

 

[jacyjones]

Quote:
How exciting jacyjones! I know what you mean about not helping! But at least LadyShred seems to have it down on how to help her babies. I know I was so scared with my first hatch also. Eveyone kept saying "after day 18 don't open the incubator" So I thought it best to listen to the experienced ones!!! Good Luck with your hatch and keep us updated!!

Thanks - I will let you know how I get on. I have 6 Marans and 6 mutts to go in and my DH is bulliding a brooder in our stable this weekend ready for them when they hatch. Fingers crossed!