I'm FINALLY hatching something!

[Ariel301]

After problem after problem and having to throw out several dozen eggs, I finally have a winner!

I have some turkey eggs in there that I absolutely could not remember what date I set them, due to a lot of chaos from the goats being sick and kidding time, and grandma dying, and other things. I forgot to put the date on the calendar, and just had no idea. So I've been candling the three remaining developing eggs (out of 30

) every couple of days to try to monitor their progress and figure out when to lock them down....tonight I noticed one looks a little funny. I really looked at it for a while, and realized that what I was seeing was the baby turkey's head in the air cell!

I guess that means it's time for lockdown, lol.

 

[Ariel301]

Well, turkey #12 has been pipped into its air cell for somewhere between 12 and 24 hours and has not pipped the shell yet. I'm expecting problems with them, and fully prepared to help this guy hatch. How long can he last like this? At what point should I start to help him? And, how best to go about breaking into the shell with the poult's head in the air cell without hurting him? When opening up suspected dead eggs, I use a sterilized needle to carefully puncture into the shell where the air cell is to get started chipping it away, but obviously I don't want to stab the baby. These shells are thick, it takes a ton of force to crack them for eating.

 

[ginbart]

I'm glad your getting some turkeys. I tried to hatch them and nothing but I'm trying again. Don't forget the pics.

 

[Ariel301]

This is the only one that has made it this far out of 50 eggs. I am very paranoid about it! I was working on hatching them for a turkey raising friend who thinks I have some livestock magic or something, but after this guy hatches, I am packing the whole thing back up and taking it back to her so she can hatch them! I don't want to kill any more of her eggs, she only has three hens and we were both wanting to get a bunch of poults to raise...

I checked on 12 again, and he's still alive at least. I candled him again, and when I tapped on his shell he tapped back at me. (Yes I know, don't open the incubator, but with this one, all the information I can get about it will help, I'm not going to let it sit in there and die while I sit on my hands!) So, how long is he ok with his head in the air cell before he needs help?

 

[Ariel301]

I decided to go ahead and help poor "12" as we call him (because of the number on his egg to keep track of how many I have done) and I am glad I did...I opened into the air cell, and found out he was not actually in there, but I saw that he was jabbing with his beak for all he was worth at that membrane, and was not getting through because he was shrink wrapped. I got his beak into the air cell with only a minor amount of bleeding, and he let out a big victory chirp as he took his first breath of air! I think he would have died had I waited much longer.

Just out of boredom and curiosity I broke into the two with him that I assumed were dead...and they are not dead! They were also shrink wrapped, but not trying to pip internally yet. I moistened all membranes and covered them with damp paper towels. With the way 12 is fidgeting around and chirping, I think he will be out of his shell pretty shortly!

 

[ginbart]

Well maybe you will get 3 after all.

I know what you mean about shrink wrapped. I thought mine were done and my DS said I had one more hatching. I had to help (her) out because I opened the bator to get the other chicks out and didn't know there was one more. Let me know how you make out. I can't tell you much about turkeys as I haven't hatched any. YET that is.

 

[Ariel301]

Well, 12 is out of his shell and seems happy, rolling around and stretching and taking little naps and then stretching some more...but he's got a complication. He still has a chunk of yolk sac attached to him. He is still attached by his umbilical to part of the shell/membrane. I hope he is ok!

 

[ginbart]

That should dry up and fall off just like a baby's does. Do you have any pics yet? Or is he still in the bator?

I can't wait to see a baby turkey.

 

[Ariel301]

He is still in the incubator. I am thinking he's a day or two premature, maybe. His navel/yolk sac area doesn't look quite right, like it's not fully absorbed yet, and I can still see a ton of yolk inside his belly just through the skin too.

He's pretty tired and just wants to sleep. He is mostly dry now, but I'm going to leave him in at least through tomorrow. Then there will be pictures, if he is still alive. He looks just like a little yellow chicken with HUGE feet lol. He and his two yet to hatch siblings are Royal Palms. Their parents are really nice, so I am excited about these!

 

[Fairybee]

ive got everything crossed for you and little 12

and what ever the other two numbers are

do you know what causes this shrink wrapping?