January 2020 Hatch along

[ShannonsChimkens]

I’m no help. Have 5 Maran chicks 7 weeks and 5 weeks, but no toe webbing or fused. Good to know that it’s a thing with them though.

 

[FortCluck]

Come visit anytime!

We have short attention spans, love to experience new things, and are gluttons for punishment. We also started sugaring a couple of years ago, so we are trying to divide time amongst my hatchaholic tendencies and getting ready for sap to flow.

I just moved from NH 7 years ago we lived in Hancock and Manchester.

 

[jolenesdad]

I’m no help. Have 5 Maran chicks 7 weeks and 5 weeks, but no toe webbing or fused. Good to know that it’s a thing with them though.

I’ve read it’s something that’s fairly pervasive in the breed, but I don’t have enough experience. I hatched 12 BBS earlier in the year from a champion breeder and one had a webbed toe and one with a partially fused toe.

same thing with this hatch, also from really reputable lines.

 

[ShannonsChimkens]

I’ll watch closely if we end up with some Marans in the Tuesday batch. Is it causing any issues with walking/eating/drinking (just about anything)?

 

[ShannonsChimkens]

Posting here and the emu forum. It’s more active here, and a little lonely in the emu forum right now lol.

So, over 2 days Egg A has lost 4g. Most it’s ever lost. Humidity, has dropped below 20%. How I don’t know, it’s rained and snow has melted. Our barn is wet humid mess, yet the basement is drier than ever?? Screwy. I hate to start adding water all of a sudden here at the end. I kind of feel like consistency is good, but I’ve never hatched an emu. Egg B, I’m pretty sure, is kaput. Leaving it in there for now.

I have been trying the wiggle test with my bigger egg (Egg#2) which is on day 34 as of now. Haven’t seen anything. Trying SO hard to be patient. Egg#3 is on day 30, so I’m not expecting movement. Have been watching through the incubator though.

When did you first see movement? Is the wiggle test the only way you’ve tested to see if they’re alive?

 

[jolenesdad]

I’ll watch closely if we end up with some Marans in the Tuesday batch. Is it causing any issues with walking/eating/drinking (just about anything)?

No... but the one i noticed from this batch (I am headed to do a closer inspection now of them all) was pretty tightly fused together.

I've read with tight webbing that you really should cut it so they can effectively scratch and the jury is out if left intact if it causes discomfort later on in life. They should always be removed from breeding programs. Im still trying to research, I have no problems not breeding it if its a pullet, and I feel like it's a little too risky to cut this tightly fused one.

I'll post photos later.

 

[jolenesdad]

One chick has a very slightly webbed toe and the other has a fused toe. It’s fully fused at the nail I can’t even see where you would cut it, although you can see the webbing the rest of the foot.

 

[ShannonsChimkens]

Very sharp razor blade would probably do it with minimal pain and antibiotic spray. But I’m a sissy and couldn’t do it myself!

 

[ShannonsChimkens]

I was able to read your last post in a bit more depth. So if you were to split the fused toes, you would end up with open wounds instead of just a little cut?

If you know of a good vet, could possibly get it done by them. They might have a good way of getting the wound to heal better. It’ll be your luck and spend a $100 on rooster toes.

 

[jolenesdad]

I was able to read your last post in a bit more depth. So if you were to split the fused toes, you would end up with open wounds instead of just a little cut?

If you know of a good vet, could possibly get it done by them. They might have a good way of getting the wound to heal better. It’ll be your luck and spend a $100 on rooster toes.

I’m laughing this is all exactly what I was thinking.

I do have a vet that helps me with lots. I wonder if they’d just get out the scalpel and hope for the best for me if I take the chick in along with something else for a regular checkup.