July 2015 Hatch A Long HAL

[tao chick]

Official Day 10 candling. I only candled 25 of 40 because I got tired and realized not much has changed. I will candle again on Day 16 (it's my lucky number) and other than keeping a close eye on 2 of my most worrisome I will only be turning them from here on out. Air sacs are growing. Temp is usually steady. I've been trying a drier incubation and keeping it at about 40-50% until lockdown. I read about 60% and 30% so I chose somewhere in between. I'll fill reservoirs and add sponges at lockdown. I'm flying by the seat of my pants here and documenting like crazy.

 

[suliah]

Well first incubation, 12 at lockdown...

Yesterday late (day 19) I had one pip, then by morning realize s/he died. I pulled it out (I know, but I did it quick and the humidity stayed high) to try to help but realized it was too late. I'm slightly concerned the chick may have drowned, but really not sure. it was fully formed and I could see the little beak moving last night, just couldn't finish the job.

This morning only 1 more had just started to pip. it's early on day 20.

also heard them peeping last night, and didn't hear it this morning. I'm just hoping it's not my chickens that are unhealthy... If they all die at this point I'm going to

!

Hoping to come home to a few more pips after work today, and maybe wake up to a chick or two tomorrow!

 

[Loc20chick]

Well first incubation, 12 at lockdown...

Yesterday late (day 19) I had one pip, then by morning realize s/he died. I pulled it out (I know, but I did it quick and the humidity stayed high) to try to help but realized it was too late. I'm slightly concerned the chick may have drowned, but really not sure. it was fully formed and I could see the little beak moving last night, just couldn't finish the job.

This morning only 1 more had just started to pip. it's early on day 20.

also heard them peeping last night, and didn't hear it this morning. I'm just hoping it's not my chickens that are unhealthy... If they all die at this point I'm going to

!

Hoping to come home to a few more pips after work today, and maybe wake up to a chick or two tomorrow!

praying they make it. What is your humidity running at?

 

[Loc20chick]

Well, I'm done with incubator hatching for now, probably till the big coop is finished. I have 1 Broody now sitting on 5 eggs, not sure when it added the 5th egg so will be watching it closely if it abandons I finish in incubator.

I got a total of 20 chicks out of 29 that made it to lock down about 70% hatch rate way better than in June. 1 started zipping and died before completion, 7 eggs I just candled and 2 had internally pipped then stopped and 5 seemed fully formed but they had not started to pip, no movement on all 7 eggs so I just tossed them. Will be cleaning incubators and getting ready to store them.

Of the 20 that hatched 1 died a couple of hours after going to the brooder, all other 19 healthy but I just noticed this chick not stepping on its legs right
When I stretch them they are ok but as soon as I put it down it folds them and can't walk right. I have never made a splint for a chick, any ideas?

 

[Ciryluk3g]

Day 19 for me... my first time hatching lockdown started yesterday with 13 eggs out of 24 making it this far... 7 silkies, 4 Japanese bantams and 2 bantam Marans.... Nothing happening yet I'm impatiently waiting lol in the meantime I've been getting my brooder ready and hopefully in the next few days I will have some chicks to fill it

 

[chicapee]

Well first incubation, 12 at lockdown...

Yesterday late (day 19) I had one pip, then by morning realize s/he died. I pulled it out (I know, but I did it quick and the humidity stayed high) to try to help but realized it was too late. I'm slightly concerned the chick may have drowned, but really not sure. it was fully formed and I could see the little beak moving last night, just couldn't finish the job. 

This morning only 1 more had just started to pip. it's early on day 20. 

also heard them peeping last night, and didn't hear it this morning. I'm just hoping it's not my chickens that are unhealthy... If they all die at this point I'm going to !

Hoping to come home to a few more pips after work today, and maybe wake up to a chick or two tomorrow!   

it may have been a mal-position breach chick they seem to pip early I had one last night and needed to assist. I was lucky and it is doing well today.

I have just had another zip and hatch and 1 pipped. 3 more nothing yet. Middle of day 21.

 

[mojavemike1]

Once they pip, and no further action takes place, give them at least 24 hrs before you make a decision. I had 1 couple of days ago that pipped and then nothing...in the meantime I had 6 other chicks pip and zip...see my post #285

 

[suliah]

praying they make it. What is your humidity running at?

Right now it's around 75%, but it ran high the first week of incubation then I got it down. I've been keeping an eye on the air sacs and they look right, so I was thinking it wasn't that, but now I'm concerned.

it may have been a mal-position breach chick they seem to pip early I had one last night and needed to assist. I was lucky and it is doing well today.








I have just had another zip and hatch and 1 pipped. 3 more nothing yet. Middle of day 21.

That may have been the problem, it was pipped in a weird position. When I pulled it out this morning I did see that the head was NOT under the wing, so there was that, but I didn't see if it was breach.

Once they pip, and no further action takes place, give them at least 24 hrs before you make a decision. I had 1 couple of days ago that pipped and then nothing...in the meantime I had 6 other chicks pip and zip...see my post #285

So hard to do... I really wish I'd intervened now rather than just watching him die

 

[chicapee]

Right now it's around 75%, but it ran high the first week of incubation then I got it down. I've been keeping an eye on the air sacs and they look right, so I was thinking it wasn't that, but now I'm concerned.
That may have been the problem, it was pipped in a weird position. When I pulled it out this morning I did see that the head was NOT under the wing, so there was that, but I didn't see if it was breach.

So hard to do... I really wish I'd intervened now rather than just watching him die

Don't feel too badly. On my first and 2nd hatch I lost one on each to a breach position. Each hatch is a learning opportunity.

 

[darkbluespace]

Well, I'm done with incubator hatching for now, probably till the big coop is finished. I have 1 Broody now sitting on 5 eggs, not sure when it added the 5th egg so will be watching it closely if it abandons I finish in incubator.

I got a total of 20 chicks out of 29 that made it to lock down about 70% hatch rate way better than in June. 1 started zipping and died before completion, 7 eggs I just candled and 2 had internally pipped then stopped and 5 seemed fully formed but they had not started to pip, no movement on all 7 eggs so I just tossed them. Will be cleaning incubators and getting ready to store them.

Of the 20 that hatched 1 died a couple of hours after going to the brooder, all other 19 healthy but I just noticed this chick not stepping on its legs right
When I stretch them they are ok but as soon as I put it down it folds them and can't walk right. I have never made a splint for a chick, any ideas?

I use bandage tape over a little piece of rubber shelf liner to lay the toes flat and tape them down. Other chicks will peck and grab at it so I watch for that. Sometimes the toes straighten out on their own as they start walking, sometimes not.