JUNE HAL

[spanishred]

Oh the fun of barnyard mixes, so excited to see what they turn out like... Especially the little greyish one with the multi coloured feet!

 

[SunnysideFowl]

My hatch is finally done. 9 of 12. I think ill be putting one down. He had a broken or genetically defect femur. Its not spraddle leg. You can see how the femure makes an unusual s shape and turns the foot completely side ways.

 

[DuckGirl77]

Well. The hatch isn't going so well. The early chick just doesn't sleep. Weird chick! The little thing was using the other eggs as billiard balls. Running around and around the incubator, looking me right in the eye when he could see me and screaming at me then hopping up and down and trying to get to me. The eggs were rolled from one end of the incubator to the other as the chick ran around. This can't be good for them. They aren't supposed to turn at all in lock down. One of the other chicks pipped and zipped and then got rolled over on it's face - hard. Yes. It died. I removed chick "Active" at that point and put him in the brooder. Also removed the dead chick and opened it. This is a learning process for me. The zipped chick's yolk had gotten broken and was not absorbed into it's body. When I went to grab the egg it was stuck to the incubator shelf by the dried yolk that had come out of the zipped area. It will be day 22 of this hatch until noon today and there are 10 eggs left. Still crossing my fingers for at least one more chick and will leave the eggs until day 24-25.

This is just how the eggs break when dealing with living critters. I honestly used to get better hatches with mailed hatching eggs with hand turning. That's the only thing I'm doing differently - using an auto turner. The chicks develop but don't seem strong enough to hatch. Except for one or two. Makes me think there is an area on the turner that works better for turning than other areas on the turner. Any thoughts from anyone?

Now about Mr. Active. He wouldn't calm down (or sleep) in the brooder. He did eat and drink and poop. He is like a puppy. Starts hopping up and down when I get near the brooder. So I took him out and we watched TV for a long while. He bit my hand as hard as a little chick can do that, then he preened my hand (chick kisses?) and then he settled down to enjoy some petting. He did not go to sleep. My husband leaned over to pet him and Mr. Active preened his hand, too. The chick seems to be very smart and very aware of what's what. He's doing a great job training the humans. Put him in the brooder for the night and he ate, drank and then started to get very fussy and cheep for the human's again. Sometime in the night he must have actually slept. He was quiet this morning but watching everyone and everything.


Watching everything.


Noticing me.


Walks over to the brooder (aquarium) wall and gives me a dirty look.
He wants to go beyond the wall.

Oh, I'm so sorry about the chick. I've never heard of a chick being that active in the bator. He's very cute! Hope you'll get some more to hatch!

That's interesting about the auto turner. I'm using one of those, too, so we'll see how the hatch is. Last time I hatched I also used an auto turner but I only got 8 out of 13 fertile eggs, I think, and one died soon after hatching, but the low hatch rate may have been caused by something else.

Oh the fun of barnyard mixes, so excited to see what they turn out like... Especially the little greyish one with the multi coloured feet!

I love his little toes! Yeah, it'll be interesting to see what they look like when they grow up!

My hatch is finally done. 9 of 12. I think ill be putting one down. He had a broken or genetically defect femur. Its not spraddle leg. You can see how the femure makes an unusual s shape and turns the foot completely side ways.

Oh, poor thing. Not slipped tendon, is it? Does it hinder him?

 

[PeepsForUs]

We have tons of chicks! But one had zipped all the way but the shell was sticking to it. Is there any way to save the chick and get the shell off?? It's been 24 hours since he started hatching and he's basically glued in there! I can't see the head yet. We hadn't opened the incubator yet in hopes that more would hatch but I'm pretty sure the ones that will hatch are out already. Can I help this one sticky chick that is very much alive??? Or is it time to say goodbye?

On a second note, there are two other chicks that pipped yesterday but they haven't zipped at all. Any hope for them?? They do keep peeping pretty regularly and put their beak through the same hole they've poked. Any way to encourage them?

 

[SunnysideFowl]

Oh, poor thing. Not slipped tendon, is it? Does it hinder him?

He passed away. there must have been more wrong than what met the eye. The femur made an S shape right before meeting the hock. The lower portion if his leg was turned so that the too of his leg and foot were parallel to his body. After posting i had gone in to check on him and he was no more. Just wasn't meant to be i guess. It happens.

 

[Lacy P]

Only 2 hatched out of that batch. Hopefully the other set will have a better outcome

 

[SunnysideFowl]

We have tons of chicks! But one had zipped all the way but the shell was sticking to it. Is there any way to save the chick and get the shell off?? It's been 24 hours since he started hatching and he's basically glued in there! I can't see the head yet. We hadn't opened the incubator yet in hopes that more would hatch but I'm pretty sure the ones that will hatch are out already. Can I help this one sticky chick that is very much alive??? Or is it time to say goodbye?

On a second note, there are two other chicks that pipped yesterday but they haven't zipped at all. Any hope for them?? They do keep peeping pretty regularly and put their beak through the same hole they've poked. Any way to encourage them?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching

Here is the link for when and how to assist in hatching. I think it might be time to help the stocky chick but double check.

For the ones that are pipped, left them be. It can take about 24hrs from pip to zip. As long as they are breathing they are getting all they need. They may still be absorbing yolk and blood vessels which will nourish them for about 3 days.

 

[BantyChooks]

2/3 eggs hatched!

 

[SunnysideFowl]

2/3 eggs hatched!

That yellow one looks so cheeky!

 

[PeepsForUs]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching

Here is the link for when and how to assist in hatching. I think it might be time to help the stocky chick but double check.

For the ones that are pipped, left them be. It can take about 24hrs from pip to zip. As long as they are breathing they are getting all they need. They may still be absorbing yolk and blood vessels which will nourish them for about 3 days.

Thank you for the link!! I was panicking and finally found it when I entered the right search criteria. It was a bit shrink wrapped but moist under the shrink wrap. Apparently the yolk had dried up and glued the chicks head to the wing and stomach.

For the pipped chick, I followed the guidelines for helping since its been over 28hrs since the pop first appeared, the membrane was dried and the chick appeared to have restricted movement. Once I freed some of the shell, I placed it back into the incubator and in 15 minutes it was completely out! Both chicks are now in the incubator with the other eggs getting dried. They are both walking very well!