JUNE - JULY HATCH-ALONG!!!!!!!

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I used the pictures to go by and the things I've read other places, he was shrink wrapped, the membrane had come away from the shell and was hard, I got him out of the shell, oiled him and let him sit for a while in the incubator, slowly then started taking the hard parts of the membrane off. right now, he's oiled up again and back in the incubator, the other one is still in the incubator and I put some oil on the parts of the membrane that I can see. The other one has managed to get some more shell off, but not bust through the membrane like I think he should be, so everyone is going to rest for a while including me, and we'll see where we are, I know that the one still in the shell is breathing as he's chirping.

That’s great that you were able to help your chick!!! Best of luck that you can get more out!!!

 

[starri33]

@CluckNDoodle , @Mixed flock enthusiast , Thank you both, the little one I helped, is getting his feet under him, the other that I was watching, hatched himself.. so I've now got 11 out of 27. I'm praying about the other two in this incubator.. so we shall see.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

@CluckNDoodle , @Mixed flock enthusiast , Thank you both, the little one I helped, is getting his feet under him, the other that I was watching, hatched himself.. so I've now got 11 out of 27. I'm praying about the other two in this incubator.. so we shall see.

Yay! Glad to hear another hatched! Great job helping them! My fingers are still crossed for the others!

 

[starri33]

Thank you, stomach is finally starting to settle back where it belongs.. I was far more nervous than him... crossing my fingers and praying for the rest of them.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

So.... I now have a 5th guinea hen who decided to join the communal flock!!! My bubble has been burst though. I posted a question about this nest on the guinea forum, and our resident guinea guru states that communal guinea nests have poor hatches because the nests are too big so there are always cool eggs at the edges that get swapped around. I then looked up what posts and internet info that I could on communal guinea nests, and mostly just found gruesome stories of guinea hens who killed their hatchlings (like the many bad broody hen stories that I’ve also read). So, when that fifth guinea decided to ser today, I wasn’t completely thrilled! Plus, the first eggs could hatch any time, but by my count most likely to start the day after July4! There will be fireworks around here so that may further stress the guineas. Ugh, just really hoping I don’t have cannibal guinea moms!!! Let’s hope that our good broody luck continues to hold... At least I have the six eggs in the incubator that I can brood and introduce later, if need be!

 

[Compost King]

So.... I now have a 5th guinea hen who decided to join the communal flock!!! My bubble has been burst though. I posted a question about this nest on the guinea forum, and our resident guinea guru states that communal guinea nests have poor hatches because the nests are too big so there are always cool eggs at the edges that get swapped around. I then looked up what posts and internet info that I could on communal guinea nests, and mostly just found gruesome stories of guinea hens who killed their hatchlings (like the many bad broody hen stories that I’ve also read). So, when that fifth guinea decided to ser today, I wasn’t completely thrilled! Plus, the first eggs could hatch any time, but by my count most likely to start the day after July4! There will be fireworks around here so that may further stress the guineas. Ugh, just really hoping I don’t have cannibal guinea moms!!! Let’s hope that our good broody luck continues to hold... At least I have the six eggs in the incubator that I can brood and introduce later, if need be!

I know nothing about keeping guineas but I did recently get a crash course on Communal hatches from my OEGB's and they educated me on how poorly they do with Communal hatches. When the first one to go broody hatches out her eggs, and its usually 1/4 of them maybe 1/3 of her eggs... all the other OEGB leave their eggs and raise the hatched birds... and sometimes I have more mothers than chicks.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I know nothing about keeping guineas but I did recently get a crash course on Communal hatches from my OEGB's and they educated me on how poorly they do with Communal hatches. When the first one to go broody hatches out her eggs, and its usually 1/4 of them maybe 1/3 of her eggs... all the other OEGB leave their eggs and raise the hatched birds... and sometimes I have more mothers than chicks.

I figured that was likely to happen, and that’s what I posted about on the guinea forum. Sounds like that’s a real best case scenario!!!! It’s hard for me to picture those guinea moms being so bad when they’ve sat on those nests so patiently for so long, through the summer heat and the snake that ate some of their eggs and terrorized the hens... But of course that’s what people say about the broody hens that turn into chick killers too! Honestly, anything that has me not having dead keets will be fine with me!!!

 

[Compost King]

Update: 5 of the stacked eggs on the side were carried out to a Hen that went Broody. Saved her a couple days on developing eggs and made turning eggs slightly easier on me 3 times a day.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

View attachment 1833042
Update: 5 of the stacked eggs on the side were carried out to a Hen that went Broody. Saved her a couple days on developing eggs and made turning eggs slightly easier on me 3 times a day.

Still looks like you should be posting that photo in the Incubators Anonymous thread!!! Seriously, you should read the last post on that thread... The variety and sheer number of eggs that this person is incubating are truly mind boggling!

 

[AquaDuck]

It looks all sunken-in.
I'm pretty certain that it didn't make it. I feel terrible about it eventhough I did what I could. I still have 10 more eggs. If even one survives I will feel blessed.

Aw no! I'm sorry for your loss! Malpositioned ducklings have a hard time hatching, and are very difficult to help. You did everything right with your help, unfortunately it was a little too late. At least now you know how to do it if there's another one struggling.
I'm sure the rest of the eggs are fine, malpositioning is usually a random thing that just happens sometimes. Hope you get 10 healthy ducklings!