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

[CluckNDoodle]

Peacock progress report...2/3 are externally pipped and I saw the other egg rocking last night. I'm starting to wonder if peacocks are like ducks and geese and this is going to be a very long process...

 

[john_wrightson2003]

Peacock progress report...2/3 are externally pipped and I saw the other egg rocking last night.

Wow, that is so awesome!!!! Can't wait to see pics!

 

[Cerise1924]

Good morning!
Well, I had two of nine hatch on Day 20, and one more on Day 21. Three little chicks are doing well!
However, it's Day 22, and there is no pipping, peeping or rocking from the other eggs in the incubator. I'm afraid of having a nasty explosion if I leave them, but don't want to throw out a viable chick.
Do I...
-Candle the eggs?
-Try water candling?
-Just leave them alone? For how much longer?
-Toss out the light-shelled that weren't looking so good when I candled them a week ago? (It's hard to see much with the olive eggers and Marans eggs).

Thanks for any advice!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Good morning!
Well, I had two of nine hatch on Day 20, and one more on Day 21. Three little chicks are doing well!
However, it's Day 22, and there is no pipping, peeping or rocking from the other eggs in the incubator. I'm afraid of having a nasty explosion if I leave them, but don't want to throw out a viable chick.
Do I...
-Candle the eggs?
-Try water candling?
-Just leave them alone? For how much longer?
-Toss out the light-shelled that weren't looking so good when I candled them a week ago? (It's hard to see much with the olive eggers and Marans eggs).

Thanks for any advice!

I would definitely try everything before giving up on them! You never know but I always double, triple check because I couldn't live with myself if I accidentally tossed out a live chick.
Maybe do all of the above and try to candle them first, water candle if you don't see movement with flashlight, and then if you still don't see movement, before giving up completely I would try a delicate eggtopsy through the air cell to make absolute sure they've passed. If they're still alive when you get to that point you can use some coconut oil on the membrane and go from there if you're comfortable with assisting. Fingers crossed!

 

[Cerise1924]

I would definitely try everything before giving up on them! You never know but I always double, triple check because I couldn't live with myself if I accidentally tossed out a live chick.
Maybe do all of the above and try to candle them first, water candle if you don't see movement with flashlight, and then if you still don't see movement, before giving up completely I would try a delicate eggtopsy through the air cell to make absolute sure they've passed. If they're still alive when you get to that point you can use some coconut oil on the membrane and go from there if you're comfortable with assisting. Fingers crossed!

Thank you, that is very sound advice. Much appreciated!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Thank you, that is very sound advice. Much appreciated!

If you're uncomfortable with assisting you could always wait until day 25. I've heard of chicks hatching successfully as late as that. Just stick to whatever you're most comfortable with. Lots of people prefer to just wait and see what happens. If you're concerned about explosions you can usually do the sniff test and the eggs building up that much bacteria will start to smell bad before exploding. Keep us updated with whatever you decide!

 

[Cerise1924]

Thanks so much! Several of my sweet, healthy hens are from assisted hatches. I've never failed when I assisted, but I've definitely lost chicks by not assisting, so I am fine getting hands on.

Sniff test sounds smart! I am indeed concerned about exploding eggs, because I've read the stories about them on BYC, and I'd rather not have first hand experience.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Thanks so much! Several of my sweet, healthy hens are from assisted hatches. I've never failed when I assisted, but I've definitely lost chicks by not assisting, so I am fine getting hands on.

Sniff test sounds smart! I am indeed concerned about exploding eggs, because I've read the stories about them on BYC, and I'd rather not have first hand experience.

I know what you mean! I pour over information anywhere I can find it and explosive eggs are also on my "Don't want first hand experience" list, lol. It almost happened to me this time though. I wanted all 4 of my Peacock eggs to hatch so badly that I kept putting the egg that really didn't look promising back into the incubator, "just to make sure"... I caught it on my last candling because it was very stinky. When I candled it I could see the bacteria build up. It was literally a ticking time bomb so I wrapped it up and triple bagged it before throwing it away outside, lol.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Peacock progress report...2/3 are externally pipped and I saw the other egg rocking last night. I'm starting to wonder if peacocks are like ducks and geese and this is going to be a very long process...

Well, who better to assist with a long, painstaking hatch than you, CluckNDoodle!!!

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Thanks so much! Several of my sweet, healthy hens are from assisted hatches. I've never failed when I assisted, but I've definitely lost chicks by not assisting, so I am fine getting hands on.

Sniff test sounds smart! I am indeed concerned about exploding eggs, because I've read the stories about them on BYC, and I'd rather not have first hand experience.

My last chick hatch didn’t go so well. The two eggs that did hatch did so on the beginning of day 20. I decided to check things out at the end of day 21. I candled and saw no movement, so I opened them from the air cell, opened the membrane and confirmed that the chick was nonresponsive. I then turned that into an eggtopsy- three had died several days before and were decaying. Once o smelled decay I stopped. Three were fully developed and in good shape but malpositined amd dead. I do wonder whether I could have saved the maloostioned ones if I had opened them sooner, as several had there beaks right at the air cell. Good luck- I hope that you are able to hatch more chicks!!!