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

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Lol! I don't know how long you are going to keep them before you rehome them, but my little pea baby started getting a crest at about one month.View attachment 1844308

Oh what a cutie!!!

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Hello assisted hatchers: for my hatching guineas, I’ve had a couple pip in the downside of the egg, still near the aircell, but the downward facing portion. So far those few had done fine, but one is now zipped only halfway, all on the downside, and then stopped. Is pipping on the down side an indication for assistance? If I do assist, do I just follow the line of the zip, maybe 3/4 of the way around the egg’s equator?

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Lol! I don't know how long you are going to keep them before you rehome them, but my little pea baby started getting a crest at about one month.View attachment 1844308

So incredibly adorable!! I may keep the peachicks for a while depending on how quickly I find them a good home but I already have a couple homes lined up for turkey poults. I have some leg bands that I've never actually ended up needing, I'll find them and put them on the peachicks just to be safe!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Hello assisted hatchers: for my hatching guineas, I’ve had a couple pip in the downside of the egg, still near the aircell, but the downward facing portion. So far those few had done fine, but one is now zipped only halfway, all on the downside, and then stopped. Is pipping on the down side an indication for assistance? If I do assist, do I just follow the line of the zip, maybe 3/4 of the way around the egg’s equator?

It may just be resting, though it does sound like keets pop out pretty fast. You'll have to decide whether you want to step in but one really good thing about assisting once the chick is already unzipping is that it's likely ready and you won't run the risk of assisting too early.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Hello assisted hatchers: for my hatching guineas, I’ve had a couple pip in the downside of the egg, still near the aircell, but the downward facing portion. So far those few had done fine, but one is now zipped only halfway, all on the downside, and then stopped. Is pipping on the down side an indication for assistance? If I do assist, do I just follow the line of the zip, maybe 3/4 of the way around the egg’s equator?

Oh and more importantly to answer your question, lol. I would candle the air cell and see if it just appears to have pipped the wrong end from a deeply saddled air cell or if it's actually upside-down. If it's the air cell then pull the shell away in the direction of the air cell. If it's upside-down try to peel the shell away without tearing the membrane so you can moisten it with water or coconut oil before proceeding and see what you're dealing with a little better.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

It may just be resting, though it does sound like keets pop out pretty fast. You'll have to decide whether you want to step in but one really good thing about assisting once the chick is already unzipping is that it's likely ready and you won't run the risk of assisting too early.

These keets have taken different times to zip, some incredibly fast (10 min) and some slow (several hours)... this keet is not outside the norm yet, but I didn’t know if they typically have trouble if zipping downward... I’ll give it another hour or two and see if he progresses before I jump in. Thanks!!!

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Oh and more importantly to answer your question, lol. I would candle the air cell and see if it just appears to have pipped the wrong end from a deeply saddled air cell or if it's actually upside-down. If it's the air cell then pull the shell away in the direction of the air cell. If it's upside-down try to peel the shell away without tearing the membrane so you can moisten it with water or coconut oil before proceeding and see what you're dealing with a little better.

So I went to look again and it had hatched - resting! Thanks!!!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

So I went to look again and it had hatched - resting! Thanks!!!

Great!!
How many eggs left to go? Lol, Is sleep in the cards tonight?

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Great!!
How many eggs left to go? Lol, Is sleep in the cards tonight?

Well they’ve slowed down but I’ve lost count! Twenty something???

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

About thirty guinea eggs have hatched, but I also lost my first one to low humidity. It was also one that was heavily contaminated so was upright in the carton, which could have contributed. Wish I’d intervened sooner with that one, it’s membrane was so tough and hard it had no chance; it had removed most of the shell but only pierced the membrane in a few places. Unfortunately, the way it was positioned I could only see the pip, didn’t see the zip attempt. Now that most of the eggs are out of the incubator, it’s much harder to keep the humidity up with constant opening and closing of the lid. For the remainder of the hatch, I’m thinking of abandoning my plan to remove right at hatching to prevent bacterial contamination... It looks like this might be a long affair though and seriously staggered hatch, so I hate to think what bacterial counts are like in there... I also have two with spraddle leg. I’ve got a band on one but it came off the other, who also doesn’t look terribly healthy... I’m trying to get it to drink Nutridrench water, but it just wants to sleep...