MARCH Hatch-A-Long 2015: Please Read the First Post to JOIN the H-A-L

[Torch404]

18 out more still working on it. I took chicks out of the incubator during my lunch, when I got home after work my temp was down to 97...had been for about 6 hours. Got it back up and everyone is back to working on getting out. Now I know for next time.

 

[Varglet]

Have a pip! Breed is unknown, so we'll see when it hatches. Might be mixed breed as well. This is the egg that was cracked to begin with.

 

[Heron's Nest Farm]

Thanks so much, everyone. It's been pretty sad, but the other 2 chicks are doing great and I'm trying to focus on that. I also set the hatching eggs yesterday that I had planned to do the March HAL with. It really sucked to have that little dude work so hard to get out and then not make it, but at least it went fast and in its sleep and I didn't have to kill it myself.


Here's the little dude that didn't make it - I named it Neutron.






And here are the two that did make it (with my dogs). They're named Mercury and Frost and my dogs think the chicks are their babies to take care of. It's pretty funny.

You don't have any problems with your westie trying to eat them? I thought they were bread as rodent dogs. I ALWAYS wanted one, but heard tales of them being so mischievous. Great photos and now you move on to the next hatch! I dissolve a teaspoon of honey in my waterer for new birds (mine is a quart sized unit). You might try that next time. Midwives use it for mothers delivering because the sugars penetrate the cell immediately. It gives my chicks a real boost after they make it into the world.

I woke up this morning to one of my Chocolate Orpingtons hatched. A real early bird at the beginning of day 19. I thought so when I candeled. I thought I could see it pressing on the air sac! Another chocolate pipped. Now I'm just waiting with bated breath for my Gold Laced and Spangled!

 

[ochochicas]

Two chicks hatched at 1 a.m. and only one since then. This is a slow hatch for sure! They are really starting to pip now, so that is a good sign. I'm hoping to get some sleep tonight! Will post pics later.

 

[scflock]

6 Polish, 4 d'uccle and a ton of zips. Halfway there and cruising along on day 21. I love my Octagon!

 

[Varglet]

Baby has hatched! The other one was quite dead, not even fully formed. So out of 3 duck eggs, one infertile/no development, one quitter, and the one with the crack in the shell hatched.

 

[uzisuzuki]

[COLOR=800080]You don't have any problems with your westie trying to eat them?  I thought they were bread as rodent dogs.  I ALWAYS wanted one, but heard tales of them being so mischievous.  Great photos and now you move on to the next hatch! I [/COLOR][COLOR=800080]dissolve a teaspoon of honey in my waterer for new birds (mine is a quart sized unit).  You might try that next time.  Midwives use it for mothers delivering because the sugars penetrate the cell immediately.  It gives my chicks a real boost after they make it into the world.[/COLOR]

I woke up this morning to one of my Chocolate Orpingtons hatched.  A real early bird at the beginning of day 19.  I thought so when I candeled.  I thought I could see it pressing on the air sac! Another chocolate pipped. Now I'm just waiting with bated breath for my Gold Laced and Spangled!

She's a Scottish/Yorkshire mix so she's double the terrier trouble. She isn't left alone with the chicks unsupervised & she isn't allowed near enough to snap at them. She's stubborn but well trained. No issues yet.

 

[ochochicas]

This must be the longest hatch ever! My chicks have been hatching since Friday and should be finished by now. It is day 22. However, I had eggs left over that have not pipped, but I could hear chirping in the incubator. I candled everyone, tossed some that were late quitters, and that leaves me with 6 eggs remaining. One is chirping, and two have movement in the egg (the other 3 I'm not sure about). At what point do I need to step in and make a hole in the shell to get the pip started? I know I'm supposed to be patient and wait, but I already lost two chicks that pipped in the middle of the egg and I didn't step in soon enough to help so they drowned. (They might have drowned even with my help, but such is life and it is too late to help them now).

I've been up all night watching the incubator. Time to get a little sleep...

 

[Heron's Nest Farm]

I may be in a different boat here than everyone, but...

I would not step in if they are not zipping. By opening the bator you will shrink wrap the pipped chick in the shell. Especially if you are taking the egg out-even for 20 second- to help it zip. Then any late ones will also be shrink wrapped in their shells. Last time I decided to help one and ended up helping 3. The last one had pipped and not made progress for 2 days. I helped and it was a disaster. Really not ready, yolk still in there, even some white. It struggled for days, just not right, legs not working with a bad eye when I finally put it down.

Now I say this as I sit here in lockdown biting my nails. I don't know what temptation may seize me in the next day or so. I feel you!

Good luck!

 

[ochochicas]

Good advice! I have taken all my chicks out of the incubator at this point since it is Day 22. There are no eggs that have pipped. My humidity is around 80%. There is chirping coming from at least one of the eggs. I have decided to let them sit until this afternoon and then revisit helping them. I had a couple of eggs that pipped on the wrong end and I had to help them a bit, but they were all more than ready to get out of the egg.