May 2023 Hatch-a-long

[FeatherProfessor]

Also candles my second incubator tonight. Confirmed 1 no-go d’uccle and all 4 Watermael are no-go. Pulled those five and only 1 of the Watermael was even fertilized. pretty dang disappointed. That was the breed I was most excited for.

Also noticed now that I have the livestream on, I forgot to replace the water reservoir cover going to slip that back on asap first thing in the morning

 

[HeidiGetsChicks]

Is hatching fatigue a thing?

Don't get me wrong, I am loving these chicks. It's been over 24 hours since the first ones hatched and there are still more to hatch; they're pipped any I hear them peeping and see the eggs moving.

Besides the one we lost tragically while it was zipping, we had a very close call with another one. It was bleeding a lot and I managed to apply pressure and we saved it, I think. Have to watch for infection of course but I kept everything really clean and used antibiotic ointment.

I'm so emotionally drained, but it's not over yet. Trying to decide about the remaining two that aren't yet pipped, I mean it's only the beginning of day 22. I waver between wanting to make a rescue hole just in case and to get more info, vs wanting to just leave it to fate and go to bed.

My toddler is extremely jealous of the attention the chicks get, so it has been really challenging to juggle both. He has been fussing and clingy and last night he didn't fall asleep until midnight.

I am so happy with our chicks *and* I think I'll take a break from incubating after this. Rewarding but so, so stressful.

Stats:
- 16 eggs
- 1 egg hairline fracture from the start so went bad early on
- 15 made it to lockdown, with 8 too dark for me to effectively candle with current equipment
- 10 live chicks so far
- 1 dead from a hatching accident
- 2 pipped and cheeping/movement
- 2 not pipped, fate unknown

 

[junior67]

Is hatching fatigue a thing?

Don't get me wrong, I am loving these chicks. It's been over 24 hours since the first ones hatched and there are still more to hatch; they're pipped any I hear them peeping and see the eggs moving.

Besides the one we lost tragically while it was zipping, we had a very close call with another one. It was bleeding a lot and I managed to apply pressure and we saved it, I think. Have to watch for infection of course but I kept everything really clean and used antibiotic ointment.

I'm so emotionally drained, but it's not over yet. Trying to decide about the remaining two that aren't yet pipped, I mean it's only the beginning of day 22. I waver between wanting to make a rescue hole just in case and to get more info, vs wanting to just leave it to fate and go to bed.

My toddler is extremely jealous of the attention the chicks get, so it has been really challenging to juggle both. He has been fussing and clingy and last night he didn't fall asleep until midnight.

I am so happy with our chicks *and* I think I'll take a break from incubating after this. Rewarding but so, so stressful.

Stats:
- 16 eggs
- 1 egg hairline fracture from the start so went bad early on
- 15 made it to lockdown, with 8 too dark for me to effectively candle with current equipment
- 10 live chicks so far
- 1 dead from a hatching accident
- 2 pipped and cheeping/movement
- 2 not pipped, fate unknown

I barely sleep once they are close to hatching. Lol. The last time I slept a bit better than the other times but I had also convinced myself that the last 5 weren't going to hatch. Lol

That is great numbers. If you can see in the eggs you can either candle to look for movement or an internal pip. Or even just put them up to your ear and listen to see if internally pipped. If no internal pip there isn't much you can do. If they have you can put a tiny tiny safety hole in the air cells then put them back and wait.

 

[Kwoka]

Is hatching fatigue a thing?

Omg yes, it’s a thing lol I was hatching nonstop from mid January until the end of March, and then again with my broody…I’m so over it, but I also can’t wait until my Marans, CCL, and EEs start laying! I want OEs so badly! I hatched out a beautiful Blue Copper Marans cockerel and a tufted Araucana boy in February. I hope they give me some funky chicks with tufts, crests, and feathered feets.

Here’s a little update with Mozza and the chickies they’re a week old now, and it’s really warm today, so I let them out of the greenhouse tunnel. I put them in a more secure run now that the main flock is free ranging. I found a feral cat sneaking around behind the shed, too

 

[Dinoroar]

So the marans hatch finished up and it was not good in the numbers department but I had been prepared for that. Out if 30 eggs set 7 hatched great with heathy chicks 2 dis no internal pip and the rest either clear or early quitters.

The person I set the eggs for said he’s always had really los hatch rate with this flock of marans. It makes me wonder if there is a lethal gene involved.

In other news my duck eggs have pips!!! Im so nervous and excited about hatching my first ducklings.

 

[HeidiGetsChicks]

My last two pipped hatched overnight. They were the tiniest eggs of the batch.

One is healthy, the other has what I'm pretty sure is wry neck. It can't seem to stay upright or straighten out its neck at all, poor thing. I don't have the right things on hand but I'll start with this vitamin and electrolyte water for chicks that at least has some vit E and B12 in it, and will get a better one with selenium once my husband wakes up.

Hope this little one will recover.

 

[Dinoroar]

My last two pipped hatched overnight. They were the tiniest eggs of the batch.

One is healthy, the other has what I'm pretty sure is wry neck. It can't seem to stay upright or straighten out its neck at all, poor thing. I don't have the right things on hand but I'll start with this vitamin and electrolyte water for chicks that at least has some vit E and B12 in it, and will get a better one with selenium once my husband wakes up.

Hope this little one will recover.

Hope your lil one pulls through.

 

[Dinoroar]

So far I’ve got pips on 5 of 8 runner duck eggs. This is day 26.

 

[HeidiGetsChicks]

Hey is there any chance anyone on this thread knows anything about wry neck? I'm struggling to find anyone willing to answer my questions in my "emergencies" thread so I've been flying blind all day and would super appreciate anyone weighing in with their thoughts. I just posted a video of the chick.

Would it be better if I copy and paste my questions here instead? What's the best way to get assistance within the day?

 

[Dinoroar]

Hey is there any chance anyone on this thread knows anything about wry neck? I'm struggling to find anyone willing to answer my questions in my "emergencies" thread so I've been flying blind all day and would super appreciate anyone weighing in with their thoughts. I just posted a video of the chick.

Would it be better if I copy and paste my questions here instead? What's the best way to get assistance within the day?

I can check it out and see if I have any thoughts.