May Hatch Thread--Fill up those bators n' broodies!

[jnjmanning]

It's one hatch down for May - one to go due on 30th. Out of this hatch - I set 26 eggs. I have 16 healthy babies in the brooder (will post pics shortly) - one little chick still in the bator (will explain later) - one that pipped and started zipping but died mid zip (I pulled it out and its internal organs were on the outside) - and the remaining 8 eggs well - 2 had formed perfectly absorbed all yoke and veins but never pipped? They appeared to have drowned but not sure that is possilbe because I did dry incuabtion? 2 others were formed but looked like they quit on lock down day - still had a small yoke sac and veins but both had deformed heads and legs. 2 quitters midway through. One quit way early (looked to be around day 8/9). And finally - I had one perfectly clear egg - oops missed it!! The last two were really dark and I couldn't see through them good. Counting the one still in the bator that is a 65% hatch rate - I'll take that - not too bad.

Now about this baby still in the bator - I need some opinions - it hatched perfectly - all by itself. When I noticed it - s/he was still laying on it's back just out of the egg - and the part of it's belly where the yoke absorbs into the navel was BLACK (just under the skin) but the yoke was completely absorbed. Every other chick that I have had to hatch had a yellowish orange belly (the color of the yoke sac). I didn't think much about it and went back to check on it 30 minutes later - it seemed fine - had gotten to its feet and was running around like mad. Then an hour later - I went to move it and the remaining 3 chicks into the brooder and there was blood, black goo, and green slime everywhere. The entire contents of this poor chicks belly had seemingly errupted out of it's navel BUT it was still up on it's feet running about all over and seemed healthy (other than the gunk it was leaving behind). This was yesterday around 4PM. I had to run some errands so I decided to leave it in the bator to see what would happen. At 10PM last night - all seemed well - the goop had dried up - most had fallen off but a little was still stuck to the chick. I didn't want the other chicks picking at it so I left it in the bator overnight and was going to attempt washing the dried up stuff off this morning (giving it time to heal). I opened the bator this morning and there was more green bile oozing from the navel area which is very large compared to other chicks. However the chick still seems fine - running about like normal. Is this something that will pass - does it just need to expel this stuff or is this something that it will not pull through. Just wondering if I need to nurture it or humanely end it? As horrible as that sounds I do not believe in letting an animal suffer if death is inevitable - but I have never seen anything like this before.

I havent either. Think I will do some research and get back with you. Until then I would keep it separate.

 

[LoveNewChicks]

the chicks (in the eggs) are getting huge!
they look like they are on a hammock, swinging back and forth.
now I'm REALLY sure that only one dosen't have anything

 

[hokankai]

Sounds like a bacterial infection in the yolk. The body probably expelled it knowing it was infected. I'm not sure how it will do...depends on if bacteria made it into the body cavity of the chick. You will just have to keep an eye on it.

It's one hatch down for May - one to go due on 30th. Out of this hatch - I set 26 eggs. I have 16 healthy babies in the brooder (will post pics shortly) - one little chick still in the bator (will explain later) - one that pipped and started zipping but died mid zip (I pulled it out and its internal organs were on the outside) - and the remaining 8 eggs well - 2 had formed perfectly absorbed all yoke and veins but never pipped? They appeared to have drowned but not sure that is possilbe because I did dry incuabtion? 2 others were formed but looked like they quit on lock down day - still had a small yoke sac and veins but both had deformed heads and legs. 2 quitters midway through. One quit way early (looked to be around day 8/9). And finally - I had one perfectly clear egg - oops missed it!! The last two were really dark and I couldn't see through them good. Counting the one still in the bator that is a 65% hatch rate - I'll take that - not too bad.

Now about this baby still in the bator - I need some opinions - it hatched perfectly - all by itself. When I noticed it - s/he was still laying on it's back just out of the egg - and the part of it's belly where the yoke absorbs into the navel was BLACK (just under the skin) but the yoke was completely absorbed. Every other chick that I have had to hatch had a yellowish orange belly (the color of the yoke sac). I didn't think much about it and went back to check on it 30 minutes later - it seemed fine - had gotten to its feet and was running around like mad. Then an hour later - I went to move it and the remaining 3 chicks into the brooder and there was blood, black goo, and green slime everywhere. The entire contents of this poor chicks belly had seemingly errupted out of it's navel BUT it was still up on it's feet running about all over and seemed healthy (other than the gunk it was leaving behind). This was yesterday around 4PM. I had to run some errands so I decided to leave it in the bator to see what would happen. At 10PM last night - all seemed well - the goop had dried up - most had fallen off but a little was still stuck to the chick. I didn't want the other chicks picking at it so I left it in the bator overnight and was going to attempt washing the dried up stuff off this morning (giving it time to heal). I opened the bator this morning and there was more green bile oozing from the navel area which is very large compared to other chicks. However the chick still seems fine - running about like normal. Is this something that will pass - does it just need to expel this stuff or is this something that it will not pull through. Just wondering if I need to nurture it or humanely end it? As horrible as that sounds I do not believe in letting an animal suffer if death is inevitable - but I have never seen anything like this before.

 

[el pollo rey]

Wohooooooooo Pip assist! I got the shell open and both are resting and breathing! Had I not opened a pip myself in the shell, I am sure they would have died. They were no where close to be able to pip the shell on their own! I lost 2 from my last batch because they pipped internally and died. Now to wait for them to absorb the yolk and blood!

. Good deal jac

 

[Madpolak]

Hi again all!! I finally quit trying to construct my own incubator between work and farm tasks and went out and bought one at Murdoch's here in Colorado. Calibrated on Wednesday and set the 9 Barred Rock / sexlink crosses on Thursday. Now on day three anticipating a hatch on 6/6. These will hopefully be replacements for the two great layers some critter in the neighborhood ate back at the end of April.

Incubator seems to be holding the temp fine but having a little trouble getting the humisity where it should be. It's staying between 50-60%. Is that too much for right now?

 

[jnjmanning]

Hi again all!! I finally quit trying to construct my own incubator between work and farm tasks and went out and bought one at Murdoch's here in Colorado. Calibrated on Wednesday and set the 9 Barred Rock / sexlink crosses on Thursday. Now on day three anticipating a hatch on 6/6. These will hopefully be replacements for the two great layers some critter in the neighborhood ate back at the end of April.

Incubator seems to be holding the temp fine but having a little trouble getting the humisity where it should be. It's staying between 50-60%. Is that too much for right now?

Well I think that has a lot to do with your climate there. If you are really dry 50% is ok, if you are really humid you need to be 30's. Do you have an external hygrometer? One that can measure your room humidity?

 

[Madpolak]

We keep the house humidity at about 40%, we are pretty dry here. Drought conditions actually. So you think I should keep it under 50%?

 

[jnjmanning]

We keep the house humidity at about 40%, we are pretty dry here. Drought conditions actually. So you think I should keep it under 50%?

I have been reading on this, and many others use this practice with much better results than what has been suggested for years, including myself.
For days 1-18 you take the humidity level of your home or area where the incubator is, and add to it the incubator humidity and they should equal 80. So for you, incubator humidity should be at 40% since your room is 40%
Then on lockdown or hatch you need to increase your incubator level so that the numbers equal 100. So you would go up to 60% if your room was 40%.
Understand?

 

[el pollo rey]

Yes 2 Bunts! They are still in the shell but I can see them breathing! These air cells went clear down the whole side of the egg to about 1/2 inch from the bottom! Still have 7 more on the late schedule and 6 that went in with these guys this morning. They have GREAT looking air cells, normal actually, and much larger chicks than these. I think the air cell mess makes for a smaller chick. I will post pics when they are out!

ha haa I told you last week not write them off !!!! Cool deal

 

[jnjmanning]

Room humidity and temperature effect the incubator. That is why they say to be in a room where temps are 60-70's. Too much humidity and you can drown a chick, too little and you can shrink wrap it.