My 1st Time - Total Chicken Newbie - **1st Chick!!!!!!!!

[suburbanchickymama]

Updates or pics from you other hatchers????

My 14th is FINALLY about to hatch! I started to worry - pipped forever ago! Then all of a sudden I noticed another little pip on the exact opposite side of the egg!?? But it is finally getting close! My last 2 are still just sitting there.

And the rest of the chicks need to get out of the hatcher! They have officially decided they are too cool for school and are ready to go. They are getting into too much trouble and I really think I'll leave the next youngest in and when this guy finally hatches I'll grab them out and get them in the brooder. Sound ok???? I can throw a damp paper towel over the last 2 just in case and then crank up the humidifier for a minute when I'm done - it will fill the tank up in no time. That's my plan unless someone talks me out of it soon!!! So speak up if I'm making a horrible mistake!!!!!!

Thanks, and can't wait to get updates from the rest of you!!!

 

[koakritters]

i've got 13 out, #13 was shrink-wrapped and i had to help him... #14 im worried about now, it's been trying to poke the same hole now for hours, not moving around at all and that's what had happened with the other one... dunno how much longer to wait until helping, i don't want to risk actually hurting it more than helping... and i've got one egg after that that's just sittin there... it better make up its mind because i've got 16 more waiting to go in!

my computer's being really lazy and slow and not wanting to let me upload pics right now... maybe soon...

 

[suburbanchickymama]

So how did it go, koakritters???

My #14 was pretty much unzipped for forever. I gave up on him at 1 am after I thought he was going to pop out any secondd for about 2 hours. Came back down to check on him at 5 and could see the membrane was all dried out, even though I cranked up the humidity and it was at 75%. I think his little shell had been too long - he was the one that pipped on one side, then pipped on the opposite side and took forever to unzip. I opened it up and cranked the humidifier really high, put the babies in their brooder (finally) and a warm moist paper towel over the 2 unpipped eggs and felt the membrane - it was totally dry and then she opened her eye! She tried to push up and didn't go anywhere. I got another warm moist paper towel and put it on the dry membrane for maybe 30 seconds and then picked at the shell a little - it was super thick! I just chipped it with my finger and unzipped it more and the little one was pushing like crazy trying to get out. I kept having to moisten the membrane and roll it back a little. But the little girl popped out finally and I was able to get the rest of the membrane off pretty easily. She was huge!!! I stuck a little stuffed animal in there with her and (later) in the morning she was doing great! But she does have one little crooked toe. I made a little bandaid shoe for her tonight after finding the instructions on here so I've got my fingers crossed. Once she was getting around pretty good I moved her into her own little box inside the brooder with the others. Once she got used to her little shoe I put her in with the others just a while ago and she's doing great!

Yikes!

Everyone else is doing awesome! I'm having tons of fun with them! Here's a few pics.

Can't wait to hear how it went and see some pics!!!

 

[gronsk]

Early hatch is not a good thing. Means the incubator was too warm. Hope things work out. Chicks will often have problems.

 

[suburbanchickymama]

The 1st was born at noon day 20. About half throughout the rest of the day and then the next half on day 21. Is that really considered so early that I have an incubator issue? I have to say, I was feeling pretty good about my incubator with 14 out of 16 hatching on my 1st try! The only one with any problems so far is the one hatched day 22, but "she" is doing really well also, just has a little shoe on. I really would love an answer for future reference. Thanks!

 

[HEChicken]

Quote:
Chiming in for the first time as I just now saw this thread. Regarding early hatching, I wouldn't worry about it. My first hatch I set the eggs around 5pm. I woke up at 8am on day 20 to find one hatched and a second about to. My hatch was over by noon on day 21 and every chick who hatched was healthy and strong. It doesn't mean I didn't change things up for the next hatch though. Realizing my temps must have been a little high throughout the incubation (reading exactly right but the thermometer must have been off), I did lower temps a smidge the next time, since I think overall it probably is better to let them have a full 21 days.