- Jul 21, 2012
- 107
- 1
- 81
New Chicks on the Block
"Welcome to the world!"
Perhaps the first words a majority of incubated backyard chicks hear when they make it fully out of the shell is "Welcome to the world" or some variation. Mine were no exception. Sure, there had been pep (peep - sorry, couldn't resist) talks rooting the chick to peck it's way out, but nothing when it had fully hatched. Especially if it's your first time hatching eggs, it seems that the chicks deserve to have a warm welcome. (Also, if you were a giant bundle of nerves such as I, it also is a relief to say those words) They certainly work hard to peck their way out into the world.
My chicks had pipped earlier than 21 days. When I first saw the pip on the egg marked "Charlie" I thought I myself had done it. Of course, I couldn't have cracked the egg out could I? That was only the start of my horrible nerves. All that ran through my mind was everything that could possibly go wrong. (I mean, what if a meteorite just slammed into the incubator?!) All day I ran up and down the stairs, starting countless threads and sitting on my hands. I was afraid that my chick could have been shrink wrapped. I was afraid I had too low of humidity. I was afraid I had too high of humidity. But I couldn't help.
When day was done and night had come I didn't figure I would fall asleep that night. I did, but I did wake up in the night, I didn't have nightmares as I feared, but I did dream that I woke up to three very big, fluffy yellow chicks. I woke up at three in the morning to see that Charlie had begun to zip. Nothing else had happened. I later woke at seven to see a newly hatched, exhausted chick on the floor of the incubator. Thinking it was Charlie, I started my "Welcome to the world" dialog. However, it wasn't. Charlie was still zipping. It was Wolf. It completely hatched within four hours. I was, to say the least, surprised and happy (still sad I missed the hatching) and I welcomed him. He looked like the perfect cross between a RIR and an OEGB to which I suspected he/she was. Wolf looked like a purebred OEGB - but what do I know?
About an hour later, Charlie did hatch. I not only saw it, but captured it on video. Unlike Wolf, who was still resting (I mean, who could blame him? He hatched in four hours.) Charlie could almost immediately walk. He was still top heavy, but he could move and started to do so. It almost seems like he imprinted on the thermometer, since he cuddles up to it for extended periods of time. (Come on chick - that thermometer did not have a restless sleep and and worry for you to hatch.)
Thus ended that book of worrying, but it opened just another. Charla has pipped and my fingers are crossed! I shall write about her adventures later, but now it is time for the siblings Wolf and Charlie to have their story told.
Wolf
I shall write about Wolf first as he was the first-hatched. He was always the one that was going to hatch, always the one who candled perfectly. That was until he got cracked. I do not know how this transpired to be honest, but my heart sank. At that point only he and Charla were ever going to hatch. Charlie was never supposed to hatch. (More on that below.) We sealed him up with melted wax, but I still had my doubts. It was a big crack. I was so happy when I saw it shake, but I never saw Wolf pip, zip, nor hatch.
When Wolf did hatch he certainly rested. Sometimes he'd get a great burst of energy and try to stand up, but his head dragged him down. It was rather hard to watch.
Charlie
Charlie was nothing short of a miracle. Ever since day six (approx.) he was suspected to have a blood ring. I really couldn't tell, so I kept him in there. Later the ring seemed to get bigger. So did another egg that had the lookings of a textbook definition of a blood ring. I kept them both out of the incubator for about 20 (?) minutes before I found myself to be too much of a novice to take the chance. So I put them both back on. The other egg I feared was contaminating the incubator because it was a blood ring, I was absolutely sure of it later on in the hatch, so I threw it away to protect my other eggs. I kept Charlie. I'm so glad I did.
Charlie pipped first so therefore was hit with the brunt of my worries. I only wish I could help, but I knew I couldn't. He took his time to hatch, but once he did, he took off like a little rocket.
_____________________________________________________
Any comments?
"Welcome to the world!"
Perhaps the first words a majority of incubated backyard chicks hear when they make it fully out of the shell is "Welcome to the world" or some variation. Mine were no exception. Sure, there had been pep (peep - sorry, couldn't resist) talks rooting the chick to peck it's way out, but nothing when it had fully hatched. Especially if it's your first time hatching eggs, it seems that the chicks deserve to have a warm welcome. (Also, if you were a giant bundle of nerves such as I, it also is a relief to say those words) They certainly work hard to peck their way out into the world.
My chicks had pipped earlier than 21 days. When I first saw the pip on the egg marked "Charlie" I thought I myself had done it. Of course, I couldn't have cracked the egg out could I? That was only the start of my horrible nerves. All that ran through my mind was everything that could possibly go wrong. (I mean, what if a meteorite just slammed into the incubator?!) All day I ran up and down the stairs, starting countless threads and sitting on my hands. I was afraid that my chick could have been shrink wrapped. I was afraid I had too low of humidity. I was afraid I had too high of humidity. But I couldn't help.
When day was done and night had come I didn't figure I would fall asleep that night. I did, but I did wake up in the night, I didn't have nightmares as I feared, but I did dream that I woke up to three very big, fluffy yellow chicks. I woke up at three in the morning to see that Charlie had begun to zip. Nothing else had happened. I later woke at seven to see a newly hatched, exhausted chick on the floor of the incubator. Thinking it was Charlie, I started my "Welcome to the world" dialog. However, it wasn't. Charlie was still zipping. It was Wolf. It completely hatched within four hours. I was, to say the least, surprised and happy (still sad I missed the hatching) and I welcomed him. He looked like the perfect cross between a RIR and an OEGB to which I suspected he/she was. Wolf looked like a purebred OEGB - but what do I know?
About an hour later, Charlie did hatch. I not only saw it, but captured it on video. Unlike Wolf, who was still resting (I mean, who could blame him? He hatched in four hours.) Charlie could almost immediately walk. He was still top heavy, but he could move and started to do so. It almost seems like he imprinted on the thermometer, since he cuddles up to it for extended periods of time. (Come on chick - that thermometer did not have a restless sleep and and worry for you to hatch.)
Thus ended that book of worrying, but it opened just another. Charla has pipped and my fingers are crossed! I shall write about her adventures later, but now it is time for the siblings Wolf and Charlie to have their story told.
Wolf
I shall write about Wolf first as he was the first-hatched. He was always the one that was going to hatch, always the one who candled perfectly. That was until he got cracked. I do not know how this transpired to be honest, but my heart sank. At that point only he and Charla were ever going to hatch. Charlie was never supposed to hatch. (More on that below.) We sealed him up with melted wax, but I still had my doubts. It was a big crack. I was so happy when I saw it shake, but I never saw Wolf pip, zip, nor hatch.
When Wolf did hatch he certainly rested. Sometimes he'd get a great burst of energy and try to stand up, but his head dragged him down. It was rather hard to watch.
Charlie
Charlie was nothing short of a miracle. Ever since day six (approx.) he was suspected to have a blood ring. I really couldn't tell, so I kept him in there. Later the ring seemed to get bigger. So did another egg that had the lookings of a textbook definition of a blood ring. I kept them both out of the incubator for about 20 (?) minutes before I found myself to be too much of a novice to take the chance. So I put them both back on. The other egg I feared was contaminating the incubator because it was a blood ring, I was absolutely sure of it later on in the hatch, so I threw it away to protect my other eggs. I kept Charlie. I'm so glad I did.
Charlie pipped first so therefore was hit with the brunt of my worries. I only wish I could help, but I knew I couldn't. He took his time to hatch, but once he did, he took off like a little rocket.
_____________________________________________________
Any comments?
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