Jaba the Hen
In the Brooder
- Jul 1, 2020
- 6
- 17
- 31
Hello,
I'm fairly new to the chicken world, but I received a dozen eggs from a friend of mine a few weeks ago, and just had my first hatch! I have researched a lot but often seek out first hand experience from those more knowledgeable. I have a total of 7 that have hatched, 3 male, 4 female. I had learned that the feathers are a good indicator of gender when they're that young, but if anyone knows of a better, but still humane method of determining, please let me know. We are currently in the process of building the coop and hutch for them below our raised deck. Any advice and ideas on that are welcome. I did have a little trouble with the last chick that hatched. She pipped but was not able to get out of her shell, she was still peeping the entire time, and had pecked away enough of the shell that I could see her eyes and beak peaking out. I realized that the problem was from her not being in the hatching position (almost like a breached birth), she struggled for almost two days and still wasn't able to get out. I noticed that the exposed membrane of her shell was drying out and that was making it even more difficult to hatch. I know you're not supposed to help them get out but I needed to do something. I started by removing her from the incubator and placing her in a bowl of warm shallow water and wrapping a warm damp cloth around the egg except for where her beak was as to not suffocate or drown her. I let her do most of the work so that her strength was not compromised, but watching her struggle for so long was very difficult. She finally emerged, but I have noticed she seems to have trouble, at times, keeping her head up, it was very contorted when she was in the shell, more so than the other chicks. and at an odd angle. I'm hoping as she gets older that that will correct itself. But other than that she seems to be a healthy, happy little thing. I'm keeping her separate from the others in the incubator still, so the other chicks don't bully her. I'm fairly certain that if I hadn't done what I did to help her, she wouldn't have made it. Her head/neck still concerns me a bit though, if there is anything anyone can tell me about that, I would thoroughly appreciate it. (Culling is out of the question and not up for debate)
Thank you in advance!
I'm fairly new to the chicken world, but I received a dozen eggs from a friend of mine a few weeks ago, and just had my first hatch! I have researched a lot but often seek out first hand experience from those more knowledgeable. I have a total of 7 that have hatched, 3 male, 4 female. I had learned that the feathers are a good indicator of gender when they're that young, but if anyone knows of a better, but still humane method of determining, please let me know. We are currently in the process of building the coop and hutch for them below our raised deck. Any advice and ideas on that are welcome. I did have a little trouble with the last chick that hatched. She pipped but was not able to get out of her shell, she was still peeping the entire time, and had pecked away enough of the shell that I could see her eyes and beak peaking out. I realized that the problem was from her not being in the hatching position (almost like a breached birth), she struggled for almost two days and still wasn't able to get out. I noticed that the exposed membrane of her shell was drying out and that was making it even more difficult to hatch. I know you're not supposed to help them get out but I needed to do something. I started by removing her from the incubator and placing her in a bowl of warm shallow water and wrapping a warm damp cloth around the egg except for where her beak was as to not suffocate or drown her. I let her do most of the work so that her strength was not compromised, but watching her struggle for so long was very difficult. She finally emerged, but I have noticed she seems to have trouble, at times, keeping her head up, it was very contorted when she was in the shell, more so than the other chicks. and at an odd angle. I'm hoping as she gets older that that will correct itself. But other than that she seems to be a healthy, happy little thing. I'm keeping her separate from the others in the incubator still, so the other chicks don't bully her. I'm fairly certain that if I hadn't done what I did to help her, she wouldn't have made it. Her head/neck still concerns me a bit though, if there is anything anyone can tell me about that, I would thoroughly appreciate it. (Culling is out of the question and not up for debate)
Thank you in advance!
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