New to Hatching - and chickens

[RubyNala97]

Do you have any chicks out of their shell yet?

 

[Jessimash]

I had one hatch last night at about midnight.

The zipping started around 11:00, so it took about an hour. This one is a loud-mouth busy-body!

I believe the egg that was malpositioned has died. I took it out this morning, and chipped away the shell around the beak. The membrane is still entact and doesn't look dry, but there has been absolutely no movement from the chick - I even tapped on its beak. I went ahead and put it back in the incubator. What do you think?

I took a picture and was going to post it, by my internet connection is way too slow.

Somewhere between midnight and 5 a.m., I had another egg pip. I have two more after that. I hope they pip soon and nothing goes wrong.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I had one hatch last night at about midnight.

The zipping started around 11:00, so it took about an hour. This one is a loud-mouth busy-body!

I believe the egg that was malpositioned has died. I took it out this morning, and chipped away the shell around the beak. The membrane is still entact and doesn't look dry, but there has been absolutely no movement from the chick - I even tapped on its beak. I went ahead and put it back in the incubator. What do you think?

I took a picture and was going to post it, by my internet connection is way too slow.

Somewhere between midnight and 5 a.m., I had another egg pip. I have two more after that. I hope they pip soon and nothing goes wrong.

If there was no movement I would go ahead and start opening the pip hole and investigating.

 

[Jessimash]

My second chick hatched about an hour ago. The umbelical cord is still attached to the egg. Is that normal? With the first chick it detached pretty quickly - almost immediately.

 

[WalnutHill]

It should detach on its own in a short while, when the chick starts moving around. If it doesn't, and is just a gray and white string with no pink, red or yellow, you can snip it about 1/2" from the navel. But I prefer to let the chick do it in its own time if it's not a tripping hazard for others.

 

[Jessimash]

I'll wait then. I had to remove the first chick because he was picking at the umbilical and at the newly hatched chick too. I hope when I introduce the others to the brooder, he doesn't pick on them...

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I'll wait then. I had to remove the first chick because he was picking at the umbilical and at the newly hatched chick too. I hope when I introduce the others to the brooder, he doesn't pick on them...

It's typical for them to peck at each other. (Especially newer chicks.) As long as they are all strong and able to move, you just keep an eye on them and let them establish their places. If one is getting overly pecked/picked on or pecked by many then you do need to intervene.

 

[Jessimash]

Chick #2 still had the egg attached to the umbilical when I got up this morning. I went ahead and cut it off. Now it seems like it can't get up on its legs correctly. When it tries to get around, its legs and feet are way out to the side. Do I need to do anything to help him fix this or will it correct itself?

 

[lazy gardener]

Do some reading regarding spraddle leg. It's a fairly easy fix, as long as there are no slipped tendons.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Chick #2 still had the egg attached to the umbilical when I got up this morning. I went ahead and cut it off. Now it seems like it can't get up on its legs correctly. When it tries to get around, its legs and feet are way out to the side. Do I need to do anything to help him fix this or will it correct itself?

What you are describing is "spraddle leg" and can be corrected. This has good instructions on how to do that: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/02/spraddle-leg-in-baby-chicks-what-is-it.html