November/December "Hatch-a-Long"

[DeannaA]

I have never done the float test, but I have heard to make sure you candle first as you need to be certain there is no internal pip or you can drown the chicks inside. Don't know from experience - just throwing it out as warning to anyone thinking of trying it for the first time. Please correct me anyone if I am mistaken or that is an old wive's tale.

As for helping, I am glad you did - I do it too

All life is precious to me. I don't care if all my chicks aren't super chick. I have lots of friends happy to take a free chicken if I don't use it as a breeder

And so far I have rarely ever lost a chick I helped. Usually I can't tell them from the others. Most complications are just a result of malposition - which I don't believe has anything to do with the health of the chick as much as it does the fact that they are being hatched by humans using a machine. To me its like saying a human baby born breech must be sickly for life

For me I tend to find which ever one hatches first tends to be the one that gives me trouble.

Same with this hatch. The two that could not have hatched without assistance because they had their beaks buried down into their bellies are doing great - but the first to hatch is laying around looking weak and sickly. Like maybe it hatched first because something wasn't right in there and it needed to get out or something

I know all of the reason not to help but I can't let one die without giving it the best chance. I have a few gimpy ones. I love them all. I keep thinking the same thing. What if the reason it isn't hatching on it's own is because of temp or humidity or shipping? The guy I bought Maxs egg from hatched the rest of the eggs with no problem under the turkey. But the 3 of the 4 I had died and I had to bust Max out. Soooo glad I did. But there is definately something wrong with Max. But he is perfectly normal if he were a 10 year old boy. Although he listens better.

 

[familypendragon]

Is normal really so important? Normal within a specific group is good enough for me. What finally helped it? I like to learn these things just in case. I have also made grapefruit, lemon, lime and orange. All very yummy. Max is fast when he drinks. Hard to get a clear picture.

I don't know what helped the chick, but maybe it was the little chick enema?? I used warm water in a tiny syringe and flushed some into its vent. I am a freak I know...

 

[familypendragon]

Well, day 24 is over for my first two and NO pips and no longer notice any movement.  The eggs with TODAY as a hatch date also no chicks...one pip and that egg is showing movement, other than that...nothing.   I just need at least one to hatch for my sanity's sake.  I candled some newer eggs today that are very light and I could see better...they were not fertile!  So obviously I threw them out.  Hope that this isn't the case with my darker eggs and I just couldn't tell??  But there is for sure SOMETHING in the eggs in the bator!  I have seen movement.  Gesh..just a little discouraged tonight.  This fever of 102 probably isn't helping.

So sorry. I would guess that something about your temp/humidity settings isn't what you think it is in there. Late hatches usually means low temps... If it was me, I'd definitely be taking them out, doing an artificial pip and seeing what the heck is going on in there. If any are still alive, they may need help. But not every one feels that way.

 

[bhaugh]

I have never done the float test, but I have heard to make sure you candle first as you need to be certain there is no internal pip or you can drown the chicks inside. Don't know from experience - just throwing it out as warning to anyone thinking of trying it for the first time. Please correct me anyone if I am mistaken or that is an old wive's tale.

As for helping, I am glad you did - I do it too

All life is precious to me. I don't care if all my chicks aren't super chick. I have lots of friends happy to take a free chicken if I don't use it as a breeder

And so far I have rarely ever lost a chick I helped. Usually I can't tell them from the others. Most complications are just a result of malposition - which I don't believe has anything to do with the health of the chick as much as it does the fact that they are being hatched by humans using a machine. To me its like saying a human baby born breech must be sickly for life

For me I tend to find which ever one hatches first tends to be the one that gives me trouble.

Same with this hatch. The two that could not have hatched without assistance because they had their beaks buried down into their bellies are doing great - but the first to hatch is laying around looking weak and sickly. Like maybe it hatched first because something wasn't right in there and it needed to get out or something

The first chick that hatched was HUGE. I couldn't believe that it could have lived in that shell. I did do eggtopsy though on the porous egg that everyone had said to watch out for. And they were right. The chick had died and it had a bad smell. There wasnt any green in the egg, the liquid was yellow but I still felt bad for the chick just the same. So I guess my egg bopping in the water was just wishful thinking for that egg. Two of the eggs chirped after they came out of the water. The big fatty I don't think did. Couldnt get his chirps going because there was no room left in the egg

 

[bhaugh]

CONGRATS!

I do remember you posting about your eggs! very fun!
I think most of us chicken lovers help...maybe when we shouldn't but we do things artificially and then decide to let nature take it's course? no! we are responsible for a life at that point!

THANKS. I am very happy. Dont think my job will be though. After saying good bye to the chicks and getting ready to leave for work, the garage door wouldnt open and by the time I got it open the chicks were hatching. I just couldnt leave so I stayed home. Considered it a sign. Would have probably left the last chick I helped alone and he/she would have most likely died.

 

[mollychick2013]

UPDATE: The Black Sex-links are soon to hatch early next week! (tuesday approx) On Day 15 now will be at day 16 at 11:30 am Halloween. We have 24 eggs in there, all are still moving and growing EXCEPT apocalypse that died before getting past the veining stage. (Irony...) Thor the double yoker is looking awesome, both are big and moving well and keep growing. Little Foot and many others are practically dancing in their shells when I candle them. Saturday late morning is LOCKDOWN!!!!

 

[familypendragon]

UPDATE:  The Black Sex-links are soon to hatch early next week! (tuesday approx) On Day 15 now will be at day 16 at 11:30 am Halloween.  We have 24 eggs in there, all are still moving and growing EXCEPT apocalypse that died before getting past the veining stage.  (Irony...)   Thor the double yoker is looking awesome, both are big and moving well and keep growing.  Little Foot and many others are practically dancing in their shells when I candle them.  Saturday late morning is LOCKDOWN!!!!      

Yay!!!

 

[familypendragon]

LOL! I have one lone egg in lockdown now. This is my last egg, last hatch of the year. Whew, I will actually be relieved to take a break from hatching and get some sleep, LOL! I think I have been hatching non stop staggered hatches since August...

 

[keepmumsane]

   I get home from work at 5:30 an the power is out , Temps in the 88 and humidty is saying 90 , I run around looking for a heat source I end up with tea lights  ,I watch my temps  for about an hour til power comes on ! Now all is well Tomorrow is suppose to be hatch day hopefully this doesnt mess up my hatch !

this nightmare just occurred to me too, we've had heaps of power cuts lately. ? Fingers crossed for you:/

 

[MrsJenSmith2007]

SO I attempted to make a pip for my two very late eggs. When I did I could see that they appear to have quit developing a while back. Not sure how/why but I could SWEAR I have seen movement from these 2 eggs. Wondering if it's not some kind of external vibration making the eggs shake. If so, that could be a problem, right? I don't know. Just hope that I have some chicks in the remaining eggs, but not too hopeful at this point. Also threw out 3 eggs yesterday that were 14 days and obviously totally clear. I plan to attempt the next hatch with local eggs that are not mine to see if that solves my problems at all. Also ordering a new thermometer/hygrometer in case mine is not accurate which seems could be the case. Holding out a little hope for the rest of my eggs, but looking forward to trying again after I work out the kinks.