October Hatch-A-Long 2017

[Harmony Fowl]

#6, a two toned chick, dark on top, light on bottom, from a tan egg. Last update for tonight, I’m going to bed. Can’t wait to find out how many I wake up to!

 

[Harmony Fowl]

Up to eight babies this morning! Two new yellow ones.

 

[Peep_Show]

I have three eggs that pipped last night, but no new chickies yet this morning. This batch is big on suspense.

 

[lilcavwife]

Help Accidently cracked egg on day 21. Anything that could go wrong has gone wrong. Hen stopped sitting on eggs on day 18 watched for hours and she just would not go back. I candled them and They are developed so brought them in and made a incubator out of cardbox lamp and even added mason jars with water. grandson bumped box and thermometer fell over and cracked a egg. I haven't heard any chirping yet which by day 20 they should be shouldn't they. and Yes it day 21 from day I started so it would be day 20. Help please...... Temp is 100 what else should I do

 

[Harmony Fowl]

Well, I did something I never thought I’d do: an assisted hatch. During my first hatch, I watched a chick pip and then open a sizeable central hole in its shell and then stall. That chick died. This time it happened again, so while the chick was still struggling vigorously, I pulled it out and chipped very slowly at its shell. I don’t see how it could have hatched alone in the position it was in, but it was trying. It’s out and a little lethargic for a newborn, but I just hope I did the right thing. I don’t appear to have hurt it and don’t see any signs that it was too early to hatch. This makes 10 out of 19 at the end of day 21. I have had perfectly healthy chicks hatch out on day 22, but my hope is dimming. Still, ten (hoping this one makes it), is good. They are so gorgeous. Once I’m sure I have them all out, I’ll share a dry and fluffy pic.

 

[Peep_Show]

Here's the batch that went into the brooder box from the second set's hatching. There's another white one that is in the hospital bator playing catch-up. It pipped at Day 19.5 and waited until Day 22 to try to hatch and was thoroughly glued to its shell, so recovering from a little extraction trauma.

One egg with a pip and two eggs that don't seem to want to join the party still in the incubator.

The colors in this batch of Cuckoo Bluebars are very diverse and interesting. I especially like the champagne-colored one!

 

[Peep_Show]

Harmony Fowl --
I had two I had to assist. One pipped way early (like Day 19.5) and I could see a struggle with trying to zip on Day 22+... Had no lube left in the shell and the chick was firmly glued in there. No matter how it is, with human intervention there is always extraction trauma. Poor little thing looked like it had been dipped in shellac. But given 12 hours of rest, the chick is now getting its first legs and banging around inside the incubator like a little drunkard. This was a very sticky chick.
The second egg was not quite as stuck, but definitely on the less-than-moist side of the inner membrane and had started to dry and constrict. Hopefully it will survive. Time will tell. It would be nice for the first assisted chick to have a friend in the hospital brooder as the other chicks from the hatch have headed off to the big brooder. Still trying to figure out if the shellac chick needs a bath in order to fluff up. (A chick without poofy down very much resembles a wet cat.)

 

[Peep_Show]

Second little guy didn't make it. Not for lack of trying.

 

[Harmony Fowl]

Second little guy didn't make it. Not for lack of trying.

I’m sorry to hear that.

Mine was a tough call, but like I said, I’ve watched the same pattern not work out before. The chick I helped was in an odd position, like with his head between his legs, not able to use both his feet at once to push. His second leg was entirely caught up in membrane and not involved at all in hatching until I freed it. He seemed extra tired when I got him out and I was glad he had to incubator to himself at that moment. He’s doing well now and I had two more join him overnight, including the bantam egg, for a total of 12 now. I’m glad I intervened. All I’d read about it made me afraid to help, but I get how usually it’s just the human being impatient and then hurting the chick, so all the warnings are appropriate. Some really do need the help, though, and since I plan to be doing this regularly, this won’t be the last chick I help, and I’m sure they won’t all make it, either. Gotta do the best we can.

 

[Peep_Show]

Gentle rubbing and manipulation of the crunchy stuff got the sticky chick looking a little more normal. I don't know that it'll ever be chick fluffy, but at least it's not looking so, well, bedraggled. I moved Hatch No. 2's chicks into the big brooder with Hatch No. 1, but kept behind the littlest one to keep sticky chick company while it gets a bit more with the program.

Normally I que sera sera the hatches, but this little one had half-zipped when it couldn't move anymore. I gave it half a day and then decided to intervene when I saw the chick was still moving and none of the other eggs had pips. Poor thing was really weak from all the efforts and had wings glued to the head and just frozen in place it was so sticky, so after moistening and freeing up, I just left it solo in an incubator for a bit. Still a little wobbly on the feet, but it's moving about upright and being sociable with the runt chick.