October Hatch-A-Long?

[Ms Biddy]

@Ms Biddy their feet do seem to be swollen when first hatched but turn normal after couple hours-- I noticed this with my first hatch a week ago

Here is the same chick today, all dried off.

Today is day 21. I have 12 chicks and 7 eggs remaining. I see a couple of pips. No action from my two shipped eggs. I hope those 2 don't end up as a failed experiment.

 

[Kat MacK]

So I analyzed some of our "hatch debris" (sadly, we lost about 2/3 of the embryos that were viable at day 17) in hopes of doing better next time around. One definitely pipped from a malposition at the wrong end, and hit a blood vessel, bleeding out. The others are a mystery to me. Of the ones I looked at, there were no internal pips, what appeared to be fully developed chicks, large air cells, but a good bit of fluid under the membranes, and the membranes translucent but a bit leathery, definitely dry on the air cell side. We incubated as recommended from several sources for a dry hatch approach to suppor the ODs, which apparently have a tendency to drown in shell. We kept between 30-40% humidity till lockdown, then 50-55% (reportedly there was one low dip to 45% briefly) during lockdown. Anyone with experience hatching ODs have any thoughts?

 

[Ms Biddy]

I'm very sorry your hatch wasn't as you hoped. You did get any of the ODs? A seperate thread might get more replies specific to the breed. The odds weren't good for them and I know you did everything you could. I think even the viable embryos in shipped eggs are weaker and not always strong enough to turn and do the hard work of pipping.

 

[Kat MacK]

I'm very sorry your hatch wasn't as you hoped. You did get any of the ODs? A seperate thread might get more replies specific to the breed. The odds weren't good for them and I know you did everything you could. I think even the viable embryos in shipped eggs are weaker and not always strong enough to turn and do the hard work of pipping.

We did get two of the ODs. Hopefully they will stay healthy, and with extra luck we might end up with a breeding pair. Thanks for your kind words.

 

[ariri30]

A picture of my egg that went cold to the 70s yesterday. I think it’s dead. There’s no action at all.

 

[ariri30]

I have a second batch with two Marans, three amearicanas, two silkies and two Dutch. I had to take out 4 eggs at day 7 that were not fertile. Please wish me luck for next Thursday with this hatch.

 

[BullChick]

There isn’t enough dark area. Are you sure it was alive before yesterday?

 

[Ms Biddy]

I have a second batch with two Marans, three amearicanas, two silkies and two Dutch. I had to take out 4 eggs at day 7 that were not fertile. Please wish me luck for next Thursday with this hatch.

Best of luck with your next hatch. It seems like power outages always happen at the worst times.

 

[ariri30]

There isn’t enough dark area. Are you sure it was alive before yesterday?

Yes it was. When I put it on lockdown it was moving and it looked different.
It’s dead right?

 

[BullChick]

Never assume until 4 days late (and it’s happened a week late before), and it fails the float test(never do the float test too early! A tiny pip can fill with water, and...). Then you start an assist to be really sure.