On day 20 of first hatching - have several questions

[eblevens]

Oh no...he ruptured the little bit of yolk sac! Is there still a chance he will be okay?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Oh no...he ruptured the little bit of yolk sac! Is there still a chance he will be okay?

Ruptured yolk sac usually leads to death, but maybe if it was a small enough amount before it was ruptured, he'll have a better chance, Hard to say. Do you have him confined in something?

 

[eblevens]

He's in the incubator, sleeping and chirping. When he ruptured, only about 5-6 drops fell out. I can't tell if there was anything else outside his body besides the yolk and his umbilical cord.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

He's in the incubator, sleeping and chirping. When he ruptured, only about 5-6 drops fell out. I can't tell if there was anything else outside his body besides the yolk and his umbilical cord.

Hopefully he didn't have enough left to cause that big of an impact.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

When it is clear enough you may want to put some anti biotic ointment (with no pain reliever) on the "navel".

 

[Titanpaul726]

I chose to assist 3 in my latest batch. They were on day 23 and had been pipped for 24 to 30 hrs with no further progress. They were alive and chirping. 2 still had the umbilical attached to the membrane. I pulled the cord in two at the halfway point. The 3rd wasn't attached to the membrane. That check died. The other 2 are very healthy as we speak. I thought the exact opposite would have happened! I guess you never really know how it will work out.

 

[eblevens]

I don't think he's going to make it. I wrapped him in a damp paper towel and kept him snug in a mug overnight, but I think he may have more than just his cord and the remains of his yolk sac on the outside. I'm not sure. He seems more alert and is chirping, and I dipped his beak in a weak sugar solution. I'm not banking on him surviving, though.

 

[eblevens]

Sadly, I had to cull my last chick. His death was inevitable and I couldn't let him suffer. So, for our first incubation project, we had 6 of 13 successfully hatch and survive. Only two of those were Sebrights, though. We have a broody hen so I'm going to put a few under her.

Next time, I'm saving myself a lot of stress and heartbreak by having a hydrometer!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Sadly, I had to cull my last chick. His death was inevitable and I couldn't let him suffer. So, for our first incubation project, we had 6 of 13 successfully hatch and survive. Only two of those were Sebrights, though. We have a broody hen so I'm going to put a few under her.

Next time, I'm saving myself a lot of stress and heartbreak by having a hydrometer!

An accurate thermometer/hygrometer, the dry (or low humidity incubation) and monitoring the air cells is the best way to go (in my opinion). As long as your bator can hold a steady temp, those are the key things.

Sorry to hear about the little guy. Just a ruptured yolk sac alone is all they need to send them the other way. That's why it's important to confine them in something small in hopes that it will cut down on the posssibility they will manage to rupture/put a hole in it. I thought for sure that even though mine was confined she was still going to rupture hers. She would not stay still for nothing! She was the second one that I had in the hatch that had the yolk unabsorbed. The first's was ruptured as he came out, and he had a lot of bloody membrane attatched as well, He put up a strong fight, but he didn't make it.

 

[eblevens]

All in all, it was a good learning experience, but also very stressful. We have six healthy little guys, and I shielded my daughter from some of the more painful aspects, but I'm a bit too new to this and tenderhearted for the realities of seeing the weaker ones pass away. I need to be realistic about losing some, and prepare myself emotionally for that!

If we do this again, I'm doing a lot of things differently, like:

- have a hygrometer!!!!
- have sponges for extra humidity, as needed, located where I can easily re-wet
- line the wire bottom with no-slip shelving liner
- leave the hatched chicks in the incubator for at least 24 hours
- only open to remove chicks

For now, I'm putting some Sebrights under my broody hen and letting her do all the work.