Our introduction to keeping chickens, the high's, the lows and pics of our journey.

[Bens-Hens]

I pressed send for that last post and went back in to check on it...and there is a small amount of blood around the pip hole........not looking very good.

Updated with a pic:

 

[Fancychooklady]

You know I've got everything crossed for you Ben.

 

[ozexpat]

I pressed send for that last post and went back in to check on it...and there is a small amount of blood around the pip hole........not looking very good.

Updated with a pic:

Can you see beak movement or hear chirping?

 

[Bens-Hens]

Yes, I am just home from work and it is still alive. Its moving from time to time and the bleeding stopped.

On the upside, I can hear more than one lot of peeping from in there, so one of the other ones must have internally pipped.

They are heading into overtime, but what will be will be.

I may assist the side air cell chick (bleeder) after 24 hours which would be late tonight. See how things are going with it and if the others have pipped.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Oh I do hope it all works out for you Ben. I wish I could stay up and wait for your progress reports, but I have some early morning tests. I'll check in tomorrow.
Good luck. As you say " what will be will be!"

 

[EverMystique1]

I am biting my nails with the nervousness. So hoping to see sone good news from you soon. Good luck, Ben.

 

[lindz8504]

Waiting and wondering!

 

[Bens-Hens]

Sorry I have not updated sooner.

I have really tried not to get involved with it. Well, that should read, I tried. I cracked and slide in two hot sponges and removed some of the shell. It bled a little more so I closed it up and left it alone.

While I was moving the temp pen outside the kids came out to say it had hatched.

I don't think it was ready to come out, and may have removed too much shell during the assist. It hatched pretty cleanly, with some blood around one leg. From what I could see the yolk looked absorbed but the umbilical was still connected, which as since broken free.

The chick looks in pretty good condition, although weak, laying on it's side. Not sure if it just has it's eyes closed or if it is yet to open them, I have only seen them closed so far.

It has not moved very far, but seems to me intact and functioning. I am hoping it holds out until I can get some sweet water to it after it dries up.

There is certainly some movement and peeping coming from the other eggs, but no pips as of yet. More updates when I have something else to share.

 

[NovaAman]

Well... I think ya did good. My one and only marans wouldn't have made it out either if I hadn't assisted. I'll get a pic of "her" today.

 

[Bens-Hens]

Looks a bit better, went to check on it and it's only been about half hour since I was last in there and it's moved away from where it was, was also not laying on it's side any more. Sitting like a normal freshly hatched chick with it's legs under it with it's beak resting on the mesh.

It has bowled over the other two eggs, but still can't see any pips in them, hopefully not too long before they join the party.

I am wondering if having so fewer eggs in there has made the temperature swings greater (less 'heat sinks') which may have made this hatch fall behind more than usual. Perhaps it took them a day longer to get started after the long journey.

Fingers crossed for this one, one one I had to assist was a Light Sussex too, and we called it Lucky.....unluckily though it turned out to be a he.