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

[Bens-Hens]

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.

i really didn't want to interfer, but it had so much going against it, and with so few eggs, I had to give it a shot.

I could have left it but if it died in it's shell I would have kicked myself for not making an effort when I had the chance. Well, that's what I tell myself anyway.

 

[Bens-Hens]

Sorry for so many posts.

I just snapped this one off my phone. I could not get a pic, but the navel looks a bit messy so I might have to put some Betadine on that when it comes out for the brooder. We have had that happen once before and the chick recovered well, now I don't even know who it was!

 

[Wrightsx4]

Just catching up - all this hatching excitement! Glad the little one hatched out and is doing well. Good job - sounds like you might have gotten it past the "stuck" point. I have a goegeous golden cuckoo maran roo that I helped out - he was very shrinkwrapped and dried. I was thinking the same on your heat sink theory. You usually hatch a day early BUT I also know you don't usually leave empty space. I bet you're right. Hope the next two surprise you and are zipped and out while you're keeping busy

 

[ozexpat]

Sorry for so many posts.

I just snapped this one off my phone. I could not get a pic, but the navel looks a bit messy so I might have to put some Betadine on that when it comes out for the brooder. We have had that happen once before and the chick recovered well, now I don't even know who it was!

keep the posts coming.

Congrats on your new roast dinner. I hope you get an egg layer or two.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Some times you have to help! It just makes you feel so helpless , I think you've done the right thing. You could be right about the heat variation and I would imagine humidity would also be affected. I keep telling you , you need a silkie broody. I have packed my bator away and my silkie mums and crosses are doing all the work. Sending you good hatching vibes for the other 2.

Lisa.

 

[NovaAman]

Fancy, you take some of the loveliest pics!

I agree with Oz... you have dinner at least... Home made KFC. LOL... Although, I am guessing it's more like AFC...

 

[Bens-Hens]

Lisa,

Fantastic shots, next time we get some eggs from your flock I think we will stick to the hand delivered method lol....and just between you and me, I think we should slip a few Wylkies in there

Knowing my luck this little one would be a roo lol. If it is, it won't be going to the pot thats for sure.

Morning update. It's still in there, both eyes are open and it is standing and moving about in between rests. I was considering taking it out a bit early to get it some sweet water but decided to wait until this afternoon.

The other tow were candled last night, no 1 showed no movement, but looks to have internally pipped. Egg No. 5 was also candled, it chirped and was clearly moving about in there, this morning it was moving about inside the egg but still no pips. Air cell in that one is also somewhat on the side so not sure if I should put an artificial pip in that one. I think I will go do some work today and then re-evaluate this afternoon when I got home.

Not sure how long they can live with just an internal pip, it's been at least 12 hours.

Work for a few hours then re-asses when I get home...thats the plan!

 

[Bens-Hens]

Arrrrgggghhhh

I just had to look at the un-hatched eggs again. The one that has not moved for a couple of days got candled again, definitely no movement there, so I removed it and decided to eggtopsy it, see if I could get a clue about the remaining egg before that possibly dies in shell too.

Egg No1 had a small hole put in the air cell, look listen feel...nothing. Opened the hole big enough to see in, the air cell looked a little dry, opened it some more and I could see what looked like a beak, no movement.

Opened it some more and found it was a toe, not a beak. Gently opened some more, no blood what so ever, all veins had receded, found the head way down in the pointy end. No yolk sack left in the shell, chick fully formed but seriously malpositioned.

This prompted me to look at Egg No.5 again, with the side mounted aircell (not the worst but enough to give me concern)

It was chirping and had pipped into the air cell, but not externally. I gave an artificial pip, same process as before, chick was chirping away, no blood from the air cell area. Could see what looked like a beak, but may also be a foot so I went a bit further. At this point the chick was pushing. I could see it was a beak but it was trying to push out the big end.

I allowed it room to push free from the membrane and a squirmy fully formed chick flopped into my warm moist palm. The shell was clean, no yolk and very little blood.

I laid the chick back in the incubator, humidity is back up to 75%, temp is steady.

The first chick is more mobile now, but not yet dry, the second chick is alive, but breathing heavy. I am 2 hours late for work! I know it was not right to interfere, but something was screaming at me that if I left it, it too would die in the shell trying to break free.

If it has the will and energy to fight on, it can, if it was destined to die I will be sad when I return home, but it was just not meant to be.

 

[Fancychooklady]

I know how hard it is to sit on your hands. At least now they have a chance.

 

[henless]

I just finished reading your whole thread. Very informative and learned a lot. Thank you for putting it up for everyone to read. Good luck with your new chicks. I hope they make it ok. I will be checking back to see how they do.