Storybook Farm
Songster
So, it's been a trying hatch from the get-go. I bought shipped eggs, and at lockdown we had lost all but two. I really did not expect to get any chicks out of this hatch, but to my great surprise, I was awakened last night at 12:30 a.m. to the sound of peeping. One of the eggs was fully zipped, but it became apparant that the chick was stuck to the shell's membrane.
Around 2:30 AM, I assisted with a Q-tip and water, and he came out of the egg pretty quickly. He seems like he's doing pretty well this morning. I don't think the other egg is showing any signs of hatching. So now, I'm getting ready to move him to the brooder.
When he was struggling to get out of the egg, I played for him the sound of other chicks peeping from an Internet soundtrack. It seemed to really help him to struggle to get out of the egg. He definitely responded. I am wondering now if I should play a soundtrack for him while he is in the brooder solo. Do you think it would help, or stress him? Would he go looking for the chicks he hears, or be comforted? What would you do?
I'm putting a small, soft rag in the brooder for him to snuggle up to. The bedding is hay. I find that other chicks do well on our hay. I've got electrolytes in his water, as well, and I ground up his chick starter very, very fine in food processor. Are there any other tricks to raising a solo chick since he doesn't have any mates to snuggle in with?
Around 2:30 AM, I assisted with a Q-tip and water, and he came out of the egg pretty quickly. He seems like he's doing pretty well this morning. I don't think the other egg is showing any signs of hatching. So now, I'm getting ready to move him to the brooder.
When he was struggling to get out of the egg, I played for him the sound of other chicks peeping from an Internet soundtrack. It seemed to really help him to struggle to get out of the egg. He definitely responded. I am wondering now if I should play a soundtrack for him while he is in the brooder solo. Do you think it would help, or stress him? Would he go looking for the chicks he hears, or be comforted? What would you do?
I'm putting a small, soft rag in the brooder for him to snuggle up to. The bedding is hay. I find that other chicks do well on our hay. I've got electrolytes in his water, as well, and I ground up his chick starter very, very fine in food processor. Are there any other tricks to raising a solo chick since he doesn't have any mates to snuggle in with?
