Rob's First Incubation Attempt - Questions and Journal

[MissPrissy]

Their little head is tucked under a wing. They sort of unfold when they hatch.

I hate to help them because you can never be sure what's going on.

They can pip and then take 24 hours before coming out. They absorb the yolk last and often hang in limbo.

I also hate to find they expired while I debated wether or not to help.

Here's the issue -

If it is not strong enough to hatch it will be a weak flock member and you won't want it for breeding or hatching other eggs. The weakness is passed on.

If it dies in the shell it was too weak to a survivor and if you help it sometimes they linger and die a pathetic death when it would have been better for them to just die in the shell and it be over with because sometimes you have to cull them yourself.

Keep watching and give it time and just see how it goes.

 

[the1much]

maybe umbilical cord and some yolk?? maybe,,, or,, its a mutant

some times the egg sac looks yucky and blackish from the dried blood and yold,, look inside 1 of the hatched eggs and see the "yuck",, maybe close to the same color?...

 

[NiftyChick]

Maybe....that was our first thought....but there are feathers on this! SO weird looking. I've been trying to take a picture of her, but it's not working through the incubator lid.

 

[NiftyChick]

Thank you for the advice, MissPrissy! I'm not so good at it, but I'll try to be patient now!!

 

[NiftyChick]

Do you think it's possible she punctured her own wing w/her beak?...with the help of 4 raptor-chicks pecking at it??? I probably need to stop thinking about this and go do something else for a while!

I'll let you know if anything changes. She may be as 1much said, just resting/absorbing the yolk. I just worry because I see her open her beak partway and move her tongue around and keep thinking she needs help because it looks like she can't open all the way....but at this point she probably doesn't even need to, right? I'll try to go & distract myself.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Quote:
If she just pipped 12 hours ago she is fine. 24 hours or longer is not uncommon. I never help they always seem to know when they can get out on their own. They need time to absorb the yolk sac. Patience.

Just find something else to do and sit on your hands!!!

 

[NiftyChick]

Eek! So...sorry I wasn't very good about following advice, but I think the bird had got it's beak stuck in a puncture through it's wing. I just reached in and nudged the flesh over the beak w/my fingers. Now THAT looks like a normal beak. phew! No mutant.

And NOW I will sit on my hands....or go to a friends house w/the kids & hubby for dinner!

Thank goodness we have plans! I'm obviously not so good at the hand sitting thing.

P.S. SO cute, "Ginger" was cheeping super loud a little while ago & I couldn't figure out the problem, so I picked her up and cuddled her for a minute. She seemed perfectly content nestled in my hand. Do chicks cheep for attention? I'd thought they could take it or leave it, but it seems like they like us!

 

[the1much]

they chirp like that cause they feel lonely,, 1 chick makes LOTS of noise, and as you add chicks, they get quieter,, until theres something wrong.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

Just wanted to say, Congratulations on the chicks!

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

Great pics. Keep us posted on Sasha.