Set eggs 3/5. Looking for others to hatch with!

[wholewheatchicken]

I seem to have handled my first case of "shrink wrap" chick. It's the chick Blue left in the nest to care for the active hatched chicks. By the time I saw she had left the nest w/the 2, the drying out process was well in progress for the Left Behind chick. Cold, so cold. I don't see how the chick survived. I brought it in and put into the incubator. It dropped the temp of the incubator by about 6 degrees. I kept dropping water on it as the membrane was dry and tight. Poor thing was soo thirsty. It's moving around and chirping quite loudly this morning. Still has dried membrane & shell here n there on it's body but appears to be vigorous. Well see how the day progresses.

Congragulations on a great job! Sounds like a very strong chick.......surely a keeper!!!!!
How long did it take you to hatch it out and what made you think to lower the temp in the incubator?

 

[B J Hopkins]

This is RC, my Rescue Chick. It took about 2 hours of struggle before I pealed off the remaining dried membrane & bits of shell. RC laid curled as if still in the shell most of the night. Some time before 5:45 was out of the fetal position and caked with dried sticky & streamers of membrane. Gave him/her a warm washing and dried w/hair dryer. Was gone from 8:45 - 2PM and RC was all dried out and fluffy like a regular hatchling when I got back!

I didn't lower the temp of the incubator, I guess it was the chicks cold body that lowered the temp. By morning it was back to normal.

 

[wholewheatchicken]

Wow!!!! That is a very neat story. Your little chick is super cute. Congragulations on helping it successfully hatch. That was not an easy job you had

 

[gatorridgechics]

Ok does anyone lock their bantams down early? In my last hatch I had RIR's and Bantams. All my bantams hatched on day 19/20. Lock down was a Sunday night and they hatched between Monday and Tuesday with hatch day being Wednesday. ( have I confused you?) lol I have three bantams in right now, I just candled and they look great, but I was wondering if I should lock them down a day early, Monday instead of Tuesday. Any opinions?

 

[Ryan Moorefield]

i really need to hatch some more baby chickens. I really miss them. I really miss my first ones but some had to steal them

 

[B J Hopkins]

I've hatched 41 chicks so far this year. I'd lost 18 in a fire one cold night in Feb. Just wanted to replace my layers. Gave away some chicks yesterday to a friend. Still have 28 chicks left.

6 duck eggs, 3 Silky and 5 Cochin mix eggs in brooder. Suppose to pick up a dozen EE eggs for hatching tomorrow. Don't know what I'm going to do w/all these babies!

 

[B J Hopkins]

Wow!!!! That is a very neat story. Your little chick is super cute. Congragulations on helping it successfully hatch. That was not an easy job you had

Tried to get the Momma hen to accept her chick this afternoon. She wasn't having any of it. But, one of my other Cochins hens w/2 week old chicks didn't seem to mind having an extra chick under her.

 

[wholewheatchicken]

Tried to get the Momma hen to accept her chick this afternoon. She wasn't having any of it. But, one of my other Cochins hens w/2 week old chicks didn't seem to mind having an extra chick under her.

Keep a good eye on her. Sometimes it will seem like they accept the chick, but then later kill it. Good luck!!!!

 

[wholewheatchicken]

Ok does anyone lock their bantams down early? In my last hatch I had RIR's and Bantams. All my bantams hatched on day 19/20. Lock down was a Sunday night and they hatched between Monday and Tuesday with hatch day being Wednesday. ( have I confused you?) lol I have three bantams in right now, I just candled and they look great, but I was wondering if I should lock them down a day early, Monday instead of Tuesday. Any opinions?

I don't know myself. I hope someone comes along who has more information. Mine have never hatched early in the incubator, but I have had them come early under a hen.

 

[wholewheatchicken]

i really need to hatch some more baby chickens. I really miss them. I really miss my first ones but some had to steal them

What happened to your babies?