Setting duck eggs on Saturday, 8/18 - Anyone wanna join? (Set by next Saturday for chicken eggs)

[Habibs Hens]

Out of curiosity, how do you tell they've pipped internally?

yoiu can see a dark triangle on the edge of the aircell at the lowest part

that is the beak internally breaking the aircell

called an internal PIP


look at PICTURE 6 on this link
http://habibshens.co.uk/Candling.php

 

[Pyxis]

So when I set my eggs into lockdown I think I may have positioned some of them with the part of the air cell that extends down the side of the egg (the lowest part of the air cell) on the bottom instead of on the top. In the goose egg guide that works for all species (according to the creator of the guide) it's called dipping down when the egg does this and the dipped down side is supposed to be at the top. Is this true? Do you guys pay attention to this and set them this way on purpose? Or does it not really matter? If I did set them the wrong way should I flip them? Sorry to ask so many questions but I really want these chicks to be okay!

 

[Habibs Hens]

So when I set my eggs into lockdown I think I may have positioned some of them with the part of the air cell that extends down the side of the egg (the lowest part of the air cell) on the bottom instead of on the top. In the goose egg guide that works for all species (according to the creator of the guide) it's called dipping down when the egg does this and the dipped down side is supposed to be at the top. Is this true? Do you guys pay attention to this and set them this way on purpose? Or does it not really matter? If I did set them the wrong way should I flip them? Sorry to ask so many questions but I really want these chicks to be okay!

yes thats right the lowest part at the top facing up

this is because chicks will pip at the lowest point and if they pip with the dip facing the floor then they can drown / suffocate

so yes its very important to do it right, especially for waterfowl liek ducks and geese

just candle the eggs and check which side is the dip and face it up one the pip occurs then it dont matter if they roll as the chick is in hatch mode and will stay in position and zip out ok

 

[Habibs Hens]

So far my count as of day 21 evening


22 eggs hatched 2 still in bator with 1 pip and 1 without

the piped one is hopefull the unpipped im not too sure

from the 22 that hatched 1 died within a few hours unknown reason

1 has splayed leg and is splinted and 1 has hernia (tiny bit of unabsorbed yolk) not hopeful for them

so i have 21 live chicks with possible loss of 2 more

not bad considering

i will be happy at around 19-20 chicks

 

[Pyxis]

So I wait until they pip to turn them? I just candled really quick and realized that I have all of them positioned wrong except one...poor babies. If I can just leave them like this I will. I don't want to open the incubator anymore during lockdown. I already feel bad doing it twice...

 

[Habibs Hens]

So I wait until they pip to turn them? I just candled really quick and realized that I have all of them positioned wrong except one...poor babies. If I can just leave them like this I will. I don't want to open the incubator anymore during lockdown. I already feel bad doing it twice...

once pipped leave them to hatch

hopefully all will be ok as many people have not candled and checked what side up the eggs are so you should be OK

but me personally i would make sure they are the right way up

also as long as you can maintain humidity opening the bator during lockdown wont matter

i opened my bator atleast once every half hour maybe more at times during this hatch


which i can now say is all over

out of 24 eggs 23 actually hatched no assistance (1 was a dud - late death PICTURE 5 of link above)

one hatched pointy side that was a relief

1 died after hatch misteriously another looks like it gonna die of same misterious illness both bloody pullets too (sex linked)

1 has spayed leg trying to save it with splint and one with hernia (unabsorbed yolk) trying to save it, dunno how though

so far i currently have 22 live chicks right now but that can go down to 19

 

[Pyxis]

Well the splayed leg chickie has a good chance with the splint. I've seen plenty of them recover in the injuries section on here. No idea with the hernia though.

They still haven't pipped and they're driving me up the wall! I just want a few fuzzy butts already!

 

[Pyxis]

I have a pip!!! Woo! Come on little chickie!

 

[Pyxis]

Actually, it looks like the pip is in one of the eggs that started under my silkie hen, which I though would hatch after the ones I've had all the way through. Just goes to show how good a broody is at her job.

 

[Pyxis]

Just found pip number two in one of the eggs I've been incubating all along. I guess I did something right! I'm having an awful time sleeping. I only got 2 hours of sleep last night and I'm only able to fade in and out of sleep right now 'cause I keep waking up to check the eggs!