Setting eggs on FEB 10

[my sunwolf]

I quickly checked them. 2 are definitely dead. I don't know about another and the last 3 have internal pips and are alive. I hope they hatch.

The one I helped is going into death throes or something--it's the one making all the noise, and it's "stuck" on its back, shaking. I am constantly amazed at how sad chickens' lives are.

Still only have 1 pip. Aren't we supposed to have more? What the heck? Humidity is around 65%, sometimes more, trying not to let it get less. I had to mist when I opened to help that one and I'm worried I somehow internally shrinked the others. Or drowned them. Or chilled them. Arrrggg eggs.

 

[bugglesmommy]

The one I helped is going into death throes or something--it's the one making all the noise, and it's "stuck" on its back, shaking. I am constantly amazed at how sad chickens' lives are.

Still only have 1 pip. Aren't we supposed to have more? What the heck? Humidity is around 65%, sometimes more, trying not to let it get less. I had to mist when I opened to help that one and I'm worried I somehow internally shrinked the others. Or drowned them. Or chilled them. Arrrggg eggs.

I am sorry to hear. My first hatcher seems kind of weak. Its father is 9.... but he was a show winner in his prime so I don't know if his genetic donation would be strong or weak from age. I hope he/she makes it. I just have to keep looking at my 10 healthy quail to fight off depression.

 

[CowgirlHC]

OH NO you 2, you are depressing me :-( It's like De Ja Vu from my last hatch the way your 2 are going. I'm so sorry. I have still the same 2 out and they seem fine, but the ones left eye stays shut all the time. I read something somewhere about a similar situation, but now for the life of me can't remember the details. I don't "see" any other pips because the others have played soccer/hockey with them all night. I know they can stay in the bator up to 3 days because they don't need to eat or drink, so is that how long I should leave them? I know better than to open the bator especially if I have any other pips going on so I don't shrink wrap them. Actually hatching opened up a whole new world of questions lol.

 

[my sunwolf]

I am sorry to hear. My first hatcher seems kind of weak. Its father is 9.... but he was a show winner in his prime so I don't know if his genetic donation would be strong or weak from age. I hope he/she makes it. I just have to keep looking at my 10 healthy quail to fight off depression.

I'm sorry about your chickens

I've always heard that "aging" chickens can cause hatching trouble, but I never knew what that means... 10 years as old? Older? And then again you also want to breed older chickens for their longevity genetics. So sad that they're not hatching though!

OH NO you 2, you are depressing me :-( It's like De Ja Vu from my last hatch the way your 2 are going. I'm so sorry. I have still the same 2 out and they seem fine, but the ones left eye stays shut all the time. I read something somewhere about a similar situation, but now for the life of me can't remember the details. I don't "see" any other pips because the others have played soccer/hockey with them all night. I know they can stay in the bator up to 3 days because they don't need to eat or drink, so is that how long I should leave them? I know better than to open the bator especially if I have any other pips going on so I don't shrink wrap them. Actually hatching opened up a whole new world of questions lol.

I'm still really excited that you at least had some hatch this time

That would be my favorite part except for all the problems they inevitably have once they get out of those shells. I wouldn't worry about helping with the eye until they're dry and ready to come out. I don't know about 3 days, I always feel sad leaving them in that long! So I try to get them at 2 days. Mine have goopy eyes and butts and stuff and I always just leave them in the bator until later.

And I'm convinced I really did somehow internally shrink wrap these kids by opening the bator to help that first chick.

Now I have:
5 chicks (3 LF, 2 bantam) and 2 pips (1 LF, 1 bantam).

I think the one who looks like it's dying has spraddle (sprattle?) leg and so can't stand up (it's a boy). I do have a pretty blue girl who should lay blue eggs if she gets to grow up, she's doing fine. There's another LF chick who's really wobbly. Both bantams are extremely healthy and running around like crazy chickens (they have been farm mutts for generations so what did I expect).

 

[bugglesmommy]

I have 2 chicks and a pip. I lost the rest. My first chick is still okay so I think it'll make it. I tried to help one but it died anyways but since its beak was messed up that was probably for the best. At least I have 2. I would have bought another chick to keep the first company had it been a lone survivor. Hopefully the last will make it!

***UPDATE - The 3rd chick hatched. I had one of each make it. 1 Polish, 1 polkie, and 1 silkie. That was rough. No more due until next Friday.

 

[CowgirlHC]

I still only have the 2 and they're still in the bator. Been approximately 24 hours for both now in the bator. The one has a little bit of a descended bottom and its umbilical cord was still dragging behind so I'm leaving her alone. I've left the eyes alone as well. I think they "can" open them just aren't.....for whatever reason lol. Now here's a question. There is a pretty bad odor coming from the incubator. Is that just part of the after math from a hatch? There is some green gunk in the bottom as well....is this like what would be a meconium (first poo) from a calf or foal? You see where my experience and education lies lol. I had to spray some lysol in the room the bator is in because you can smell it as soon as you walk in the kitchen door. I see no more pips going on, but technically today is day 21 until 9 am tomorrow, then we start being "passed due" even though I know they can still hatch. So....do I just leave them in til maybe in the morning and move them to the brooder? I know not to open if there's a pip. They've really jumbled the other eggs up and I don't "see" any pips but I wouldn't swear to nothing.

 

[bugglesmommy]

On my last hatch I had green poops all over the bator. I have never had a stinky egg yet but if the odor is that bad you may have a bad one in there.

 

[CowgirlHC]

I know all of the eggs I locked down were definite with the exception of one, which I think was a mid way quitter. Something like that shouldn't stink though should it? I put the 2 fuzzy butts in the brooder, put down a paper towel til I could clean and disinfect the bator, readjusted the eggs and added water and closed it up quickly. I think getting the empty eggs out and absorbing some green poo has helped a lot.

 

[my sunwolf]

I've got 7 healthy babies in the brooder, 3 that I had to help out of their shells (2 LF and 1 bantam). I culled my spraddle leg chick because it didn't want to be on its belly, it wanted to be on its back... there was something going on there. So 8 came out of eggs, and I culled 1. Eggtopsied and found the others dead in the shells. Again. My mother thinks it's bacteria because back when she incubated eggs, they touched them with tissues. I explained that I washed my hands before touching the eggs, but now I'm curious. I think it was really because I opened it on Day 20 to help the early pipper out of its shell.

Out of my 7 babies, 3 are bantams and 4 are LF. All the bantams are cochin crosses (I think). One of the LF is pure blue; the others are black with white speckles. Got to get some photos up! First let me make sure they all survive the next few days.

Getting expensive eggs this week, so I'm going to try actually NOT OPENING THE INCUBATOR until at least Day 22. That gives 3 days for any that pip on Day 19, and less for everyone else. And no helping out of shells until Day 22. Also going to try increasing humidity on lockdown to 70% with pans of water in the incubator. Going to bleach everything in case there was contamination. Then touch the eggs only with a tissue. With that many variables changed, I won't know which, if any, will help, but it's worth doing for these nice eggs coming in the mail.

 

[bugglesmommy]

Congrats on the hatch! I'm sorry you had to cull one. At least I have a few days to disinfect the hatcher. Tuesday is serama lockdown.

Here are my 3.