Setting eggs today 5-3-12...anyone with me?

[mbleily]

Sooo....I chipped a lil shell and membrane from the top and the baby chick is now moving his head around like the first one did and is also moving his feet....however he still cant come out of his lower part of the shell....seems like hes stuckk....i am just going to let it be and wait it out....what do you guys think???

He may need to absorb the yoke still. If his head is out and he can breath I would wait a while. I had to help one last hatch and he was tired and stayed in the shell after I had peeled it away around his head. When he finally go out of the shell he had the cord still attached to the shell. It was very thin and clear so I ended up cutting it. If it were dark or red I wouldn't do that because he could bleed from that. It was just so hard for him to move around with the shell attached and it looked like it might tear so I did it. It also takes some longer to get out of the shell. They say some times up to 10 hrs or so. I have never had one take that long though. It seems that some membranes and shells are much harder than others also. I was told that I might have to help the Americana eggs I got in the last hatch because the membranes were very hard. I did just break the membrane of one that pipped but didn't break the membrane. I was afraid it would not be able to breath. I am not going to do nothing if I think I can help. I have not had any die from my helping a little. If the membrane has veins showing it isn't ready yet and will bleed.

 

[mbleily]

Good News/Bad News. The Good news is that the second chick made it out of the shell and is starting to fluff.

I also have 4 other eggs who have pipped and one is zipping and peeping as I type this. The bad news is that the first chick died in the shell. I tried to help by quickly getting it out and wrapping in a warm wet wash cloth. I removed the stuck edges of membrane and bits of shell and put it back in, hoping it would finish on it's own now that I had made it easier. I thought it was still alive as I could hear peeping. Turns out that was the second chick and the first was likely already dead when I took it out.

Does anyone know if I should take the dead chick (which is still mostly in it's shell) out now or wait until the hatch is over? I hate to keep fanning the lid.

I would take it out. I would have a wash cloth with warm water ready to place in there to hurry the humidity back up but I wouldn't leave it. That is just me.

 

[LuvinChickens]

So I candled again last night and removed 10 eggs that aren't fertile. So 13 eggs remain. I am going to do an eggtopsy on the ten and see if they quit or not fertile. My roo has 15 hens so he does a good job fertilizing eggs.

 

[WyoChickenMamma]

So I candled again last night and removed 10 eggs that aren't fertile. So 13 eggs remain. I am going to do an eggtopsy on the ten and see if they quit or not fertile. My roo has 15 hens so he does a good job fertilizing eggs.

I do the same thing...I have looked at my broodies eggs when they were quitters or got cracked before hatching time and the one I took out of this incubator...Yep...I cracked it open too. For me it helps me learn. Glad I am not the only one who just has to know why.

 

[Nickel]

Well after the bator got knocked over one of the eggs that had gotten cracked is MOVING!!! I am so excited that they might be ok!! No pips but movement!!

 

[auntie hattie]

So I have candled and it looks like out of 8 eggs I have 6 that will go into lockdown tomorrow. I am really worried about 3 though because the air sacs don't look so good they are at the bottom but then go up the side of the egg too. Ugh! Not sure if they have enough room and if they will make it. They are still moving in there though. So we shall see.

It looks like look others are hatching already. Good luck on your hatches. I'm looking forward to seeing pictures posted from everyone!

 

[Chickengirl1304]

Ok lockdown for those of us who set on 5/3!! What does everyone have their humidity at? I have 8 out of 10 in lockdown!!

 

[WyoChickenMamma]

I have17 of the 18 going into lockdown. My humidity is set to 65.
I am super excited!!!!

 

[sawinga]

Well the baby chick is still alive and peeps from time to time, however it has such a big yolk sac and other stuff attached to it that i dont want to touch it even fearing he might not make it if i intervene....hes been out of the top part of the shell but stuck for 24 hrs now....what to do? i mean he has not absorbed the yolk fully so i cant do anything yet rite?? or am i getting it wrong???....

 

[WyoChickenMamma]

Gosh I don't really know what you should do. I would think leaving it alone so it could finish absorbing the yolk, but since it is exposed, I don't know if it can. Anyone else have suggestions????