Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[Whoops]

Good wishes and thoughts for the MIL's surgery.

Sorry for all the snow. Pointing out that I didn't even have to knock ice out of the waterer probably wouldn't be a nice thing to do this morning.

Roger, you little . . .

I am feeling very discouraged. The eggtopsy on the eggs that I tried to hatch showed fully formed chicks that appeared to absorb the yolk, but did not pip or hatch. It was like they just couldn't get out of the shell. Then, this morning, I found Ursula, the week old blue marans, The only one that had hatched from that batch, dead. I think it was just a failure to thrive thing. I never saw her eat, and I bribed her with every goody I could think of. I tried keeping her by herself and putting her in with the other chicks. She just didn't seem to ever "get it." I would see her drink, but then she would immediately go back under the brooder. George and Astrid hung out under there the first few days, but they would come out and explore. Ursula would only come out at night, in the dark, and then get lost and make panic chirping noises. I kind of wonder if she was blind. I feel like the chick angel of death. Two hatches, 14 eggs total, and one live chick! I tried to do right by them - followed hatching instructions, followed incubator instructions. What am I doing wrong????

 

[okallthis4eggs]

Good wishes and thoughts for the MIL's surgery.

Sorry for all the snow.  Pointing out that I didn't even have to knock ice out of the waterer probably wouldn't be a nice thing to do this morning. 

Roger, you little . . .

I am feeling very discouraged.  The eggtopsy on the eggs that I tried to hatch showed fully formed chicks that appeared to absorb the yolk, but did not pip or hatch.  It was like they just couldn't get out of the shell.  Then, this morning, I found Ursula, the week old blue marans, The only one that had hatched from that batch, dead.  I think it was just a failure to thrive thing.  I never saw her eat, and I bribed her with every goody I could think of.  I tried keeping her by herself and putting her in with the other chicks.  She just didn't seem to ever "get it."   I would see her drink, but then she would immediately go back under the brooder.  George and Astrid hung out under there the first few days, but they would come out and explore.  Ursula would only come out at night, in the dark, and then get lost and make panic chirping noises.  I kind of wonder if she was blind.  I feel like the chick angel of death.  Two hatches, 14 eggs total, and one live chick!  I tried to do right by them - followed hatching instructions, followed incubator instructions.  What am I doing wrong????

My first thought is humidity got too low for those chicks to hatch. Does your incubator have a humidity level indicator? I understand that humidity is very important at the time of hatch. That being said I will let those much more knowledgeable on the subject try to help you. Sorry

 

[okallthis4eggs]

I am better at dealing with behavior problems. In fact I am a expert at it. I specialize in BR's .As a matter of fact.............forget I said that. Ask somebody else on that one too. What was I thinking....

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Good wishes and thoughts for the MIL's surgery.

Sorry for all the snow. Pointing out that I didn't even have to knock ice out of the waterer probably wouldn't be a nice thing to do this morning.

Roger, you little . . .

I am feeling very discouraged. The eggtopsy on the eggs that I tried to hatch showed fully formed chicks that appeared to absorb the yolk, but did not pip or hatch. It was like they just couldn't get out of the shell. Then, this morning, I found Ursula, the week old blue marans, The only one that had hatched from that batch, dead. I think it was just a failure to thrive thing. I never saw her eat, and I bribed her with every goody I could think of. I tried keeping her by herself and putting her in with the other chicks. She just didn't seem to ever "get it." I would see her drink, but then she would immediately go back under the brooder. George and Astrid hung out under there the first few days, but they would come out and explore. Ursula would only come out at night, in the dark, and then get lost and make panic chirping noises. I kind of wonder if she was blind. I feel like the chick angel of death. Two hatches, 14 eggs total, and one live chick! I tried to do right by them - followed hatching instructions, followed incubator instructions. What am I doing wrong????

Probably nothing.

I haven't hatched anything, but have read quite a bit and the late quitters were probably just not meant to be, as poor little Ursula proved. The act of breaking out of the shell is the first big test of a chick's fitness. If they manage to get out, I think the weaknesses show up later, maybe succumbing to diseases a fit chick could handle.

I rescued a Welsummer chick from the not-expected-to-survive brooder at the feed store (because I really wanted a Welsummer, and she was the last one

). Grace had an umbilical hernia, was near death, needed help eating and drinking for several days, and grew very slowly. She survived, but would not have without intensive TLC. Today, outwardly she looks fine, but her eggs are quite small and often show signs of abnormalities such as rough and misshapen shells. Her first egg came after 36 weeks and she has spurs. Glad I could save her (I'm sappy like that), but I would never hatch eggs from a hen like her.

The source of the eggs you tried to hatch might be a factor, the age of the layers, the temps, all the perils of shipping. As far as incubating, if you got them to develop so close to the end, you were doing it right. I've heard that Marans eggs are very hard to hatch. The eggs have smaller pores (or fewer? can't remember) due to the heavy pigment, and they can suffer from lack of oxygen. It makes sense that that could be fatal to a large chick that is moving to get positioned for hatching. Did the eggtopsies show that they had pipped internally (broken into the airsac at the large end)? That's when they take their first breath.

The thing to do is to hatch some more!!!!

Try to find a local source proven to hatch well for the breeder, so you know you are working with viable eggs. You can always sell the chicks on craigslist if you can't keep them all. Then, once you know your incubating techniques work, try for the breeds you really want. BTW, what kind of incubator do you have?

 

[Wishing4Wings]

I am better at dealing with behavior problems. In fact I am a expert at it. I specialize in BR's .As a matter of fact.............forget I said that. Ask somebody else on that one too. What was I thinking....

Don't let ol' Roger get the better of you! You know a lot about hatching and have the experience to prove it. Who else could get all pullets and one rooster? Pretty amazing!

The humidity is important at the end. Supposed to raise it a bit to keep them from drying out and sticking in the shells. Once they pip, the humidity will rise by itself as moisture leaves the eggs, but it will not be maintained by the incubator as well as a hen, so most recommend raising it. A BYCer hatching in the Philippines has trouble with too much humidity, and has to use a dehumidifier in his hatching room!

 

[Scrambles55]

We got another 6 inches of snow last night. I hope that the girls went out. DH is checking for me. We are headed for a cold snap. In the teens during the day and 0 or lower at night. Come on Springtime!!

 

[lindz8504]

It is 57* here today, and was around there all weekend. Unfortunately, it is supposed to be colder, and be rainy for the biggest part of the week. I wish that it would make up its mind and either stay warm or stay cold (but not frigid!).... This back and forth is driving me crazy! We have had 30-40* temperature differences in a matter of days. Thats CRAZY!

You can't get used to the weather before it is changing again.....

 

[gilcamp4]

we are haven the same thing, one day like yesterday it was so nice we got to set out on the front porch for about 3 hours then the sun got to our eyes so we had to come in, the chickens ran around so funny when I first opened the coop door and stepped aside so they could come out, but here we are today locked in again, I do hope dh is right and he is going to help me build the covered run way this summer, he also said he may move coop to other side of yard, one thing good about coop on wheels, I can not wait to go to action on a wed so I can get a few more babies, we said no more hatching inside without a hen to set, we had 35 eggs last time and got 10 chickens and 6 where roos. but got a nice gold hen and a rir, we have one I am not sure about but it was so small was not sure she would make it, have not seen her sit yet.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

We got a whopping .5 inches of rain yesterday, with real actual drops of rain that went plop plop. Forgot what rain looks like. Now if we can just get the other 95% to get up to normal, things would be good. As it is now, not so great.

The chickens don't mind so much. They get bits of kale from the garden for greens and are happy with that and other yummy treats. Was hoping to get some bantam cochins at the big show I went to a couple weeks ago. Unfortunately, the lady sold out on Friday night. I didn't get there until Sat morning, Fortunately, the lady has many more at home and is happy to sell me some. She is working on a calico and/or confetti project, but has other varieties too. They'll go in with the Seramas. Now just have to decide how many....

 

[chickenlindz]

W4W - get a lot!!!

I was just talking to my husband about what I'm gonna do cause I have more chickens than my coop holds. I said I might get a small coop at agway or something. He thought it was a good idea! (Phewee) and then said "we won't make this mistake twice!" I just laughed!!!

Babies come this week! The brooder seems possibly small but I know they fit! I'm just use to big birds now!