Should I or Shouldn't I?

[akcourtney]

I'm excited, and a little disappointed, to have just hatched 50% of my Black Copper Maran eggs. This is my third time incubating eggs and the best percentage to date! With that said, my question to all you experts i -Should I be helping some of the chicks hatch? When should you step in and take over?

I noticed with this last batch a few eggs should've hatched. There were pecks, chips, and marks of hatchlings due to arrive, but nothing. I feel terrible that there should've been something I could've done to help them.

Here are a few pictures of my new flock. I call them the Chirp-in-dales flock - LOL!

MARLYN

EBONY AND IVORY

CHIRP-IN-DALES FLOCK

Thanks for the advice - Angela

 

[CranberryCreekFarm]

I had my first test hatch a few weeks ago. I had 2 pips overnight, no progress the next day. So I checked and they died in shell. next 3 pipped that morning. 1 hatched too quick and ripped its cord off and died

the other 2 were having no progress so by night I helped make their hole bigger so they could breathe and finish "absorbing". The next day one zipped teh rest of the way out, the other I had to open the entire top of the shell because of the way it was postioned in there. If I hadn't halped them, I think I woudln't have gotten any! so out of 7 eggs, I had 5 that "should have" made it.

Now I have 19 eggs (started with 24) indian runner eggs, 6 bantams, and 2 chicken eggs in my bator....

I would help again in a heart beat.

 

[johngracias]

wow.....your chicks are darn beautiful. what species are they??

 

[Chickiebabyfluff]

I had one this morning tht was having trouble he was half zipped and stopped so i took him out and helped him the rest of the way but it was too late.....if i had intervened earlier he would have made it He was perfect i am so broken hearted

 

[CranberryCreekFarm]

^^I know how you feel! I did eggtopsies on the 2 that pipped and didnt make it and they were fine, all of my chicks but 1 had their heads tucked under their wings, preventing them from being able to spin and zip

poor little baby chickies

 

[Chickiebabyfluff]

I hate this part of hatching

 

[akcourtney]

Thanks CranberryCreek - I'm guessing, with practice, I'll know when they do need a little help vs letting them hatch on their own. I agree with you ChickieBaby.. I HATE THIS PART of hatching. I get pretty bummed out when the little guys/gals make it so far and just can't complete the jailbreak.

John, they are Black Copper Marans - I'm not sure where the wheats came from, I'm thinking splash? Not sure and will need to ask the breeder - I bought the eggs specifically for a new flock of BCM. There is one little tiny silkie in there. When I started the Marans, I tossed two of my silkie eggs in the batch to hatch. (my silkies just started laying) Anyway, I won't be adding silkies eggs to a large breed hatch again. I forgot they hatch a little early and the poor little one was very upset to be alone for those few days. It broke my heart....

Angela