~ Silkie Hatch-a-Long August 2015 (SHIPPED EGGS GONE WRONG!!) ~

[Naliez]

So far none of the eggs still show any signs of making it, but Rose is getting stronger! I taught her how to eat and drink, and she is very active. I wanted her to have a "friend" so I put a realistic looking chick toy inside the brooder with her to keep her company! She treats it like another chick, she pecks its beak, she grooms it, and she sleeps next to it. It's very cute, and I'm happy she doesn't feel too alone.

That's amazing! I thought it was real. Lol How cute.

 

[RubyNala97]

Half way through day 20 and nothing yet!!! I usually have pips by now! Maybe the power outage is causing a delay? I'm trying to be patient. If I don't have any pips by tonight, I'll start to worry!!

@darkbluespace what's going on with yours?

 

[Griffin Nest]

Where did you find that toy chick?? That is beyond perfect!! I know a lot of people that end up with lone chicks, that would love that little fake one you have!

I bought it at a decoration store a few years back. I think it's hand crafted.

 

[darkbluespace]

Half way through day 20 and nothing yet!!! I usually have pips by now! Maybe the power outage is causing a delay? I'm trying to be patient. If I don't have any pips by tonight, I'll start to worry!!

@darkbluespace what's going on with yours?

I woke up to.... nothing... so I played some chick music and next time I looked #8 has pipped! Your posts made me realize that day 21 doesn't actually start for a few hours, I think I set mine about 2 or 3 pm. I am dying to know what the other eggs are doing but I am being good so far. I will probably just play more chick videos for them : )

Hoping for the best for your eggs... sorry you lost those last two.

 

[darkbluespace]

I have good news and bad news...

I had a bad feeling so I checked the eggs and most of my small eggs were already dead : ( I thought their air cells were big enough, but apparently not. 3 of them had internally pipped and died and one was very mal-positioned. The other 2 small eggs I opened up the air cell and #8 (dark chick) is out now and #1 is a vigorous little paint chick! The big eggs were in various states of shrink wrap or mal-position. I feel I did not get humidity right for any of the eggs. Humidity is my nemesis.

That is one of the reasons I am looking forward to having Silkies, so the broody hens can sit on larger eggs! I have broody Seramas, but they can really only hatch little eggs.

The really good news is that two of the larger eggs are half hatched now and one of them is a showgirl!!! Just what I was hoping for! I was so excited to see that little naked neck. I can't see yet what chicks are in the other bigger eggs but they look like mostly darker chicks, a couple have hugely vaulted skulls. I was hoping these buggers would just hatch on their own.. but it looks like I will get several chicks.

 

[RubyNala97]

I have good news and bad news...

I had a bad feeling so I checked the eggs and most of my small eggs were already dead : (   I thought their air cells were big enough, but apparently not.  3 of them had internally pipped and died and one was very mal-positioned.  The other 2 small eggs I opened up the air cell and #8 (dark chick) is out now and #1 is a vigorous little paint chick!   The big eggs were in various states of shrink wrap or mal-position.  I feel I did not get humidity right for any of the eggs.  Humidity is my nemesis.

That is one of the reasons I am looking forward to having Silkies, so the broody hens can sit on larger eggs!  I have broody Seramas, but they can really only hatch little eggs.

The really good news is that two of the larger eggs are half hatched now and one of them is a showgirl!!!  Just what I was hoping for!  I was so excited to see that little naked neck.  I can't see yet what chicks are in the other bigger eggs but they look like mostly darker chicks, a couple have hugely vaulted skulls.  I was hoping these buggers would just hatch on their own.. but it looks like I will get several chicks.

So how many good eggs do you still have? How many pips? Are you assisting them? I'm sorry you lost some. But really happy some hatched for you!!!

 

[darkbluespace]

So how many good eggs do you still have? How many pips? Are you assisting them? I'm sorry you lost some. But really happy some hatched for you!!!

10 chicks are still in the running. 3 out of the shell and 7 mostly still in. When I found the first 5 eggs already gone, I started assisting. I may have helped some unnecessarily but I probably would have lost the rest if I didn't. One of the 10 is badly malpositioned, but the rest are hopeful. I also have 2 more showgirls so I am thrilled : )

 

[RubyNala97]

10 chicks are still in the running.  3 out of the shell and 7 mostly still in.  When I found the first 5 eggs already gone, I started assisting.  I may have helped some unnecessarily but I probably would have lost the rest if I didn't.  One of the 10 is badly malpositioned, but the rest are hopeful.  I also have 2 more showgirls so I am thrilled : )

I candled my eggs and it looks like only 2 are still alive but no internal pips yet. I can see them pushing on the air cell, over and over. Did the ones you assisted pip internally?? I'm hoping the at least internally pip by morning. If nothing happens by tomorrow night, I may have to go in!!

 

[darkbluespace]

I candled my eggs and it looks like only 2 are still alive but no internal pips yet. I can see them pushing on the air cell, over and over. Did the ones you assisted pip internally?? I'm hoping the at least internally pip by morning. If nothing happens by tomorrow night, I may have to go in!!

A few of them had not internally pipped and were not going to be able to, the membrane was shrink wrapped over then, Their beaks were right under the membrane though so I just made a little opening. One started gasping for air, poor thing. I know assisting is controversial, but I just figure there is really nothing natural about incubating in a box, so I feel it is making up for human error. With eggs from my own birds, I can experiment till I get just the right conditions for them to hatch on their own.

 

[GitaBooks]

Quote:

A few of them had not internally pipped and were not going to be able to, the membrane was shrink wrapped over then, Their beaks were right under the membrane though so I just made a little opening. One started gasping for air, poor thing. I know assisting is controversial, but I just figure there is really nothing natural about incubating in a box, so I feel it is making up for human error. With eggs from my own birds, I can experiment till I get just the right conditions for them to hatch on their own.

That's how I helped my chicks. I had incubated them poorly, so they are all strong and healthy, just all shrink wrapped. I carefully opened the top and then tore a bit of the membrane. It bled a little, but after that they started absorbing the blood and their yolk sac and three of the four that needed assisting survived.

I hope all the hatching chicks make it and are strong and healthy! Best of luck everyone!

By the way, on a side note, is it only silkies that get vaulted skulls or other crested breeds too?