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

[darkbluespace]

Quote:

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?

I read that Silkies were at some point crossed with Polish chickens for their vaulted skull. I have never hatched Polish chicks so I don't know what they look like.

 

[RubyNala97]

Looks like only one is still moving. Maybe I will try it...

 

[silkienrescues]

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.

thats so real, i saw the pic and ghot excited that another had hatched for you! Ruby looks very happy.

 

[silkienrescues]

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 sad to hear you lost some but the others sound like they are going well.Please post a pic if you can.

 

[silkienrescues]

Looks like only one is still moving. Maybe I will try it...

oh Ruby we are all thinking of you from the sound of the posts, how is it going....did you open the eggs?

maybe its much colder where you are than i imagined, you did all you could to keep them warm. or maybe its those wobbly air cells.

 

[RubyNala97]

It's still alive but I can't find the beak! Any suggestions?

 

[silkienrescues]

It's still alive but I can't find the beak! Any suggestions?

any bleeding?....keep taking off shell you might be able to find it. look for any sign of a damp membrane

 

[silkienrescues]

the others?

 

[RubyNala97]

All dead! And I can't find the beak. I thought I found it but it has fur, so I'm thinking its a shoulder. What should I do now?

 

[silkienrescues]

All dead! And I can't find the beak. I thought I found it but it has fur, so I'm thinking its a shoulder. What should I do now?

is it bleeding? if not open more and get the head out,