Success!!!

[quillizmightier]

Thank you all so much! This board has been a true life saver. I did lose a chick (the first one) that was upside down. It cracked the egg but never got a hole. After almost a whole day with no progress I tried to intervene but it died. It seems oversized. I mean after it was gone, I removed the shell to try and see what went wrong. It was turned away from the air hole and it was HUGE! Probably 1/3 to 50% bigger than the two peeps I have running around the bator now. It was crammed in so tight that as I removed shell its body was practically spilling out all sides.

Four more eggs pipped last night. Two of them have hatched and I got one hatch on video. It was breathtaking. As a Christian, I am astounded at the intricate balance of life. These chicks have been an incredibly heart warming experience.

It began as a homeschool project. Now my hubby (the most wonderfully indulgent man on earth) has offered to build a coop so I can keep these and raise more, lol.

I had two others that have gone 24 hours without progress from the initial pip. I broke down just now and zipped the shells and put them back. The one peeped a few times, but the other was singing away the whole time. I think they are having humidity probs. I didn't know when I started to have a hatcher so they hatched in the bator and the two were not drying so I turned the humidity down a bit. Now the membranes on the other two were very dry. Since I couldn't stop the two babies from climbing in the water pan and standing on each other's heads (I swear they're trying to drown one another, lol) I finally just moved them to the brooder so they could dry. Now I have the humidity up to 75 in the bator again so hopefully these last two moisten up and join their siblings.

Thanks again for the wealth of knowledge here. This board made those little peeps possible!

 

[turnerstar31]

I hope the other two make it and congrats on the new peeps

 

[K&H Chicken Farm]

I had to move my peeps to the brooder to get them to dry out to. I was so worried that they would drown in the bowl of water I had in there that I put in a bunch of rags in the bowl so there was no stnding water. Good luck on the rest!

 

[quillizmightier]

Update: This morning when we woke up we had one more chick.. This was the one that had been singing so strongly when I zipped him last night. The other had made no progress and was very still. I was so worried! I reached in and just squeezed a little where the shell was removed and felt a very slight movement. I decided it had to be helped. I took him into the bathroom with the ceiling heater going and the hot mist humidifier on the sink. I used a warm pot of water to dip a cloth and wet him a bit. I still couldn't see the beak so I was very nervous that I might drown him, but just enough water to dampen was fine. Then I started removing the shell,over the top first, a thick papery membrane stared peeling away with the shell but underneath was a transparent membrane with the blood vessels stuck like glue all over my poor baby. Hae was just eyeing me the whole time. Once I could see where his beak was, I actually submerged his lower body in the pot to soften the membrane. After a few times it started to soften, and this baby just began straining like crazy trying to help me get him out! He started to peep, and I saw that the vessels were very shrunken with only a pink tinge so I decided to try and remove this as well. I peeled it all the way down to his booty where the cord was still attached with no sign of blood, then laid him back in the inc alone with just a stuffed bear. It was five hours before he did anything, then he just flopped onto his back and shook. His leg was beating very weakly and I was terrified. Twice I reached in and laid him belly down on his bear. The second time he stayed there and slept. At the seven hour mark he started peeping and holding his head up. I washed him and snipped the cord where I could see there was no blood or anything. Now he's in the brooder with his 3 siblings. You can hardly tell which one he is, but that he's the fluffiest since he had a bath, lol. We are so happy! Thank you all!

 

[donnap1967]

Wow Quill that's some story! I am new to all this and you had me on pins and needles reading toward the outcome.

I am so glad the last one made it. Gratz on your new babies!!

Pics??

 

[quillizmightier]

Thank you. This is my first hatch and it was very nervewracking but SOOOOOO worth it! I have a bunch of pics but haven't put them on the PC yet. I will today. Good Luck!

 

[chicktasticvt]

Congrats!

 

[ebonykawai]

Wow, congrats!!

 

[quillizmightier]

Thanks all! In case you didn't see the post, I also got a surprise ducky this morning! Went to turn the bugger (not due till Wednesday) and there was a big pip in the bottom. He just got out and is doing great!