Teensy Hatch Day 21 Now-Need Input, Veteran Hatchers...

[speckledhen]

Only have two lonely eggs in the hatcher, one Barred Rock and one Blue Orpington. The BR pipped a couple of hours ago, nothing yet from the Orp, except that it was moving yesterday, so I have every reason to believe it will pip sometime before the end of the day.
I'll be starting another hatch about Dec 15 of mostly Blue Orps, maybe two or three BRs.
Here they are, all alone in there, the BR on the left already pipped:

 

[Katy]

Good luck....nothing out of mine yet, but they're only day 19.

 

[speckledhen]

My last really big hatch in the spring, I had a standard Speckled Sussex pip on Day 19. Surprised the heck out of me, but it didn't hatch till we were just into Day 20.

 

[speckledhen]

The Blue Orpington has pipped now. The BR that pipped this morning is taking a long, long rest before making that final push, I guess. Still on Day 20.

 

[Katy]

You're making progress

 

[speckledhen]

The Blue Orp egg is still at initial pip stage today, Day 21. Lexie's (BR) egg hatched this morning, almost 24 hours after pipping. It can't seem to get to its feet, abdomen seems rather bloated, and has a slightly rough navel. Since so many have hatched well, including her chicks, usually very strong babies, I wonder if it's just that it's completely exhausted or the humidity is reading too low on the AcuRite now, i.e., it's higher in the hatcher than it really is. The new Flukers I got to replace my fluky one, when I put it in to test it before these eggs went in, read about 5% higher than the AcuRite in humidity. That would mean, if the Flukers was more correct in that aspect, then the humidity would have been 75% rather than the 68-70% I thought it was. Still, that isn't excessively high, so maybe that isn't it. The temps in the Flukers read basically the same as the AcuRite, so I believe my temps to have been perfect. This AcuRite up till now has been great and I've had very clean, easy hatches using it.

I'm wondering if Lexie being in a hard molt would have any bearing on her chicks-can any of you veteran hatchers comment on that? She is almost bare, but continues to lay-never quit for more than a day or two the entire time. Her bodies resources are worn thin, IMO, because of trying to grow feathers, stay warm and continuing to lay in spite of all that. Anyway, hope the baby makes it.

 

[Katy]

Sorry to hear that things aren't going that great this morning. I had a chick out of my last hatch that had a very hard time hatching and I finally helped him a little. He too had a bloated tummy and a little rough navel....He never did have the vigor of the others and kept getting pasty butt and finally died after about 5 or 6 days. He could walk and he ate and drank some, but he just didn't grow at all. I don't know what to tell you about her being in molt....I don't think I've ever had a hen keep laying while she was molting. It would stand to reason tho that maybe the nutrients in her eggs yolks might not be as good as they usually are. Good luck with the little guy.

 

[speckledhen]

Well, finally, the Blue Orp is making its move, enlarging the pip and beginning the zipping part. I was getting a bit impatient! The BR is still resting. DH turned it over onto its stomach and it seems like it feels better that way, but it still looks very wet and matted. If it makes it, then it does, if not, it was too weak, for whatever reason. Just hope the Orp has no problems when it arrives on the scene.

UPDATE: The Orp has hatched, seemingly without any problems at all. It looks either dark blue or black, but I'll reserve judgement till its almost dry. The BR is still hanging in there, cheeping its head off, then resting then yelling again.

 

[Heidi]

Congrats! Can we hope for some pics as we never grow tired of seeing yours and everyone elses chick pics.

 

[speckledhen]

Well, okay, since you insist, LOL. The BR is finally finding its legs and will probably be fine. The Orp is very definitely a blue with white "eyeliner", just like its mother Velvet had as a chick. They are still drying off. The Orp is on the left of the pic.