The 4th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long

[misskeeter]

I've never had success with doing it that way. Lost every single chick I've tried. A tappered cup works best for me. The chicks that try to stand the most usually have no problems later.

tapered cup? ... I tried a couple of different cup styles, teacup included... she just sinks herself down in there all the way... She's not trying to stand at all..

 

[ImpulsiveFarmer]

Another one has hatched! Bringing the total to 2. I have three more which have started to pip and one egg zipping!

 

[wolftracks]

tapered cup? ... I tried a couple of different cup styles, teacup included... she just sinks herself down in there all the way... She's not trying to stand at all..

I lost a Lt Sussex last hatch, cause I broke my cup that I always used. It was more of a coffee mug, but really tapered . That chick didn't try to stand either. I hope you have better luck than I do with the band-aid treatment.

 

[JoyfulPromise]

Nothing at all happening here. NUTTIN!!

At least I am not the only one. That makes me feel a little better.

Still no activity here, except that I MIGHT have heard (ok, I am pretty sure) a teeny "cheep cheep" at least twice since late morning, which would indicate an internal pip. I keep cheeping to the eggs, encouraging them, but for the most part they are silent and still. I was going to wait until first pip to raise humidity, but I have had it in the mid-high 50's for the last day and am trying to raise it a bit higher now that I might have an internal pipper trying to get out soon.

 

[Gardengirl73]

I'm not Sally, but if it only pipped this am I would leave it alone yet. It could still be absorbing the yolk . I would wait 24 hours since you noticed the pip. If in 24 hours it hasn't progressed then take it out and check it, then if you think it is stuck follow Sallys assisted hatch thread. In the meantime, breathe in.... breath out.

X2! Excellent advice!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Congrats to everyone with Bator activity and chicks! (trying to not multi quote everyone and bog down the thread)

Went to bed last night and my temp was good and humidity was 60%, some how throughout the night the humidity dropped into the 30's and I have been trying very hard to be HANDS OFF with this silkie chick that has been trying to get out for over 24hours now. Well, it didn't hatch over night and I told myself if it isn't hatched by the time I get back from dropping my son off at school and geting some easter things for him then I'm going in to see what's wrong. I could tell it was in distress before especially when I seen the membrane turning brown and the chick peeping...Well I came back and checked and the chick has pipped on the right side but had gotten stuck on the very bottom and is completely STUCK inside the egg. There is no chipping away, if I do then I will more than likely hurt the chick. I wetted a paper towel with warm water, wrapped it around the egg besides where the beak was so it could breath and have added more water to hopefully up the humidity. I'm hoping I can get it humid enough to loosen up the chick enough to break him/her free without hurting it. This is a little white silkie and I feel so bad it is chirping so loud and I know has to be uncomfortable in there!! You wouldn't have ever known the situation until you literally picked up the egg and seen it's little beak sticking out at the bottom screaming away.

Chick is out, took a couple mins for us both (me and the chick) to work him out but he's now out! His right leg isn't working properly, I felt around on it for a moment and nothing seems abnormal. I seen him finally bend like he should so thinking maybe loss of circulation/asleep? Hopefully will be ok. His umbellical cord is still attached to a dried up piece of yellowish looking stuff.I haven't touched a thing but its completely dried, should I leave or ? Right now he's in the bator I'm sure enjoying being able to MOVE! I hope he makes it, he really fought hard for his life.
I think his/her feathers will remain for the most part gooey and may even dry hard, anything I can do for that? I know to let him/her rest now but I just don't want to inflict anymore pain if I can help prevent it.

The yellow stuff is unabsorbed yolk sac. Leave it be and it should dry up and detach. Don't let the other chicks peck at it.

Well ... 9 chicks have hatched and 9 more have pipped.

The temp keeps spiking to 100 - 101, and the hatched/dried chicks start panting when it does. Also, when the new chick hatched, the humidity spikes to 80% or more. So, I've been opening it for a second to remove the extra heat & humidity. It then stays within the acceptable range for awhile. I have all the plugs out, and I don't want to overheat the chicks. Is that okay? Plus, I use that second to remove any empty egg shells, so the chicks have more room to explore.

Sounds great! It doesn't hurt to do a quick grab when your humidity spikes - just don't do it UNLESS you have your humidity too high. And never do it when anyone is zipping.

I have read a hen can hold sperm for up to 3 weeks

Yup, true. Hens can store sperm for 3 weeks. I wait at least a month to be extra positively sure.

Last count was 9 chicks... my phone battery died so I'm away from the incubator. I hope it charges fast so I can get back out there!

I have a humidity issue right now with all these chicks hatching at once. The two little windows are getting condensation on them. My temps aren't high though, if anything it's low around 98 so I'm nervous about opening the lid to let some moisture out. What would you do? I want to pull all the shells out too real quick if I do pop that lid open for a few seconds. The chicks are still quite wet looking.

Open the lid and let the moisture out. You only need to hold it open for 10-15 seconds. Then close it back up and let it stabilize.

Had a day of fishing, came home to 3 chicks out and a hole bunch trying hard!

wrong end pipper still not hatched, but I opened the pip a tad and he seems fine in there, still some red veining at the 24hr mark
so she stays as is, goes to show how long it can take them!





oh and how about lil Lukes "Jalapeño Trout" palomino Bawaaahaaaa out of the mouths of littles!!
God love them!



they stocked the local pond at the gun club! Dad bought him a ticket worth 7 fish total, he can fish as much as he wants to fill his ticket and then Popop will buy him another ticket, pretty cool eh! pays for stocking the trout in the ponds!

Nice fish! Congrats on the baby chick too! Hope wrong way Willie makes it out on it's own.

Ok....So I have a question. I had an egg pip this morning and right before I left for work it had cracked, not zipped. It is cracked about 1/2 way around the egg, like a pressure crack, not zip. It is still like that now that I am home almost 9 hours later. My concern is that the pip hole, Im not seeing a beak I am seeing furr, starting to dry. Also this egg in particular is very saddle shaped on one side. It pipped on the good side, but if it is twisted to the other side, where the saddle shape is, the membrane is going to be too far from the shell for it to pip/zip. I am thinking of assisting. While I wait for comments, I am going to go and look at sally's assist article, but appreciate any thoughts. This will be my first assist if I do, and first time Ive ever had this crack situation.

Leave it alone. I had one that cracked and I too have never had that happen. Last night it pipped above the crack. I think the crack was a stress fracture from internally pipping. Anyway, it hatched just peachy on it's own.

This is not an exact picture of my silkies foot, but similar except the outter toe is sitting under the entire foot.

I read a lot and just made a splint for my silkie...He is NOT happy lol but the toes are stretched out where they should be. However the splint I made which is a piece of cardboard on bottom for support and packing tape. S.O. held him on his back while I worked quickly, and is able to walk on it and get around. I will re evaluate tomorrow, and am SO open to any other suggestions or ideas. Should his toe joints be able to move or is it ok that they are flat for now?

Tape the toes out how they should be. It will not correct on it's own. Leave it on for at least 2 days.

another one out...!

the last two have a little shell stuck to their backs... will that come off.... looks a bit crusty. humidity is at 62.. should i add a little water? is she too dry and is that why its crusty?


This last one that hatched is super cute! black with a white beard, Will post pics as soon as she dries off!

They will work the gunk off in a couple of days. No need to worry about it as long as they have movement of their body parts. I had one with it's eye glued shut and I used Q tips and water so it could open it's eye. You can rinse their body in warm water too (careful not to drown them), but you risk chilling them.

Okay.... Little spraddle girl, calling her "Cleo" because of the Egyptian eye liner, is my favorite....

Thinking of making some sort of splint out of straws to force her legs straight since the band aid is not working at all....

Here are a couple of pics of her cuteness

Check the band aids every 2 days. Replace every 2 days. It may need a week to correct. If it is a hock issue, then the band aids won't work. I'm sorry to say I've never had a chick make it from a hock issue.

Quote: That is unabsorbed yolk sac. Keep it from scraping it and tearing it open. It should dry up and fall off on it's own. Be very careful with it.

 

[Gardengirl73]

tapered cup? ... I tried a couple of different cup styles, teacup included... she just sinks herself down in there all the way... She's not trying to stand at all..

Try the bandaid or first aid tap. Make sure the space between is no bigger than the pad in the bandaid. I've tried the cup and the bandaid/ band method and the cup didn't work for me. The bandaid doesn't seem to work at first because they flop so much. I doesn't always work, but I've had success. Perhaps my cup wasn't tapered enough, idk. Good luck!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Sorry if you guys felt you weren't getting help. I was in town running errands most of the day - then had to get my brooder cleaned and move chicks. I'm catching up now.

My hatch is done with 19 chicks. 16 barnevelders, 2 welsummers and a black sex link pullet. The one egg I thought was a quitter was. (died several days before) The other egg looks like it died a few days ago. They are all comfy cozy under my EcoGlow brooder.

I had to splint 2 chicks that had one leg out to the side. I haven't had that happen in a long time. I'll keep a close eye on them.

Some quick phone pictures as my kids were playing with them.


Black sex link pullet.


Barnevelder left, Welsummer right.


Wellie chick

 

[misskeeter]

Check the band aids every 2 days. Replace every 2 days. It may need a week to correct. If it is a hock issue, then the band aids won't work. I'm sorry to say I've never had a chick make it from a hock issue.

Hmm... Okay.. I changed the band aid tonight... She is using her legs more to hop around, but she keeps rocking back onto her hocks and walking on them instead of her feet...

She's VERY perky and loud and seems to be holding her own... Gosh I hope she figures out how to stand up. I'm glad to know it can take longer to correct... I feel a little better about things. At least I am seeing improvement in her mobility...

on another topic... my little one who couldn't stand and spent the day in the teacup is perfect now. she was VERY wobbly until even last night, but today has finally got it all figured out. I know she will make it now...

 

[misskeeter]

Try the bandaid or first aid tap. Make sure the space between is no bigger than the pad in the bandaid. I've tried the cup and the bandaid/ band method and the cup didn't work for me. The bandaid doesn't seem to work at first because they flop so much. I doesn't always work, but I've had success. Perhaps my cup wasn't tapered enough, idk. Good luck!

I think my space between may be too wide then.. I think it is wider than that... gotta go fix it.

Her legs are taped to where they are at the same width she is...