The 4th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long

[cochins1088]

not sure if you can tell, the chick is completely bent in half with legs stretched out straight in front.

Does she keep her legs like this? Does she move them up and down in an attempt to move? How old is she? I had a chick like this during the NYD hatch-a-long.

I tried a few things to help her, but in the end, she simply started walking on her own 2 days later. Some chicks are just slower than others. Many people call it the "paddle walk"

Here's a picture of mine:

 

[Arielle]

We got our first pip!!!! So excited!



We set the duck eggs on March 2 at noon.

I tried moving my bator yesterday to a better place and the temp paid a price, it was late/early this am b4 I got it back. Had 1 rocking the whole time but not this am. Hope I didn't screw it up to bad. Well time will tell.

Update: Ok I now have 6 hatched and 2 more pips and 2 are starting to zip

10 out of 14 eggs so far.

well it is 6 am chicks ever where. black ones, blue ones, yellow ones, chipmonks ones some with white dots on heads.
will have try to count some around noon when I put some in brooder.
this looks like a pretty good hatch. I don't not candle so I am sure there is some clears and quitters in there. Right now it very active.
PS how are those cream legbar s hatching.
Boy this coffee is so good!!!!!!

I have a chick hatched! First one out is a BA/RIR.

THe first one is alway the most exciting !!

Had to assist chick #1 at 4:00 a.m. It was completely zipped, but I was falling asleep over the bator waiting, so went to bed expecting to be woken by loud chirpiing. Woke up at 4 and realized there was no chirping. Completely zipped chick was hard as a rock and glued, face and all to the membrane. Tedious, and the scariest assist for me so far. Got the chick out, and it's one eyelid didn't form properly, so it has a split straight up it. UGH! #2 Came out beautifully. 4 more pips, but strangely silent with all of the rest. Gonna be a long day!!!

Deep breathes are in order!! Hatch day is my stress day. Deep breathes.

 

[Arielle]

Ok, starting to worry about one that zipped only halfway around. Keeps pushing up & not getting out. Membrane starting to brown. Should I assist & how exactly? Been like this for about an hour.

I often help out after 24 hours by quickly breaking the shell away, and letting the chick push it self out. THe exercise seems to be needed to get the legs working correctly. IMO

It's getting noisy at my house!

Too cute-- yes the noise level for several days can be too much!! lol

I HAVE A PIP

So if that's the only one that's 20% for first time hatch. Like wolftracks I'd be happy with one

Praying for a few more to hatch for you . . .

HURRAY! One Polish hatched. I had to assist the Polish as she was wrapped up quite tightly. Three Barnevelders are pipped. 27 more doing nothing yet. High anxiety time.

THese little quirks of incubator hatching makes me pause and appareciate the wonders of a broodie hen.

The chick that fist pip yesterday is going to need some help. I'm putting it off a little longer, but I can see that the blood has receded. The chick is too big for the shell and it can't get out on it's own. The fully hatched chick is doing fine, but not chirping. Poor little thing is so tired! It woke me up chirping this morning and I have another pip. The chick is working on making it's way out. Still nothing from the game eggs and the internally pipped duck egg still isn't doing anything.

I have the hardest time with ducks- - - I'm happy to just get a few. Internally pip is a good sign, if you need to rescue it you can save it.

 

[ronott1]

OH I NEED A RON UPDATE!!

It is nice to be needed....I will be working on the daily update for the late afternoon. I will probably have to cut off at about 4pm. It's going to take some time to get this one done....

10 SG Dorking eggs went into lockdown and 7 have hatched. Two have pips and one is doing nothing. The Dels just started hatching last night and 3 are out with 2 more working on it. I set 11 Delaware eggs.

 

[TMNfarm]

So... Stubby's other foot finally fell off. He still seems to get around ok and uses his wings for balance. I am going to move him to his own little well bedded home with maybe one other chicken so he doesn't have to compete for food...

Here are some pics I took last night...

 

[Egghead_Jr]

How long has has he been struggling? Could be resting for the next round of zip. Mine is at least pushing with force. I'll keep my fingers crossed for ya!

I did assist when I got back from recycling. 14 hours after zipping most of the way and it was time. Sure enough she was stuck and membrane wrapped on it. Let her dry out in incubator and realized how much membrane and dried gunk was still on her. Gave a warm bath to try and soften it up and get some off. Can't walk, either laying on front or back with curled toes. In a small cup braced in a larger cup with paper towels so it wont tip over under the heat lamp for now. I'll have to give her another bath for sure so not putting on boots to fix the toes yet. Likely with all that scum on her she'll have pasty butt too if I can't get her completely clean soon.

Picked up electrolyte with vitamins and Blue Kote while out. Had one chick stand up on the egg carton and scalped itself on the fan. Thought it was a fluke and then this morning letting a few more dry out I heard "bruant!" then the fan slowly revving back up. Lawd, I'll not put cartons under the fan anymore, thinking it's a trend. Second time with this forced air incubator. I'd taken eggs out of cartons day 18 last time.

 

[Everlong9750]

1 of 12 is peeping and tapping but no other signs or pips just yet.

 

[michaelf]

Wow!  That is a way cool looking chick.  A RIR mix??   Wish I could see that one all grown up.  Nice.

I might keep a couple to see what they look like. The rooster is a white polish and hens of RIR. I think it is neat this one us white. The other are pipping now. Will post pics of them all when they hatch.

 

[Arielle]

Ugh now I'm nervous still no pips or chirps

Hang in there!! If temp is a little low that can delay pipping. Ask me how I know??

THERRRRRRE HERRRRRRE!
Well, finished my chores, went to take a pic of the two little fluff balls, and now I have three!
The third one zipped and hatched in less than 2 hours.
Waiting on the last one.
More pics later.

Awwwwwwwww . . . .

6 chicks out, one zipping, and two doing nothing. Boy are the chicks cute. I will have to take some pictures later today before I send them up the road to the farmer I hatched these for.

Pictures . . . . . pictures . . . . pictures . . . . . . !!!!

I'm pretty sure I'm done... The 2 eggs left in the bator were doubtful at best and they still look doubtful. The chick doesn't fill the egg like it should, so I'm pretty sure they quit just before lockdown...

But I did get one beautiful chick! Daddy is one of my very young Ancona crosses that Prim hatched... Mommy is one of my hens, I would guess one of the BO's or a Production Red based on the coloring...

I'll post a pic as soon as I get it off my phone onto my computer. I wish I was keeping this little one, but I'm giving it to my friend...

I'll leave the other 2 in the bator for a day or two longer, but I'll truly be shocked if any more hatch... So that makes 1/25.. That makes a 0.04% hatch rate...

Congrats!!

Quote:

I have three out, 1 zipping and several pips. How are you doing wolf?
So far all my chicks are from shipped olive eggers no Brahmas or cochins yet which were local. And the one that I slightly assisted made it the rest of the way out on his own.

Where is WOlf?? Olive eggers are sooo pretty, I set a few too.

 

[michaelf]

 OH I NEED A RON UPDATE!!

I like reading the updates also.