The 5th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!

[uphilljill]

The total number of eggs that were set for the 2014 Easter Hatch-a-long is...............

10,585!

Wow! We beat last years total by A LOT!


The member that guessed the closest was @macondon with a guess of 10,554! Congratulations!​

Congrats!

 

[jinks12333]

you are jumping in and assisting them too soon is my best guess. Most external pips never even need assisted. Did this one not have an external pip? and today is day 21 or the extra you added a day later? sorry I cannot remember anything but you staggered and you have been fretting scared for them, this is bad because thats when ppl assist too soon. If they are over day 22 you need to re calibrate your thermos and hygros, and I am not sure your humidity and if you watched air cells or weighed? Let this guy alone until those veins recede to a shear membrane with very feight red lines, not filled with blood. Have you read and re-read the assist article and what those chicks are doing in there? its important you understand the process.

They get into position day 17-18 then they can even internally pip, and sometimes the internal can be the external as well, then they rest, and rest and rest and rest and I think I posted the timeline of a silky hatching? well well over 24 hours for that one.... and then with one last frantic circling motion they zip out in 5 to 60 minutes. they will never zip before they are ready to and have done the absorbing!

Keep us updated on this one! I hope it makes it, its only chance is for you to sit on your hands and wait for it to do its thing. Sometimes these late hatchers have other issues you will have to watch for them as well after hatching.

Hatching 101​

~ ​

Guide to ASSISTED Hatching​

​

@SallySunshine... Update: I did "assist" by pulling the piece of shell off the end of her egg where her air sack was, but it wasnt really even holding on.. it practically fell off in my hand. That is why i went and got the warm wash cloth and wrapped it around her because I didnt know what else to do to give her "protection" like her egg shell would?(if that makes sense?) Anyways after your post (^^That one) I read and re-read that for probably the 100th time. I found that thread a when i started researching hatching about 6 months ago so i would be ready for spring hatching (i still feel like im not ready). I really didnt handle her or any of them untill they were dry only because i have other eggs set for the HAL and didnt want to compromise them.

Now... back to subject after I reread that article I went back down to check on her before bedtime.. right about midnight. Her veins were receding and the membrane was turning clear. So i was happy with that, HOWEVER as I was peering in on her though with my flashlight i caught a better glimpse of her shell that was "remaining".... It was cracked! In like 6 spots.. looked like a spiderweb!!!! I dont know how I didnt notice that when i wrapped her in the washcloth. (Maybe because I was panicked that her shell just fell off in my hand) When she actually hatched this morning around 10 there were no 2 halves to her shell.. it exploded... literally crumbles (technically on day 23.. she pipped saturday morning).
The only thing I can maybe think of was that maybe since she was the last to hatch that the others knocked her around too much?? It definitely wasnt like that when i candled them on day 18 before lockdown. She is however doing well... Her yolk is absorbed all the way, better than the ones that hatched on time it seems. She is chirping loudly in the bator finishing fluffing up.

I do appreciate you reposting that link because it was everything i could do not to freak out and frett! You reminded me that No chick will hatch until its ready! and to just be patient! Thank you again!

Side note: She was the last to hatch... So for this hatch.. my first in 20ish years I had 14/17 Hatch and all are doing well!!! (2 had saddle shaped air sacs and 1 died while hatching *not sure why*) so.... 82% hatching... pretty good I think!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I cut the band part of a water balloon off and use it to band my babies. It will stretch quite a bit and will last for several weeks. Since it is stretchy, if you let it go too long and it gets tight is is still fairly easy to remove.

Diagonal cutters are the tool of choice for removing zip ties or other tight bands.

http://www.knipex.com/us/zangen-abc/die-welt-der-seitenschneider/

 

[Cynthia12]

Good morning all!!! I hope you all have a great day!

You too!!

 

[Cynthia12]

I keep telling the egg farmer about this! each day of storage can add one hour to hatch time for hatching eggs--and the last ones to hatch are often weak--some to not make it.

He dropped of 51 eggs yesterday, collected over 15 days.

They will hatch over a long period of time. The weakest ones will be more likely to be mal positioned because they are weak. Shipped eggs can have the same problem for those collected after 5 days because of the shipping stress and energy used to recover.

Ohhhh! So, does this mean that the eggs that took so long to get here could be longer hatching..or not be able to? They are developing! I'm so excited for this. The egg colors are beautiful. I'm seeing veining and beanie babies on day three here.

 

[foxvalleyfarm]

yes, it will be extremely tough for that one and you may need to help. 

I am hoping the best for you!

I know it will but I have faith it will be OK. And thank you

 

[mlm Mike]

Quote: I'm glad the little one made it!

 

[chicken pickin]

If anyone had photos they could share of their broody quarantines it would help a lot to have some ideas for my broody silkie!

Thanks!

Sometimes I use an old rabbit hutch. I also use a plastic dog cage placed in the chickens run.

 

[chicken pickin]

I was almost 400 posts behind so I just skipped ahead with out reading. I sure hope I didn't miss to much.

 

[Quailsong]

haha i do have a picture.... but I know we have some tender hearts on this forum so I don't know if posting it is wise.

I'll PM you my e-mail address. I can understand tender hearts are here on BYC. I'm of the mindset that chickens would eat a dog alive if they were as big as a T-Rex.