The 6th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!

[WalnutHill]

Locked down last night.

.
Woke up to three babies! Best surprise ever!!!

But, I have one little guy that started zipping and then pooped out. I'm not too nervous yet because I know things can take time, and he's still talking up a storm and squirming around.
I'm just wondering how long should I wait to help? He's been in this same position for over six hours.

I cracked out a lovely little easter egger that had gotten trapped and couldn't rotate. He beat his beak and wing bloody trying to get out. Looking at the size of the beak and the size of the shell, I wonder if you have the same problem there?

He/she is fine now and happy to be out of the egg.

 

[Tuhmu]

Just taught myself one of those hard life lessons, was doing my candling and took out one that looked like an early quitter.....it wasn't

From now on they can stay in there unless I'm 1000% positive its a dud. Just sick to my stomach, poor little thing.

 

[chicken pickin]

Just taught myself one of those hard life lessons, was doing my candling and took out one that looked like an early quitter.....it wasn't

From now on they can stay in there unless I'm 1000% positive its a dud. Just sick to my stomach, poor little thing.

So sorry to hear that.

I did that last year. I had a turkey egg that looked like a quitter so I took it and decided to do an eggtopsie only to find the poor little thing with nice bright red veining a little eye ball and tiny beating heart. I cried over that poor baby.

It happens to many of us at one time or another try not to beat yourself up over it. I know only pull what I am certain are clears and quiters.

On day 10 I dropped an egg on top of anther egg for this hatch, cracked it really good so I put wax on the cracks, the baby didn't make it.

I hardly candle eggs. Ive done it only once this hatch and don't plan to do it again.

 

[wornoutmomto3]

I think my hen may be undecided about going broody. She has been "brooding" several golfballs that last few nights. Except I don't think she is actually brooding them. She will sit there all night and deposit her egg in the morning. She will then forage with the flock until around 3 in the afternoon. At that point she returns to the nest box and sits there till the next morning. She has kept this pattern for three days now. The other hens drop their eggs in the nest throughout the morning and early afternoon. She won't return to the nest until long after they are done.

I know she is still laying because she is the only one who lays a small white egg. The rest lay either blue/green or brown eggs. Could she be in the middle of broody debate with herself?

 

[wornoutmomto3]

Just taught myself one of those hard life lessons, was doing my candling and took out one that looked like an early quitter.....it wasn't

From now on they can stay in there unless I'm 1000% positive its a dud. Just sick to my stomach, poor little thing.

I did something like that also during a previous hatch. A couple of my eggs were on day 23 of hatch and just sitting there. I thought they had died because all the others had hatched early. There wasn't even any wiggling. I decided to call that hatch over. So, I started the eggtopsies. The first had died mid hatch, but the second was just a late bloomer. When I saw it gasping for breath I knew I had sealed its fate. The poor little think struggled to survive, but didn't make it.

It is a very difficult thing to deal with, but it does happen.

 

[wornoutmomto3]

Locked down last night.

.
Woke up to three babies! Best surprise ever!!!

But, I have one little guy that started zipping and then pooped out. I'm not too nervous yet because I know things can take time, and he's still talking up a storm and squirming around.
I'm just wondering how long should I wait to help? He's been in this same position for over six hours.

"zipping?" Is that why it looks like a double pip?

 

[chattery41]

Being new to chicken raising , i have done the same LeviS. It hurts but u learn a good lesson.

 

[Junibutt]

That's what I'm leaning toward. My coop is pretty open, so I'm thinking of moving her nest into a small dog kennel, so she can get food and water. I'll have to wrap the bottom in burlap or something, because I'm out of hardware cloth

It will be nice to know how it goes with the broody. Please keep us posted!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

"zipping?" Is that why it looks like a double pip?

Too me, it looks like it originally pipped and then changed position and I almost think the second pip looks malepositioned. That's what worries me with that one. I just read something about chicks that pip and then change position and make a second pip and I can't remember what it was I read, I just remember it wasn't a real good thing.

 

[bantambury]

i still cant figure out what this guy is....slate legs, single comb, black but with a hazel nut color on her face...
any thoughts?