They're hatching!!!

[borzoimom]

Oh my goodness, I have eggs pipping. I started eggs 20 days ago. I never posted about them, but was reading everyone else's posts, I got nervous that I would have 0 eggs hatch. My eggs are colored, brown, blue and pick. When I candled them, I never saw the images I think I should have. I did throw out 3, 2 unfertlized and 1 early death in egg. But I did not see veins, I could only make out air space and very dark in most of egg (first candling at 10 days). Today I woke up to 6 eggs moving, 2 are pipped and I hear peeping!! I'm so excited! I work from home and have no idea how I am going to get my work done as I want to watch my babies. I bought a dozen eggs from local poultry farm- 10 Ameraucauna, 2 marans and then I threw my egss from that day in there also, mine were faverolle and 2 faverolle crosses. The 2 marans were thrown out, the faverolle was thrown out (not fertile)
, the two pipped so far are my faverolle crosses.

 

[mshuntjump]

Good job! Hope they are healthy. Post pics when they're out!

 

[borzoimom]

So far 5 chicks out, At least 2 more eggs pipped. Today is actually day 21. I have a few questions though; The chicks aren't drying nice and fluffy though. I am guessing I will need to wash them before placing in the brooder? When do I need to get the hatched chicks out? The first hatched yesterday about 11:00 am. When can I get the spent shells out? If anyone can answer, I would appreciate it. I am going to take pictures this morning, then figure out how to post them.

 

[mshuntjump]

when you put them under a heat lamp in the brooder, they will fluff out. No need to bathe them.

 

[borzoimom]

I need more advice. I have one chick that had been stuck in the shell since last night. About a half hour ago, I helped him out. He does have an open navel, but other than that he is strong and acting normal. Since I had the box open, I removed the other 6 chicks to the brooder. I put the open navel chick back in incubator for at least the next 24 hours. I still have 5 eggs in the incubator, I don't see any pips in them, some of those eggs had movement yesterday, but not sure about today as the hatched chicks were jostling them around quite a bit. Did that hurt the unhatched chicks? How long before I give up on the other eggs? Today was day 21. Last chick to hatch unassisted was before 6:30 this morning.

 

[mshuntjump]

One thing... NEVER help a chick out of the egg. Everyone says to do it after 24- 42 hours, but I never do. And they almost always hatch themselves. The reason why I never do, is because I assisted a chick after it had pipped after 30 hours, and the yolk was not yet absorbed and the navel was opened. The chick's intestines ended up falling out and I had to kill the chick because of my stupid mistake. So, I say if the chick can't do it itself, don't help it, because it's not going to be a strong bird. However, most of the time they will come out themselves. The actual zipping and hatching after the pip doesn't happen until the yolk has been absorbed and the navel has closed. I know it is very tempting to help that baby out, and very difficult to resist, but you've just got to. Or you'll end up with a chick with the navel not closed. Like you did. Good luck with the baby, it is very unfortunate.

 

[borzoimom]

Well, I will remember that the next time. First time hatcher and I panicked. But fortunately this time it turned out OK. The chick is active, interacting with the other chicks. The navel just has a small scab over it this morning and the other chicks have not even noticed it. But I will take your advise and wait it out next time I run across that situation. Thanks for all your advice. Trying to post pics now.