Tis Time for a March 2020 Hatch-a-long!

[hysop]

Placed the chick back in the incubator. It stopped chirping as much. Maybe it was a little cold, but still is chirping. Maybe it’s a little muffled due to being inside the incubator. I’ll see how it’s doing tomorrow. I think it’s a girl. I hope so because my husband said if it’s a rooster he doesn’t want to put too much time trying to fix its leg since it would be going to the freezer anyway so if it’s a rooster he suggested just putting him down now

 

[Mylied]

Placed the chick back in the incubator. It stopped chirping as much. Maybe it was a little cold, but still is chirping. Maybe it’s a little muffled due to being inside the incubator. I’ll see how it’s doing tomorrow. I think it’s a girl. I hope so because my husband said if it’s a rooster he doesn’t want to put too much time trying to fix its leg since it would be going to the freezer anyway so if it’s a rooster he suggested just putting him down now

How do you tell on baby chicks? Do you have sex links or do you vent sex them?

 

[hysop]

How do you tell on baby chicks? Do you have sex links or do you vent sex them?

I read with leghorns (and a couple other breeds) you can wing sex them. Not sure how accurate it is but we’ve been doing well so far. This chick is a white leghorn

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Placed the chick back in the incubator. It stopped chirping as much. Maybe it was a little cold, but still is chirping. Maybe it’s a little muffled due to being inside the incubator. I’ll see how it’s doing tomorrow. I think it’s a girl. I hope so because my husband said if it’s a rooster he doesn’t want to put too much time trying to fix its leg since it would be going to the freezer anyway so if it’s a rooster he suggested just putting him down now

It's not difficult to wrap the leg but sometimes it doesn't take. Do whatever you feel is necessary for the chicks quality of life and your peace of mind though. Sorry you're dealing with this.

 

[Mylied]

I read with leghorns (and a couple other breeds) you can wing sex them. Not sure how accurate it is but we’ve been doing well so far. This chick is a white leghorn

I don't know how much I'd trust that method in determining to put down a chick or not. I've read mixed reviews.

 

[BluebirdHomestead]

If it was malpositioned and you poke a hole in the air cell but see blood, do you automatically stop and go back later? (On a late egg)

You would just be going through shell into the air cell while the membrane around the chick is still intact, so in theory, there really shouldn’t be any blood unless you accidentally get the membrane below as well. Or at least in my experience.
Then once you chip away that shell above the air cell, you can get clues about the chicks readiness to hatch based on what it looks like. I moisten that membrane a bit with coconut oil or triple antibiotic ointment without pain relief and if you can still see any sort of veining on the membrane, leave the egg alone until the veining is gone. I always have a q-tip and stypic (spelling?) powder on hand in case it starts bleeding.

 

[hysop]

I don't know how much I'd trust that method in determining to put down a chick or not. I've read mixed reviews.

I will treat it like a girl for now and will be helping it. I’m excited to have a chicken who will actually like me. My other hens run away except my red sex links (3 total) since they know I bring treats.

 

[Mylied]

I will treat it like a girl for now and will be helping it. I’m excited to have a chicken who will actually like me. My other hens run away except my red sex links (3 total) since they know I bring treats.

My very first batch of chickens were spoiled rotten. They followed me everywhere and would fall asleep in my lap. I don't spoil my chicks so much anymore so I've never had quite as sweet birds since. Now my son is raising some and he sets them on the bed with him and pets them so I think they will be super friendly.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

You would just be going through shell into the air cell while the membrane around the chick is still intact, so in theory, there really shouldn’t be any blood unless you accidentally get the membrane below as well. Or at least in my experience.
Then once you chip away that shell above the air cell, you can get clues about the chicks readiness to hatch based on what it looks like. I moisten that membrane a bit with coconut oil or triple antibiotic ointment without pain relief and if you can still see any sort of veining on the membrane, leave the egg alone until the veining is gone. I always have a q-tip and stypic (spelling?) powder on hand in case it starts bleeding.

Oh I found an old picture. This was an assist for a malpositioned chick. You can see that I opened the air cell and put coconut oil on the interior membrane. The blood vessels are still very heavy and filled with blood so I had to wait quite some time before I could move forward with the assist.

 

[klweber2002]

I ordered some legbar and silverrud blue hatching eggs. They ship on the 16th.