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

[FortCluck]

Here are some of the chicks from my 3-17 and 3-24 hatches:
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Look at the comb on that first one

 

[Jules929]

Look at the comb on that first one

Yes, and the wattle! And only 18 days old! And he loves body slamming the other chicks.

 

[FortCluck]

Yes, and the wattle! And only 18 days old! And he loves body slamming the other chicks.

I had a jersey cross with wattles at 15 days old and it was ridiculous. I actually had chicks trying to rip them off his face I had to save him then run to tractor supply for blu Kote to cover the wattles and blood marks they caused.

 

[Jules929]

I had a jersey cross with wattles at 15 days old and it was ridiculous. I actually had chicks trying to rip them off his face I had to save him then run to tractor supply for blu Kote to cover the wattles and blood marks they caused.

Maybe that's why he's body slamming...

 

[Knighstar679]

We have pips! I have 6 external pips 5 Welsh duck eggs and 1 call duck egg, and 1 internal pip that was very noisy. I heard lots of tapping when I checked my other eggs for internal pips but only 4 call duck eggs showed clear signs that they had. 6 had a little movement but not any noise of tapping in it.

Hoping to see fluffy duck butts tomorro/ today sometime.

 

[Phillyndilly]

It sounds barbaric, but for a tiny chick I have to admit as terrible as it sounds I just pull the head off quickly with my bare hands. Some people use a very sharp knife. The only reason I don't stop at breaking the neck is because there is still nerve movement so I want to make absolutely sure that's all it is and that there no chance of me not doing it properly and causing pain, so I remove completely. Fortunately I've only done it a couple times.

Well I had been sewing masks all day and had my uber sharp Gingher shears out for that project so used them to sever the spinal cord but as it was so small it was actually a full decapitation. In the moment I was more in shock than anything and had it done before the full impact washed over me. Made even worse when my daughter looked at me afterward and pointed out I had a few cockerels to be dispatched to Freezer Camp in my future and she hoped I would do that on a day that she was gone....sigh.

You’re both brave and it’s for the good of the baby. I agree quick and certain.. you’re both strong for being able to do it

 

[FortCluck]

It sounds barbaric, but for a tiny chick I have to admit as terrible as it sounds I just pull the head off quickly with my bare hands. Some people use a very sharp knife. The only reason I don't stop at breaking the neck is because there is still nerve movement so I want to make absolutely sure that's all it is and that there no chance of me not doing it properly and causing pain, so I remove completely. Fortunately I've only done it a couple times.

My husband takes loppers and cuts the head completely off. We have only done it once to a little chick. It's eyes were bulging and it kept declining in health.

 

[gmjarvi]

Well, I have my first wrong end pipper. Any advice? It hasn't been pipped very long. I went to add water and didn't notice it had pipped until I already had the lid open. I'm thinking about going in through the air cell and trying to see how far along it is as far as absorbing blood/yolk?

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Well, I have my first wrong end pipper. Any advice? It hasn't been pipped very long. I went to add water and didn't notice it had pipped until I already had the lid open. I'm thinking about going in through the air cell and trying to see how far along it is as far as absorbing blood/yolk?

I would wait. Most of the time they still hatch on their own without issue. When they pip in the pointy end it's both the internal and external pip in one go so it can take twice as long before you see them zip. I would try to treat it like any other hatch and wait until most of the other chicks have hatched before checking on it.

 

[gmjarvi]

I would wait. Most of the time they still hatch on their own without issue. When they pip in the pointy end it's both the internal and external pip in one go so it can take twice as long before you see them zip. I would try to treat it like any other hatch and wait until most of the other chicks have hatched before checking on it.

Awesome, thanks! I can see it breathing in there, so I will let it rest. If it doesnt make any progress by tomorrow night I will probably step in since that would be approaching the 48 hour mark (I'm assuming it pipped sometime last night. I did hear it chirp when I removed the 3rd baby from the incubator, so I assumed it had internally pipped!).