Too Early for Feb Hatch-A-Long Thread??

[livhatcher]

Since we are talking about tracking internal activity and health, does anyone have a recommendation for the best candling device for ultra dark eggs? I was crushed last week when I only got one fbcm from eggs I ordered but couldn't see inside & didn't hear any tapping or peeps so I tossed them at day 23.

 

[BluebirdHomestead]

Are you wanting to step in? My first step is always to candle and listen to the remaining eggs. I prefer to allow as many as possible to hatch on their own without assisting but I'm not at all against it. It's not for everyone and that's ok too!
Once I'm left with a few stragglers I will sometimes put something as simple as a small safety hole in the air cell so that I feel comfortable waiting longer before actually stepping in. This way I know they're getting oxygen if they're internally pipped and struggling to externally pip.
When I'm left with eggs with no activity after all of the other chicks have hatched, I am one to go in and investigate but it's a very hands on process once you decide to assist and many people would rather just allow nature to take it's course.

I set them on a Thursday evening so technically they aren’t late yet. I’m thinking once it is dark, I will candle and potentially add safety holes based on what I see.

 

[BluebirdHomestead]

I am less prone to intervene than I used to be, but have had some malpositioned bc of shipping and I feel bad for them when they struggle a long time and can't get out. This thread has saved me a bunch.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching

Thank you. I’ll start reading. I don’t think I’ll consider assisting this soon, but a safety hole is definitely something I’d consider doing soon.

 

[BluebirdHomestead]

Since we are talking about tracking internal activity and health, does anyone have a recommendation for the best candling device for ultra dark eggs? I was crushed last week when I only got one fbcm from eggs I ordered but couldn't see inside & didn't hear any tapping or peeps so I tossed them at day 23.

Following for this. I could tell if my Marans eggs were clear or not by the way they glowed, but man it’s hard to tell what’s going on.

 

[FortCluck]

Still no more pips. Worried about the remaining babies.

If I were you I would do candling...

Do it one egg at a time take an egg out, make sure the lid is shut, candle it put the egg back, and take another egg out... repeat

Make sure you are not leaving your lid off for extended periods of time and you are instantly closing it after you take out the egg because you are either going to spike the temperature in your incubator or you'll lose a lot of humidity.

Be a fast bator ninja. Fast in fast out

What you'll want to look for is for movement and internal pipping. If they are internally pipped there's no need to do a safety hole. They have enough air in the egg and they can get sufficient air without a safety hole. I have just seen horrible things happen when people start to try to poke holes in eggs.

If you see no movement then it means that the chick has passed.

If you see movement and they're not internally pipped it means that they're trying to internally pip.

If you see them internally pipped but there's no external pip I would just wait.

I'm honestly someone who will wait 48 hours past the 21 days and then I do egg-topsies. I've actually had a chick that wasn't pipping at all and was about to die and I did an egg-topsy and saved it. I was actually shocked that it was still alive.

 

[BluebirdHomestead]

This is another really great article on assisting. I've had to assist quite a bit, mostly with shipped eggs. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

I’ll check this out. Thank you. All mine are shipped. Sigh.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

Still no more pips. Worried about the remaining babies.

I agree with what was posted. Give them each a very careful listen and candling. I choose to keep the egg in the same orientation it was but I'm not sure that matted when chicks have been stepping all over it. It's still early yet. You may very well get a few more hatched!

That said I think you may be experiencing the sad reality of shipped eggs. Late quitters. Yes, people get lucky and have amazing hatch rates. That's what we all hope for but it's not typical. What usually happens is they grow fine, look healthy, but just can't quite make it through hatching.

I think you did an amazing job for a first hatch with shipped eggs! Don't be disheartened by what you're experiencing now.

 

[FortCluck]

Still no more pips. Worried about the remaining babies.

And if you are thinking about assisting a hatch a good thing to have on hand is cornstarch in case you have a bleeder. Where it is bleeding you sprinkle the cornstarch on it and it instantly stops a bleeding.

 

[FortCluck]

Since we are talking about tracking internal activity and health, does anyone have a recommendation for the best candling device for ultra dark eggs? I was crushed last week when I only got one fbcm from eggs I ordered but couldn't see inside & didn't hear any tapping or peeps so I tossed them at day 23.

I have a 3000 lumen flashlight and it seems to work through all egg colors, but darks are rough. I'm sure the higher lumens you get the better you'll be able to see. I know you can get 10,000 lumens at tractor supply and it is $39.99.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I am less prone to intervene than I used to be, but have had some malpositioned bc of shipping and I feel bad for them when they struggle a long time and can't get out. This thread has saved me a bunch.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching

This is another really great article on assisting. I've had to assist quite a bit, mostly with shipped eggs. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

These are both of the go to articles for me to share as well!