- Thread starter
- #11
- Jul 14, 2013
- 10
- 0
- 22
Thank you for getting back to me.
I think when I started this adventure with incubation eggs, I thought that the eggs would either hatch or not hatch. I didn't realize that there was a possibility that they might partially hatch and then slowly die. So that was distressing to watch and not really be sure what to do.
I had two hatch out of this batch of several. I had taken three out early in the incubation process because of the death ring. My incubator is a homemade one made of styrofoam with a 40 watt bulb inserted in the side, a humidity/temp gauge, a bowl of water and sponge and a grate to keep the eggs up off the floor for better heat distribution. No fan. Since it was my first time, I used my eggs from the coop so they were a mix of wyandotte and rhode island red (hatched first) wyandotte and california white (hatched second) and the last one was wyandotte and auracauna (died during hatch). I kept the temp at 99 with humidity at 55 during the first 18 days then raised the humidity with another bowl of water the last three days to the 70's. I manually turned the eggs three times a day for 18 days and then went into lockdown.
Where I probably may the fatal error was during the hatching of the first two. The first one pipped and unzipped perfectly. The second one pipped but didn't really unzip and was assisted by me. I may have just needed to wait but it was strong and healthy and it worked out fine. During all of the this the incubator was opened and closed several times. I was able to keep the humidity up for the most part but I think that is were the last one got messed up. She was a day behind and when she pipped it was on the under side. Then she just did nothing. After 48 hours I opened the pip up and exposed her beak to the air. she was pretty chatty and seemed fine but didn't progress. Later I opened the air cell (I had candled at day 18) on the egg and found that she looked "shrink wrapped". I kept the membrane moist with a damp paper towel and back in the incubator she went. I could see her beak from my window on top. She seemed fine until late in day 24 when she began panting and the foamy stuff came out. That was when i noticed the air bubble on the back of her neck area.
I think she ruptured a lung. I don't know if taking her out at that point would have helped or not.
In the end she was good size, well formed, in the correct position and looked normal except for the air bubble on her neck.
I will definitely take a look at hatching 101. I was not fun going from so happy to hatch out two chicks to watching the last one die. With as much researching I did before they incubator was made, I need more education on this before I start again. I also think I will buy a real incubator.
I think when I started this adventure with incubation eggs, I thought that the eggs would either hatch or not hatch. I didn't realize that there was a possibility that they might partially hatch and then slowly die. So that was distressing to watch and not really be sure what to do.
I had two hatch out of this batch of several. I had taken three out early in the incubation process because of the death ring. My incubator is a homemade one made of styrofoam with a 40 watt bulb inserted in the side, a humidity/temp gauge, a bowl of water and sponge and a grate to keep the eggs up off the floor for better heat distribution. No fan. Since it was my first time, I used my eggs from the coop so they were a mix of wyandotte and rhode island red (hatched first) wyandotte and california white (hatched second) and the last one was wyandotte and auracauna (died during hatch). I kept the temp at 99 with humidity at 55 during the first 18 days then raised the humidity with another bowl of water the last three days to the 70's. I manually turned the eggs three times a day for 18 days and then went into lockdown.
Where I probably may the fatal error was during the hatching of the first two. The first one pipped and unzipped perfectly. The second one pipped but didn't really unzip and was assisted by me. I may have just needed to wait but it was strong and healthy and it worked out fine. During all of the this the incubator was opened and closed several times. I was able to keep the humidity up for the most part but I think that is were the last one got messed up. She was a day behind and when she pipped it was on the under side. Then she just did nothing. After 48 hours I opened the pip up and exposed her beak to the air. she was pretty chatty and seemed fine but didn't progress. Later I opened the air cell (I had candled at day 18) on the egg and found that she looked "shrink wrapped". I kept the membrane moist with a damp paper towel and back in the incubator she went. I could see her beak from my window on top. She seemed fine until late in day 24 when she began panting and the foamy stuff came out. That was when i noticed the air bubble on the back of her neck area.
I think she ruptured a lung. I don't know if taking her out at that point would have helped or not.
In the end she was good size, well formed, in the correct position and looked normal except for the air bubble on her neck.
I will definitely take a look at hatching 101. I was not fun going from so happy to hatch out two chicks to watching the last one die. With as much researching I did before they incubator was made, I need more education on this before I start again. I also think I will buy a real incubator.
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