Who's Starting the 3-Day-Wait Today?

[chicksgalore]

Guess what!! The polish egg has hatched!!!

And the best part is--we got to watch it! This was one that had just barely cracked the shell last night and just as we went in to check on them this morning, she was zipping and was out with maybe 30 mins. It was the neatest thing!!!

More are pipping but no other action so far other than I can hear a lot of pecking.

Lobzi, the chicks are adorable.

tfpets, it is so reassuring to hear of others' experiences. Now I know that the ones I helped before, I just wasn't patient enough.

 

[Hooterville]

Those babies with momma are so cute! I sure hope my little Checkers sticks with her eggies. She's a bantam cochin and she has one of her eggs and 5 of who knows whose?

Today is day 20 for me--when I left this AM, I was at 100 and 70% humidity. These are my cuckoo marans that came from Tenn. Couldn't candle them--too dark, so I have no idea if anything will happen!

 

[Suess hens]

I have movement in one of the eggs. S/He is a rocking side to side. I wish they would get that little beak through, this is just as bad as not knowing if they are okay...now it is excitement. It is only 1/6, hopefully the others will start too!

 

[peepinglaura]

Chicksgalore and Seuss Hens, I'm so happy for you both! Yippee!

We're up to chick #7. One didn't make it, but the remaining 3 might hatch yet. One has an eye problem. Time will tell if it'll be okay.

 

[tfpets]

Quote:

Whoo Hooo! See, it does take patience! Dont beat yourself up - There is a fine line between wanting/needing to help and them being dead in the shell - you did what you thought was right. The past chick(s) may not have made it anyhow? At least you tried.
A lot of folks believe you just leave them completely alone, and toss em if they dont hatch - no matter how many peeps you heard for hours?? I cant do that either - and I have healthy chickens in my pet area that came from being helped at the end (still my fault due to humidity issues related to bad hygrometer).

I know leaving the bator alone while they are pipping okay is why I think it is best for me to be at work - so I dont torture me or the chicks! Last week the bator got too hot and I lost some....Its not happening this time though! There will be babies when I come home tonight

 

[Schultz]

One of our baby BTW Japanese bantams hatched!! We still have another slow poke that's only pipped.

 

[Jamie821]

Hey all congrats on chicks they are so cute hopefully I will be as lucky. Disaster struck while I was sleeping. Two of the marans eggs pipped last night about midnight so I said to self go to bed they are not going to zip tonight as it is early day 20. So went to bed woke up this morning went straight to bator didnt notice temp at first but about fell over 92% humidity I am going no way then saw temp 78, The thermastat went out while I was asleep. Number one dont open bator had to. I keep a extra thermastat here at all times so ran got it drapped a wet warm towel over whole bator installed thermostat and got bust regulating and waiting for temp and humidity to stabalize. I dont know what time it went but the eggs were cold to touch. The longest it could have been is seven hours and I know that the chicks at this stage can create some of there own body heat so at least the temp went down and didnt do what some do go sky high. At least this way they still have a chance. Just wanted all to cross fingers. Hope they are strong little buggers.

 

[HidingInTheHenHouse]

Good luck!!! I hope they hatch anyway. I am also waiting on Marans to hatch. Day 21 today, with only one pip on my Marans. I've never hatched them before, but heard they can be difficult to hatch.

 

[Hooterville]

Congrats, Shultzes! What a pretty baby!

Good luck, Jamie--don't you hate it when all seems well and then something like that happens? I have my fingers crossed for you!

 

[Jamie821]

they marans have a tougher shell and are prone to pip wrong end because of the egg shape . I hatch hundreds of marans and if they pip the wrong end just let them be for at least 24 hours after pip. Most of the time they will hatch on their own as long as your humidity has been right and they dont pip a blood vessel. I hold some hope for these never had it happen before but they are starting day 21 now and with the temp going down it might slow them some but not much at this far into the hatch. Should know in a few hours.