- Apr 2, 2011
- 8
- 0
- 7
Hi everyone
Im new to this forum but would like some advice, usually i incubate duck eggs and have great results with little problems but i thought i would try chicks this time. By day 17 i was left with 23 eggs that when candled all looked very strong. On day 21 i had 9 chicks hatch all nice and healthy and strong then day 22 another 4 hatched day 23 another 2 all healthy and strong. Then on day 24 i looked in the incubator to see another egg had started to hatch i kept checking it through out the day and it had made little progress as it got to about 14 hours later i decided to try to help i peeled away the shell slowly untill the chick was able to push itself out but the membrane was stuck to the chick so i put it back in the bater to have a rest then had another try later and had to completly free the chick from his shell i was a little worried as i no its said that you shouldnt completely free the chick it has to try itself but luckily the chick was strong and is now running around my brooder with the rest. Anyway on day 25 i started to candle the remaining eggs just to double check before i turned the bator off and as i picked an egg up on the underside was a hole with a tiny beak sticking out the little chick started to faintly cheep all aroung the hole was dried membrane i had to help the chick completely out of the egg. Although today day 26 he looks a sorry state with dried membrane stuck to him ( i keep washing him with warm water just a little at a time) he is also now in the brooder running around.
Even though i got 17 chicks out of my 23 i was just wondering why these 2 hatched so late and why they had trouble getting out. Any advice would be gratefully recieved .....
Im new to this forum but would like some advice, usually i incubate duck eggs and have great results with little problems but i thought i would try chicks this time. By day 17 i was left with 23 eggs that when candled all looked very strong. On day 21 i had 9 chicks hatch all nice and healthy and strong then day 22 another 4 hatched day 23 another 2 all healthy and strong. Then on day 24 i looked in the incubator to see another egg had started to hatch i kept checking it through out the day and it had made little progress as it got to about 14 hours later i decided to try to help i peeled away the shell slowly untill the chick was able to push itself out but the membrane was stuck to the chick so i put it back in the bater to have a rest then had another try later and had to completly free the chick from his shell i was a little worried as i no its said that you shouldnt completely free the chick it has to try itself but luckily the chick was strong and is now running around my brooder with the rest. Anyway on day 25 i started to candle the remaining eggs just to double check before i turned the bator off and as i picked an egg up on the underside was a hole with a tiny beak sticking out the little chick started to faintly cheep all aroung the hole was dried membrane i had to help the chick completely out of the egg. Although today day 26 he looks a sorry state with dried membrane stuck to him ( i keep washing him with warm water just a little at a time) he is also now in the brooder running around.
Even though i got 17 chicks out of my 23 i was just wondering why these 2 hatched so late and why they had trouble getting out. Any advice would be gratefully recieved .....