fuzzi's Chicken Journal

[fuzzi]

Chick #6 is still in the incubator. It had a tough time unzipping, cracked the shell actually.

When the shell fell open a portion of it was stuck to the chick's head. I used a Q-tip and coconut oil to gently dab the stuck area, and the shell finally came off. But the chick, though vocal, was tired. It flopped around but mainly rested.

I did pick it up, but didn't notice anything obviously wrong with it.

It wasn't until after 6pm that I saw it sitting up!

Here's hoping it continues to improve.

 

[fuzzi]

Friday Evening

 

[Shadrach]

I have 2 girls 14 weeks old with beautiful saddle feathers.

The third decided a couple days ago he is a boy. I heard 1 crow. Now to figure out who?? I'm sure the crowing contests will begin soon.

I've not heard a crow from my yard in 2 years. Love having it back again!

I've known a few crowing hens so I don't decide until they lay an egg. I've not had a male lay an egg yet.

 

[NanaK]

I've known a few crowing hens so I don't decide until they lay an egg. I've not had a male lay an egg yet.

My hen Dixie crowed one morning. Caught me quite by surprise.

Dixie was an old gal and had special needs. She moved slowly due to an old injury in the hip joint. I believe this eventually led to arthritis as she aged. She did not do well in excessive heat or cold so she became a part time house hen. She had a large bin she would sleep in when she was inside. It needed no cover, she was content. It was near a window she could see outside and talk to the wild birds.

Early one morning I opened the blinds on the window like I did every morning. The sunlight came in and she just stood up a crowed!
It was loud and proud and echoed through the house!

This one was special!
Dixie Feb 2014 to April 19, 2025

 

[fuzzi]

Hatch Update
8 eggs in incubator for 13 days, 80% rh

Day 14 gave 4 to broody, 4 remained in incubator

Broody
3/4 hatched, 4th fully formed, did not pip (photo)

Spoiler

Incubator
2/4 hatched
1 pipped, finally hatched with minimal assistance, has issues, see more info, below.
1 quit about day 12 (photo)

Spoiler

I suspect the high humidity might have had something to do with the first, fully formed chick not pipping, it looks perfect to me. It was under Rahab for a week.

The chick that pipped, struggled to zip, finally fell out when I barely touched the cracked shell. It's been resting a lot, so I gave it time to recover. Its left foot is curled but stretched out normally when I tried to give it a "boot". Its left eye is closed, it is vocal and attempts to get up and walk. I have dipped its beak in water (added B vitamins & E) but it struggles to swallow. I suspect it might have neurological issues, but I put it back in the incubator, dropped the temperature to 95F, and removed the water bottle to reduce the humidity. I will give it a couple days of assessment, but know what to do if it starts to fail.

Rahab is happy with her 5, and I am content.

ADDENDUM: Hitting Reply removes the spoiler I added to dead chick photos

 

[thistlewick]

Hatch Update
8 eggs in incubator for 13 days, 80% rh

Day 14 gave 4 to broody, 4 remained in incubator

Broody
3/4 hatched, 4th fully formed, did not pip (photo)

Spoiler

View attachment 4178027

Incubator
2/4 hatched
1 pipped, finally hatched with minimal assistance, has issues, see more info, below.
1 quit about day 12 (photo)

Spoiler

View attachment 4178028

I suspect the high humidity might have had something to do with the first, fully formed chick not pipping, it looks perfect to me. It was under Rahab for a week.

The chick that pipped, struggled to zip, finally fell out when I barely touched the cracked shell. It's been resting a lot, so I gave it time to recover. Its left foot is curled but stretched out normally when I tried to give it a "boot". Its left eye is closed, it is vocal and attempts to get up and walk. I have dipped its beak in water (added B vitamins & E) but it struggles to swallow. I suspect it might have neurological issues, but I put it back in the incubator, dropped the temperature to 95F, and removed the water bottle to reduce the humidity. I will give it a couple days of assessment, but know what to do if it starts to fail.

Rahab is happy with her 5, and I am content.

Oooh when you do reply, the photos show, and removes the spoilers tag, yikes!! wasn't up for seeing that this morning lolol

it's ok!! just shocked me a little lol

Yeah - you want between 25-50% humidity for incubating, so bc like me you're in NC, you should be able to successfully dry hatch -- and all that means is, you're not putting in any water for added humidity during the incubation period of day 1-18.

It's important that the air sac can evaporate enough, etc -- I mean technically you still had 5/8 hatch, that's not terrible!

But yeah the high humidity (above 60%) is for lockdown (day 19-21), to soften the shell to make pipping and zipping easier -- sometimes, when they have incubated throughout with high humidity, the air sac has water in it still, so when they pip, they drown.

People confuse these things A LOT by the way and get it wrong, ALL the time.

 

[fuzzi]

I realized I messed up with the humidity, so I am thankful to have 5 healthy chicks. Rahab would have probably struggled to raise 8.

 

[Molpet]

Sometime when helped hatching, they don't kick out enough and tendons don't get set. Putting into heavy cup so they kick for a day can help.

Its left foot is curled but stretched out normally when I tried to give it a "boot".

 

[fuzzi]

The 6th chick now drinks, but only when I dip its beak in water, and still seems to struggle to swallow. I've made crumble wet mash, put its beak in it, but it has no clue how to eat. I will give it more time, and assistance, but not force feed.

 

[fuzzi]

This afternoon:

Wrong date, should be 7/19/25.