Saint Patrick's day hatch-a-long EGGS ARE HERE!

[Zallix]

is it normal for so many to quit with chickens? really sad to see some make it this far and not be able to reach freedom from the shell.

My night time update is that 4 and 5 were not early, I just got the date wrong I guess. All have internally pipped except for double bubble but there are still signs of movement in there so not a quitter yet! I'm keeping my expectations for them low at the moment but we'll see how it goes! guessing the hatch day will end up being late tomorrow or saturday given this new info about how bad my memory is lol

 

[Zallix]

Well despite my efforts to help them internally pip the twins didn’t make it. One was facing inwards in between them so not sure if I would have been able to do anything for that one. The larger of the two had their head more towards the middle of the egg still away from the air pocket.

When I peeked in the air pocket all I saw was both their yolks, went I peeked open a spot on the small end I found the larger one’s lower back. It was still moving at that point but I put it back in the incubator to let it get back some warmth and started looking up ways I could try to get to its head. I had found something to try out for separating the inner and outer membranes very delicately but when I went back in there after 1.5 hours to give it a test they had already passed away. The larger one had air bubbles near its bill but no telling it that was from it trying to breathe or not.

In the end I tested out that method of separating the membranes and it seemed to have worked well but I would have never gone as carelessly and quickly if they had still been moving, I was being far to cautious to have ever made it to its bill in time. At least I tried but the odds were stacked against me.


As far as the rest, they still seem to be progressing well. I ended up needing to help out #3 since they weren’t positioned right and were bruising the shell above the air pocket but they gave me some peeps once I got them an air hole with enough room to breath and open/close their bill somewhat.

Now I’m off to take a nap after a long night!

 

[Slothinc]

Well despite my efforts to help them internally pip the twins didn’t make it. One was facing inwards in between them so not sure if I would have been able to do anything for that one. The larger of the two had their head more towards the middle of the egg still away from the air pocket.

When I peeked in the air pocket all I saw was both their yolks, went I peeked open a spot on the small end I found the larger one’s lower back. It was still moving at that point but I put it back in the incubator to let it get back some warmth and started looking up ways I could try to get to its head. I had found something to try out for separating the inner and outer membranes very delicately but when I went back in there after 1.5 hours to give it a test they had already passed away. The larger one had air bubbles near its bill but no telling it that was from it trying to breathe or not.

In the end I tested out that method of separating the membranes and it seemed to have worked well but I would have never gone as carelessly and quickly if they had still been moving, I was being far to cautious to have ever made it to its bill in time. At least I tried but the odds were stacked against me.
View attachment 4072250

As far as the rest, they still seem to be progressing well. I ended up needing to help out #3 since they weren’t positioned right and were bruising the shell above the air pocket but they gave me some peeps once I got them an air hole with enough room to breath and open/close their bill somewhat.

Now I’m off to take a nap after a long night!

The twins are beautiful and I can’t believe that they were so perfectly formed. Were their yolk sacs completely absorbed? You did great, so sorry that they didn’t make it! I haven’t ever seen a successful twin hatch - I imagine it is extremely rare. Good luck to all of your other babies!!!! Keep us posted.

 

[gimmie birdies]

The eggs I got from a guy did not know how to store them. He put damp paper towels on them. I told him to take off the towels, having a feeling it may have wrecked the eggs. But I still wanted to try. The is why so many went to the way side. But 23 or so eggs are still in the running day 18.

 

[gimmie birdies]

Sorry about your babies. It is so hard to sit on hands those last few days, or sleep.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I am sorry about the twins, I had one egg that was triplet. One yolk never developed. One died on day 10 and one made it to day 17 which is amazing. but still sad.

 

[Zallix]

The twins are beautiful and I can’t believe that they were so perfectly formed. Were their yolk sacs completely absorbed? You did great, so sorry that they didn’t make it! I haven’t ever seen a successful twin hatch - I imagine it is extremely rare. Good luck to all of your other babies!!!! Keep us posted.

They didn't absorb any of the yolks it appeared. While frantically looking stuff up last night to see if I could understand how it all works in the egg I remember something saying they didn't start absorbing it till they got air. Since I was testing out separating the membranes I went ahead and cleaned them up to go bury out back by the one we lost back in june due to being backwards in its egg instead of burying them with their yolks still attached.

I think if I had timed my eggs properly and stopped them turning a few days in advance they might have positioned themselves better, but if I ever try it again I did learn a lot from this.

Everyone else is still down well and I'm expecting to see them externally pipping/zipping later tonight or tomorrow!

 

[gimmie birdies]

They are looking good day 18.

 

[Zallix]

I am sorry about the twins, I had one egg that was triplet. One yolk never developed. One died on day 10 and one made it to day 17 which is amazing. but still sad.

Yea I think I got a bit too relaxed about it all since I had no development issues the entire time. Looking stuff up about double yolkers had so many bad stories of things going horribly wrong I just figured I was getting lucky I guess but at least I learned from it all.

Annnd yea I have to fight the urge to just crack them out since I know they need time to absorb the yolk and everything. I do opt for a safety hole as a minimum so I don't really do a full lockdown, also lets me look for any issues after that one in my last batch needed me to make it a hole since it was backwards and I jumped in too late after the others had started popping out of their shells. I do however counter it all with raising the humidity a bit and using vaseline to keep their membranes as moist as possible if its anything larger than the safety hole.

At least you tried for those eggs instead of just writing them off, still more of them making it out than if you hadn't tried at all! Hoping those 23 make it to the finish line!!

 

[gimmie birdies]

I am amazed that your ducks were so developed. Most doubles quit at day 10.