ellasflock Posted February 10, 2021 Author Share Posted February 10, 2021 Hi Everyone so another little update, I didn’t think that one of the eggs was alive any more because there was no movement and so I candled it and there seems to be a black murky blob in the air cell and looks to me as of there is also a blood ring. So unfortunately one egg is dead I think. I wasn’t sure about the other egg, but the chirping has stopped, so I don’t really know what to do?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted February 10, 2021 Share Posted February 10, 2021 The black blob in the air cell could be its head? They take their head out from under the wing and enter the air sac to begin pipping, so if the air sac doesn't get big enough they can't pip and die in the shell. So perhaps wait a bit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellasflock Posted February 10, 2021 Author Share Posted February 10, 2021 I guess that is possible. We will have to see. I don’t really have much hope to be honest but I will wait until Friday just in case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted February 10, 2021 Share Posted February 10, 2021 Of course they will stop chirping and rest, perhaps sleep? As chicks they will fall asleep every few minutes, which is why the drinkers have to be very shallow, so that they don't drown if they fall asleep in them. The blood ring may be a bacterial ring, but best just leave them alone as movement will disorientate them and you shouldn't be opening the incubator now anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellasflock Posted February 10, 2021 Author Share Posted February 10, 2021 Okay thank you for the advice. It is really aggravating to wait around 😂🤣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted February 10, 2021 Share Posted February 10, 2021 I have my fingers crossed for you x 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellasflock Posted February 10, 2021 Author Share Posted February 10, 2021 Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted February 10, 2021 Share Posted February 10, 2021 Anything happening? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellasflock Posted February 10, 2021 Author Share Posted February 10, 2021 Nope, annoyingly not. Tomorrow is day 23 so hopefully tomorrow is the day, I can’t hear chirping anymore from either eggs, maybe I was just imagining it 😂 but I have a feeling these guys won’t hatch. I will wait it out until Friday/ Saturday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 Any news? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellasflock Posted February 12, 2021 Author Share Posted February 12, 2021 Still no sign of pipping or chirping! I think this time is a no go unfortunately. I think I am going to put a new batch in on March 5th so they are spring chicks. Thank you for everyone’s advice. I’m still going to leave them in for a day or two just incase. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 That’s a shame. I suspect the temperature in the first incubator and then moving them half way through was just too much for them to cope with. But you live and learn don’t you? After you’ve given them a couple more days, if you can bring yourself to do it it may be useful to open them and see how far they got - might give you more of an idea of what went wrong; how well your candling showed you what was actually going on etc. There’s loads of great websites with lots of advice on all sorts of things to do and not to do when incubating eggs - definitely worth educating yourself as much as possible before going again. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellasflock Posted February 12, 2021 Author Share Posted February 12, 2021 Yes I think I might just have to do an eggtopsy unfortunately. But I think I know for next time how to do it right. I won’t be swapping incubators or adjusting temps, so it should all be okay. Thanks for everyone’s help and interest, it is really appreciated! ☺️ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellasflock Posted February 14, 2021 Author Share Posted February 14, 2021 Hi Everyone. So I have just undergone an eggtopsy. It was probably the most disgusting thing I have ever done but I think I know what went wrong. Out of the two eggs one wasn’t even a fully formed chick, it was a very small embryo which I think died around day 8/9. The second one was a fully formed chick although it’s sac wasn’t fully absorbed and looked almost ruptured because lots of brown gunk was coming from it, it’s skull was also soft so I think this little guy died day 16. I don’t know why it would have died, maybe from humidity changes or delayed growth because of my incubator swap at the start. Unfortunately I don’t have photos because I just thought it wasn’t a sight I ought to remember. I am due to order a batch of chicks on March 1st. I also noticed that the chick wasn’t in the right position for hatch. It’s beak hadn’t broken through the membrane, and it was curled under the head. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 Sounds like bacterial infection for one and too high humidity for the other so the air sac hadn't developed properly. Sadly we all go through this period of ignorance and chicks die. As said earlier, before you hatch any more read up about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellasflock Posted February 14, 2021 Author Share Posted February 14, 2021 Yes definitely. I am currently reading a book about hatching and breeding chicks. So hopefully the next batch are successful. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 Aww, I'm really sorry that your eggs didn't hatch xx I'm sure you will have learnt a lot from your experience though. I have a lovely book called Chick Days by Jenna Woginrich - a fab little book, although it's American. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellasflock Posted February 14, 2021 Author Share Posted February 14, 2021 (edited) Okay I will give that a read. I think the next time will be slightly more successful and I will definitely post some photos of the chicks for people to see!☺️ Edited February 14, 2021 by ellasflock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
