The Poultry Keeper

NannyP · Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 12:02 pm Post subject:

That isn't right, so you need to pick up and investigate....obviousley keeping warm whilst you do so. I have no idea what might be the problem and can only suggest that he may need some warm, damp sponging to remove whatever is keeping his feathers stuck. This will make him vulnerable to cold, so frequent returns to the warm brooder to dry out will be neccesary. Confused

james419 · Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 1:30 pm Post subject:

We have just a similar problem with a gosling, his egg rolled out of the nest and I spotted him trying to get out of what was left of the shell but appeared wrapped - popped him in the empty uncubator for 24 hours hoping he would dry of and fluff up - no luck so a warm cotton pad and gently washed him/her off and back in the incubator, 24 hours later he is in a brooder fluffing up nicely and starting to eat, could have missed him and he would not have survuved - at least at the moment he appears to be making progress.

Nerve racking this chicken/duck and goose keeping

bronskibeat · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 1615 Location: Clawddnewydd

Tell me about it!! Good advice guys. He has made a slight improvement in the fluff department but still doesnt look chick-like. He's very loud though Rolling Eyes

I've just got back having been out looking for a wedding present so bath will have to wait until morning....... hope the delay will be OK, he's still in the inc Embarassed

but I've put him in a carton with food and water so he should be OK, the leghorns are due out tomorrow or Saturday so I will leave him there until he has some friends for the brooder.

bronskibeat · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 1615 Location: Clawddnewydd

Update, well he looks much more fluffy this morning but still not 100%, should I still give him a bath or let him continue to fluff up of his own free will?

NannyP · Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 7:50 am Post subject:

I'd leave him now, he'll preen himself clean. I am always amazed to see chciks, less than 24hrs old preening....it looks so sweet.
So, having made it this far, he should be fine...I hope he is a she Very Happy

bronskibeat · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 1615 Location: Clawddnewydd

Well, here he/she is, the problem child!!!

Good news is that so far, 3/6 leghorn eggs have pipped and proceeding so will hopefully have some company today. Boy has it got a piercing peep Shocked

NannyP · Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 12:27 pm Post subject:

He/she looks really well...just a scruffy thing. pleased the others are on the way....should be easier than this little one...I wonder whether he was a little early.

How is the humidy reading now? I would be surprised if you had managed such high humidy. I rarely manage more than 65% at hatching.

bronskibeat · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 1615 Location: Clawddnewydd

Well the hygrometer is currently reading 72% and temp 36.7 but the other thermometer is on 38 Confused

You may well be right with regards to hatching time but he was a hole in the egg for 24hrs and peeping/rocking frantically with no progress. The shell was quite tough when I chipped a bit off for him... am watching the others at the moment and no progress as yet (but I'm leaving well alone!!)

Henwife · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 3222 Location: Monmouthshire

I lost track of this thread, but the chick looks pretty good. If it had dried off with a 'varnished' finish all over I would have recommended filling a pudding basin with water @100F (ish) and immersing the hand holding the chick until only the head is still above water. You then use a ball of cotton wool to remove the 'varnish' as it softens. By keeping the chick under water, it stays warm. Rough dry with a towel, then use a warm hairdryer, fluffing up the feathers with a soft toothbrush. Guess who's done this before.

bronskibeat · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 1615 Location: Clawddnewydd

we used to have to hairdryer my cat off at unearthly times in the morning as my dear bro would never pull the plug on the bath and the cat would have a mad half hour before mum and dad went to bed and invariably end up in the full, but now cold, bath Laughing

BTW, he now has a friend (who isnt shrink wrapped!) and a second almost out with 3 more pipped and one waiting to pip Very Happy

NannyP · Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 9:05 am Post subject:

Thanks for that advice Henwife, worth remembering for the future.
Hope we get some more photos of your chicks this weekend BB Very Happy

bronskibeat · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 1615 Location: Clawddnewydd

He's got THREE friends now.......... exciting stuff this hatching Very Happy

Yes, I'll post some more photos of the chicks. One hasnt pipped yet, I'll do what Mojo says and leave it for another couple of days to see if it decides to make an appearance Very Happy

When can I move them to the brooder?

NannyP · Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 9:28 am Post subject:

When they are dry and fluffy Very Happy

bronskibeat · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 1615 Location: Clawddnewydd

Right I now have 5 blue leghorn chicks (plus the awkward orp Rolling Eyes

) and I took the decision to put the remaining egg in a bowl of blood temp water to see if there was movement, after a couple of minutes it was completely still so I opened the egg and it had stopped developing somewhere between candling and hatching day. Still, I'm delighted with 5/6 eggs off eBay and will now wait until the chicks are dry and fluufy and move them so I can clean the inc ready for the turkey eggs to hatch........... Pray

Thanks for keeping me sane through this first batch!! Very Happy

CP · Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 11:51 am Post subject:

Well done BB. Very Happy

Glad you had a successful hatch, albeit a very fraught one! Rolling Eyes