It's been a real long day already, and as I write this it's barely 9:00 am.
I was up nearly (pitiful, I know) every hour last night checking on the cracking egg, then dozing off, and repeating the process. I was worried, and trying to control the humidity (I really need to look into getting a hydrometer) the egg kept rolling around as the chick began zipping (pecking a line along the air sac of the egg so the top will come off, and she/he can come out.) The chick finally made it out completely at 5:20 am. Yes! I got the shell out, and planned on leaving the little game-mutt chick in there to dry, but, she'd seen me, and heard me, and was cheeping: loud, crawling around, and rolling, knocking into the other eggs.
I had to take her out, and so lowered the ducks' broodlight, and put her in there with them (my plan to do eventually anyways,) and the little chick (I think it's a girl) started drying just fine, unable to roll over because of the pine shavings.
She's doing very good, and so far I haven't had any more pips in the other eggs, though did candle a few to check the size of the air sacs, to make sure humidity was okay.
I did find out that the egg added at the same time as the one that hatched quit some time ago, and was starting to get bacteria (you could see all the specks, the small ring developing, and the pores) so I threw it out. Hopefully the rest will pip over the next few days. :)
I'm going to name her Twyla. And she'd exhausted, and already spoiled, I think.
~
But that's all good news, turns out the weather we had last night was a lot worse then I thought it was. I should have gone out last night, gotten a drop-pen, and moved those standard chicks into the bantam coop. But did I do that? Nope. I thought they'd be okay.
Seven chicks died last night: too cold, too wet, trampled, whatever. The rest are a bit lethargic, and spending their time right now in the basement tub on a sheet with food, water, and their broodlight: the same broodlight that had been lit all night long out there in the lot, and apparently hadn't helped a whole lot.
I also have one of them chicks in the Brooder #1 upstairs in my room, with Twyla and the ducklings. The bird's pretty ill, and I'm having to coax her to drink and eat, but she seems to be perking up some now, and is sleeping under the heat.
~
But that's all good news, turns out the weather we had last night was a lot worse then I thought it was. I should have gone out last night, gotten a drop-pen, and moved those standard chicks into the bantam coop. But did I do that? Nope. I thought they'd be okay.
Seven chicks died last night: too cold, too wet, trampled, whatever. The rest are a bit lethargic, and spending their time right now in the basement tub on a sheet with food, water, and their broodlight: the same broodlight that had been lit all night long out there in the lot, and apparently hadn't helped a whole lot.
I also have one of them chicks in the Brooder #1 upstairs in my room, with Twyla and the ducklings. The bird's pretty ill, and I'm having to coax her to drink and eat, but she seems to be perking up some now, and is sleeping under the heat.
Of the bird that died we lost the two Turkens, the two Polish (I just put them out there!!!!) a buff orpington, a game, and a silver-laced wyandotte.
I'm hoping the others will perk up, and I'll just have to move them back out there, and fix a better shelter.
