[DyArianna]

Egg 1 was laid on the 9th... so today that makes it 11 days. Mom and dad have been sitting tight since laid. Everything I can find leads to hatching of course.. just not this early. In my past clutches, when the air sac was tilted this much, there was signs of pipping within two or three days. But I also know that none of my clutches have been routine.

Any ideas as to if this is normal.. or if I could be looking at a premature chick of some sort? If so, more than likely it won't make it.. but I'm just trying to prepare for what the outcome of this egg might be.

I did searches but didn't come up with what I was looking for.

 

[DyArianna]

My apologies for not enough information. Yes, I candled the eggs last night. The egg is very viable, great veins.. and tons of movement in it. They are in a different room than they were with prior clutches. But this room is not even close to being described as hot. It's not freezing either but kept at around 68. Today is day 12 for this egg. There are absolutely no cracks in the egg. It's not that the air sac is huge because it is typical size.. just the tilting this early was my concern. There is also definitely no way I'm off on the date it was laid either. Do you think it is a safe assumption on my part that this egg will end up a DIS because of prematurity?

 

[DyArianna]

Well we have definitely had a strange winter thus far. Usually by this time there is at least a couple of feet of snow on the ground. Right now, I'd say there might be 3 inches. The ski areas are really hurting. We do have the heat on and have had for the last couple of months.. so I know the temp inside has been regulated. Humidity levels I'm unsure of as I do not have a humidity gauge working. I will not be able to do the pic of the candled egg until tonight. I will have my daughter assist. I will actually try to do a short video of it so that way maybe the movement can be seen too. Thanks Srtiels..

 

[DyArianna]

Will do! Thanks.. will still try and get a video of the egg later tonight. Actually I will candle all 4 on video. Perhaps it will be helpful to someone. I'd just take pics.. but this new camera is not cooperating with me in regards to the flash.

 

[DyArianna]

Great info! We'll see what we can come up with tonight.

 

[DyArianna]

Okay.. I'm about ready to throw this camera against the wall! I am beginning to understand now why the people sold it. lol There are too many darn settings on this thing and you get so frustrated trying to figure them out. Bottom line is pics were a no go. Below is a drawing sort of in Paint to show how tilted the air sac is at 12 days.

We managed to take 10 videos in different lighting and they were all a hodge podge and down right crappy. This one is still pretty horrible.. but you can just barely see the baby moving.

Gibbs and Hetty did not like us planning a photo shoot. There is really good movement in egg 1 and egg 2. Egg 2's air sac is tilted about half that pic above. Egg 2 is 10 days. I also tried the food coloring you suggested on the egg after the pic.. and there are no visible cracks anywhere.

There was someone on here at one point I think, who puts little baby food jars of water in their nest boxes with tiny holes punched into the lids. Do you think this is something I should try?? I have atleast started lightly spraying one wall inside the nest box anyway.

 

[DyArianna]

Great! Thank you! I will put the little jar in the corner and see how they react. If it's too stressful, I'll just stick with misting the side of the box. I guess I'll just sit tight for right now and keep a close eye on them. Will update when I see signs of pipping and we'll go from there. I have never had a clutch that pips and breaks out like Ninja chicks. Mine are usually pipping for a good 2 or 3 days before breaking out. I have had some start to pip and then stop. Could still hear chirping. One didn't make it... I did two assist hatches and of those two only one survived. Both times the yolk sac wasn't completely absorbed. The one who survived it was absorbed a bit more than the other but I still left her in a half shell in the nest for a bit and then mom and dad took care of the rest. This was my Pearl Nel.

 

[DyArianna]

Didn't get a chance to weigh the eggs today. Will try to tomorrow. Also tried a baby jar in the corner of the nest box furthest away from the eggs and Gibbs would not stop alarm calling. I removed it. I will stick with misting one side for now.

 

[DyArianna]

Ahhhh... well I tried it and it was as if there was an alien in the box. Well I guess there was if you think about it. lol I believe what I might try next time, is right when I give them the nest box, already have the small jar in it. Little ones are due to start hatching this coming weekend or so, so this time round is proving to be too stressful for them.

 

[DyArianna]

I may have mistyped that. I meant that adding the jar of water this time round was going to stress them out, so I didn't. They don't seem to be stressed in any other way... but the probiotics sounds like a good idea to be safe.

 

[DyArianna]

I weighed the eggs tonight. Still no signs of pipping.. movement was detected tonight but still good veins. Egg 1 weighs 6 grams. Egg 2 weighs 5 and so does egg 3. I left egg 4 because Gibbs wasn't in the mood to be disturbed so I left the last one in. I also have slight tilting on the 3rd egg now.

Someone else has eggs laid on the same dates as mine, roughly. Sitting on our eggs began from the get go. But I've always considered my eggs as 1 day after 24 hours of sitting. They were laid the 9th, 11, 13 and 15th. I'm calling them 14, 12, 10 and 8. Is this correct? Or should I be referring to them as 15, 13, 11 and 9?

 

[DyArianna]

So they should be considered 16, 14, 12 and 10 then. Well then, we really aren't that far off.. and probably not really considered premature tilting of air sac.

For bedding I actually use rolled oats. I have always used this and it was a suggestion made to me by a woman locally who bred birds for 30 years. It scoops out much like litter for easy spot cleaning and is also something that if ingested will not harm them.

 

[DyArianna]

Well how did she have such luck with them? Was she adding on the other end of hydrating as she went? Hmmm.... well I can't very well make a change in bedding now. I will just make sure the misting gets done I guess. Any other advice?

 

[DyArianna]

Well we have one pip mark in egg 1 this morning! Will keep you updated. Hopefully things go well.

 

[DyArianna]

Well as of this evening.. the pip marks have progressed, not quite half around the egg. Still don't hear any chirping and can't yet feel any seizing like I have in the past. Hopefully tomorrow! Keeping fingers crossed.

 

[DyArianna]

I candled the egg and couldn't quite tell if there was movement or my eyes were playing tricks on me. Tapped it a good few times and definitely saw movement. Will check in the AM for movement again and any progress.

 

[DyArianna]

Do you suggest I check before the AM? Last time I checked was around 7 pm. It's almost 10 now..

 

[DyArianna]

Okay.. did one more check. A couple of the pip marks that were already there seem more raised. Still no chirping or seizing.. but still movement. Tapped a few times to get the movement, little guy must have been resting. Gibbs and Hetty weren't too bothered by me checking. We'll see how the night goes.

 

[DyArianna]

More progress this morning as of 6 AM. More pipping and more pronounced... also chirping. Little guy is working on his hatch day. Will keep a close eye as it might be a tricky day. My previous clutches all seemed to hatch in the afternoon.. but the eggs were also laid in the afternoon. These were all morning eggs.. and this one was laid around 10:30. Will be curious to see how close he/she is.

 

[DyArianna]

What about you Rexie'sMum? Any pipping in the other eggs yet?? I know this little guy is definitely not a Ninja chick.. but as long as there is measurable progress.. I'm going to let him/her go. Last check was more chirping, can feel the seizing now and can also hear pipping/chipping at the egg. It's kind of cool that today there is a great big ray of sun shining on the side of the nest box. We haven't had good sun like this in the morning for a few days now.