Thank you for the caring way you shared this information. You helped us understand these sad occurances and it is clear you care about your chicks and want them to have the beat start-even before hatching!
Thank you. Yes I do think they are all precious, even when they are wet and bedraggled with the failure of their struggle. And the ones who make it are wonderful! I adore baby chicks 🙂
Thank you for this video. ❤ I've hatched chicks here and there for 10 years. (And with broody hens 10 years before that.) But last time I incubated, I did have a bunch of chicks drown in their shells while trying to hatch. It was heartbreaking. By the time I figured out what was going on, I thought to help a few out, but only got 4 live chicks out of 15 or so that started to hatch. I got more out, but they died shortly after birth. And two had spraddle legs (also a first for me). I never had that experience in all the years I've been using my incubator. I have eggs pipping now and am having anxiety. It is a terrible thing when things go wrong just as life is on the brink...😢 But at least I now have an explanation. I think I heard so much about not enough humidity, I over did it last time. I hope my current ones will be okay. I've kept humidity at about 50%. But now I am hearing about this "dry hatch" method. What do you think about that?
Fingers crossed for you this time. At least you sound like you are experienced enough to help if need be (something I never advise beginners to try). I have never fully investigated the Dry Hatch method. I wonder whether it relies on your ambient humidity. Certainly I've seen chicks stuck in the shell membrane if the humidity is too low at hatching time. Again this is rescueable if you time it right. C'mon little chickies!
Thank you so much for this video! My chickens are developing to the end and some are not hatching. I’m a believer in looking at the inside of the unlatched egg to see what is going on, but need the help of experts to pinpoint the problem! Most videos don’t talk about the whole process of egg hatching, the good and bad parts. Yours helps me a lot! Praying I get better at it!
Take a look at this video too. It might not help but at least you'll appreciate the enormous challenges a chick has to surmount in order to actually hatch out alive. It's still sad when they don't make it, but maybe your hatch rate is not as bad as you think. I've had lots of hatches where less than half of the fertile eggs hatched, although I usually do better now. ua-cam.com/video/Ptr-kS09H4w/v-deo.html
Thank you so much for this video. Our hens have never had a 100% hatch rate and I’m always riddled with guilt as to what the hen and I could have done better. We had 6 of 8 hatch just this week, but unfortunately I disposed of the 2 unhatched eggs before watching this video. Thanks again for this valuable information.
Thank you. Yes I understand not everyone thinks the same way - I've even had people say that a new-hatched chick is not nice enough to show until it's dried off and fluffed out. But I think the whole process is wonderful - it's astounding that such a tiny fragile thing can ever succeed! 🙂
@@chickensinmygarden I think the same way :) I've started raising quail and oh my they are tiny and not afraid to jump out of your hands lol crazy little ones can't sit still lol Have a great day
Would you consider making a video on bedding in the coop and the run? Plain dirt, pine shavings, wood chips, straw, or hay? How do you clean a dirt run? Thank you!
Good idea, thank you. The short answer is I prefer pine shavings in the hen house (I have a video about that - ua-cam.com/video/xQvSprtQdeE/v-deo.html ) And I prefer bark mulch or wood chips in the run. Dirt gets either dusty or muddy. Hay gets mouldy. Sand gets cold in winter plus for some reason my chickens don't like walking on it.
@@chickensinmygarden Thank you! I’m trying to figure it all out. Dirt is just so messy and sand is no good for compost. I didn’t know what to put down!
This video prompted smiles and a chuckle, (i.e. the Grim Reaper icon and pony-tailed cartoon character w/gloves, mask, head covering, gown, spectacles, ... about to perform an "egg-topsy." ) Thanks for teaching us, Madam.
This is the best video Ive seen so far on failed chick hatching. Knowing when to increase humidity which should be around 5 days before hatching is crucial. I have 2 incubators that are designed to produce 40 to 70% humidity always. I cannot seem to adjust that. Ive had a lot of failed hatches about 3 to 4 days before the hatch day and they seem to all have the same issue which is they don't absorb the yolk and its outside the body of the chick instead of inside. If anyone can tell me why Id love to hear from you.
I'm assuming the chicks never pipped. I would be checking for other possibilities too in order to exclude them - are all your failed hatches from the same parents? - is there any doubt about the freshness of the eggs? - is the air flow adequate? Or have the vents been closed to try to raise the humidity? - does the temperature remain stable? If none of these seem likely then you are indeed left with humidity. But I do think that a low humidity wouldn't affect pipping. If the humidity was too low late in incubation I think the chicks would most likely pip then not hatch. However you can check the humidity by looking at the size of the air cell. (Just candle the eggs and draw a line around the air cell margin.) Then compare the size against what size the air cell should be at that number of days incubation. Once you know for sure that the humidity is too low, you should be able to control it. If necessary, disable the automatic humidity control and just add dishes of water to evaporate. You can experiment with this as much as necessary without any eggs in the incubator. Good luck.
@@chickensinmygarden Thank you so much for the advice. I have 1 rooster for 10 adult hens. the Incubator I use has a built in fan with humidity control and a sensor alarm that goes off if anything changes in temp or humidity, its really state of the art incubator. I average about one in 5 fert eggs that develops . Many of them die just days before they should pip. Some die while pipping. Its so frustrating to not know what the problem is.
I'm thinking there might be an inherited defect or nutritional deficiency in your flock. I would be trying a few eggs from a different flock - any random fertile eggs, or from someone you know has a good hatch rate. If they hatch OK you have a clue where the problem lies. If they have the same poor hatch rate, it's definitely something in the incubation conditions.
@@chickensinmygarden I started giving them vinegar and b-12 in their water plus some whey protein powder in their grain. I hit the grocery stores twice a week to get them boxes of veggies that are discarded so they eat like pigs not chickens lol. I also use a little bit of diatomaceous earth in their grain food once a week and their eggs come out nice and clean no poop on them. This last batch of eggs in the incubator were a bit better but still only one in maybe 5 pip. I had one with splayed legs which was a clue as to a possible protein deficiency in the grain. Im doing my best to let them out to graze on bugs in the yard a few times a week. they have about 10 square yards or more daily thats fenced to run around. two nice big coops that I made. I really appreciate your help and ideas. Im gonna keep working on the nutrition. I even started cooking beans once a week which they love for more protein.
You can get special poultry vitamins. To be honest I haven't bought any although I do think it's a good idea if there is any doubt about the food, eg how fresh it is. What I have done is used a human vitamin tablet for men (which has very little iron in it, because chickens can easily overdose on iron) and dissolved it in their water. One tablet per litre of water once a week is plenty. I can't honestly advise anyone else to do that without careful research but that's what I have done.
Just wondering if I would need to prepare myself for any kind of smell at any of these stages or would that only be if the egg was left for a substantial amount of time?
That would only be if the egg had become bacterially contaminated and therefore rotted, which had therefore killed the chick. Unlikely if you set clean eggs. Personally I have only ever had one slightly rotten egg in nearly 1000 that I have set to hatch. But the rotten ones often ooze a little through the pores and you can smell them before you crack them so by all means have a sniff before you start. I have kept unhatched eggs for over a year and when I opened them they were just dried up solid egg inside. It's bacteria that make the smell. If bacteria can't get in there's not really any smell. Good on you for thinking about giving it a go 🙂
@@chickensinmygarden I have had chickens my whole life. My great grandpa, who passed away when I was like 7years old, had a chicken farm. And I have garnered so much knowledge from your videos! Just something I would like to share. I recently built an incubator, from an old dresser. I had gutted the inside. There was no “ floor” to the inside of it. So, I put carpet down, lipped it up to close the gap, but did not want it airtight. I placed a metal shelf on the inside. So, basically, the shelving unit (small, with 3shelves) stood on the floor, but inside the dresser. I have two big dogs. Pyrenees mix. They bumped the dresser, just hours after me placing the eggs inside. I did not know it at the time, but when they bumped it, they actually moved the dresser. The shelf, being separate from the dresser, did not move. So, the fan that I installed, for air circulation, ended up touching the shelf. Later, when I went to turn the eggs, I opened it, to see that the tray of water I put inside, for humidity, on the bottom shelf, had ripples across the top. The entire shelf was vibrating! I had 45 eggs inside. Around 38, were fertile. But, as the days have gone by, some of the eggs looked as if there was some sort of bubble between the shell, and the yolk/embryo/albumen. I suspect the vibration must have caused the membrane to separate. I have often wondered what happens to eggs when shipped, that makes them not viable. I think maybe this might be one thing that happens. And the inside of the egg has to be in the right spot, in order to see this “bubble”. It is very very difficult, if not impossible, to see, if the embryo is not sitting directly behind the “bubble”. I am still continuing to incubate. One of my hens went broody, but on non fertile eggs. So I gave her 12, that were fertile from the incubator. I am now down to 7, still developing. Hoping nothing else is wrong. One question, you stated that the chick will absorb the yolk, before it begins to external pip. Unless I misheard what you stated. My experience has been, that they are absorbing the yolk, as they are zipping the egg. I was taught that the pushing and pulling and flexing of muscles, helps in this process. It’s not the only mechanism. But part of it. Wondering if there is any truth to this? From what I have witnessed, it seems to be true. Just wondering your thoughts. You are so knowledgeable! Your videos are a deep well of info! Thank you
Wow! What an amazing occurrence! And I would have done exactly as you have done - keep incubating and see what happens. At least the eggs without the bubble might hatch. And you've got nothing to lose by giving them all whatever small chance they all still have. I believe you are right - typically the last of the yolk is absorbed after the external pip and before hatching. But I believe the yolk starts to be absorbed before internal pipping - that's what we saw in the egg I videoed - some of the yolk had been absorbed although the chick hadn't made an internal pip. But yes, that time between external pipping and hatching is important for absorbing the yolk and shriveling the blood vessels, it's not just resting time, which is why it's so important that we must not "help" the chick out of its shell, as we are so often tempted to do. Do let me know how many of your eggs hatch. I'm betting that at least some will🙂
@@chickensinmygarden Oh, I see what you are saying about the yolk. That is what I was told before. Now I understand. THANK YOU for agreeing with me, to keep on incubating them. I had a friend disagree with it. But some, just may have been in a spot that did not vibrate as bad, or, have a stronger membrane. I wish I had a good camera, I would have taken pictures of them, and would have sent it to you, so you could see it. I will let you know how many fuzz nuggets make it! Fingers crossed. Thank you so much for the reply!
@@chickensinmygarden I almost forgot to update you! Seven completely developed. But listen to this! Five of the seven were breech! I was able to see one was breech, because I could get light down one side, enough to think, I could see a break. So, I took a chance, and broke a hole, next to the beak. The chick began to peep soon after. Meanwhile, one was hatching well, one externally peeped, but seemed stuck, though I could not see any reason for it. I left it, and watched. One hatched. The breech chick, I had to slowly help, which I knew I would, but proceeded very slowly. The stuck chick, when it began to net respond, when I peeped at it, I began to help as well. I ended up with three heathy flourishing TAMEST, chicks. I broke open the others that never hatched, to see they were all breech.I find this very interesting. I’ve not seen that many breeches chicks in all my life. And here, soooo many! Another very interesting thing. I have two Sapphire Gems. Which are hybrids. And so, they do not breed true. But, the three that made it, were all Sapphire hens eggs. Two, are the beautiful “blue”/grey color. The third, is a deep coal black. Of all the chicks I have seen in my life, I have never seen such a cool, deep black on a chick. The father is a mixed breed Rhodesia Island Red. I do not know who his father is. For I bought him from someone, and she had many many many chickens and several roosters. I was completely shocked when I saw the lovely blue! Wondering how this happened, since they don’t breed true. You are very knowledgeable about genetics. Wondering if I am simply misunderstanding. Or is it possible that there is a simple explanation? Thank you so much!
Another helpful video. My hen threw out an egg yesterday on day 19. It was rotten and smelled. I wanted to open it and look at the chick. I could feel it was heavy and developed but I couldn't open it. It was too smelly. I think about it and wish I could have opened it. Well we're on track for hatching tomorrow. Hope the rest make it. I know my hen takes potty breaks that are WAY too long. I have to go out and bring her back almost every time. How long should a hen take a break? Mine goes away from half an hour to an hour. I think that's bad. She love to dust bathe and sun bathe too much. I have two other sets of eggs in my incubator for the first time also. We're only on day 3 with them. All the eggs were sent to me in the mail. And two more of my girls went broody yesterday. Oh no.
Hi again. I'm not sure what the temperature is at your place but the average time for a broody hen to leave the nest is 45 minutes so your hen is doing fine! In the last three days when the chicks start peeping from inside the shell she should take shorter breaks then not at all on hatching day or the day after. But short breaks are much better than pooping all over the eggs so try not to worry. Good luck 🙂
@@chickensinmygarden Oh I'm happy to hear she's actually within the time frame. I'm in Central Florida and we're in our weird winter time where nights can be 40F to 50sF an then the day time can read 80F. Nights and mornings are cold and days are hot. So hopefully things will just stay hot in another month. Thanks for the advice again. It's my first time so I'm very excited. I posted some videos on my channel about the eggs.
Thank you very much for this informative video, as i was just hatching my second clutch of chicks and it was very timely....as they were 'late'! So, in writing 4 out of 9 have hatched with another one pipping BUT, one of the chicks cannot seem to get up on its legs. Its been 7 hours and despite its efforts cannot get up and is sleeping mostly. I have attempted to right it (after much hesitation I might add) but to no avail. I examined it and one of its legs doesnt seem right/limp, although it does have a little relex in the foot but not much. Its bottom was mucky with feather caught up in it so I managed to gently clear it away when it promptly pooed a large amount of watery yellow poo. It perked up a little but yet again is on its back again. Do you have any idea as to what might be wrong? Do I have a disabled chick?
Good morning. I'm sorry about the delay in replying to you (it's just 7.30am here now). I expect you've had a worrying time. I'm by no means a vet but I can offer two thoughts. Thar "large amount of watery yellow poo" sounds ominous. I'm assuming this chick is less than a day old and has not yet been eating. Therefore nothing in its digestive system, so not "poo". But what the chick lives on until it starts to eat is the remains of the egg yolk, which should be inside its abdomen. A chick that loses its yolk will do very poorly. If that's what that was, there isn't much hope unless you can get it eating soon. It's been a few hours now and you can probably tell whether the chick is getting better or worse. If it's getting worse I think it's kinder to put it out of its misery rather than make it suffer to death. If you're not sure, take some video on your phone a few times and compare them. A chick that doesn't get up and start eating within 24 - 48 hours probably isn't going to make it. It's hard to know what went wrong. The leg could have been damaged (stepped on by the hen? Caught in machinery or under a rolling egg?) If so, it might be repairable as long as the chick can eat (soft wet food since it probably won't be drinking). I can tell you care about doing the best for the chick. Whatever you do or don't do, trust yourself that you cared, and thank the wee chick for teaching you something. Best wishes to you and all the chicks.
Is it possible to tell if an egg is infertile 10 days into incubating? Would you still see the bullseye? Any opinions would be appreciated! Thanks guys!❤
By day 10 of incubation of a fertile egg, the embryo would be well developed and clearly visible. Check out the images on this website extension.msstate.edu/content/stages-chick-embryo-development If the egg was not fertile it would look just like it did on day 0. If the egg was fertile but failed to develop at all, perhaps due to rough handling or temperature, then yes it would look like it did on day 0 with the bullseye still visible.
@chickensinmygarden I truly appreciate your response!! ❤️ I thought so but wasn't sure if the bullseye would distort or disappear from the continued heat. Thank you!!!
My latest video covers that last stage of hatching ua-cam.com/video/Ptr-kS09H4w/v-deo.html But you ask a difficult question. Can you candle it and see if it's broken into the air cell? Or is it peeping - that would show it had done the internal pip. Have any others in the same batch hatched, and if so how long ago? As a general rule I would not advise interfering. I do break that rule occasionally but only if the chick has already made an external pip. It's a hard call - to risk letting a weak chick die inside the egg or to interfere too early and have an otherwise healthy chick bleed to death or have its yolk unabsorbed. If it hasn't yet pipped internally I would wait. 🤞
@@chickensinmygarden I candled it and could not see if it had pipped internally or not. It’s a Silkie, so maybe because it’s smaller. It’s my only egg. We had 4 under broody hen. She quit and I made my own incubator. One was unfertilized and two were quitters.
Chickens can see ultraviolet, and I believe live chickens are brighter in ultraviolet than sick or dead ones. But I don't know whether that works from inside the shell.
We have about a dozen, there were about half that showed movement. 1 came out successfully, the other came out exhausted, and can't stand. The other eggs just stopped moving, could it be the other chicken was moving around too much causing trauma for the other eggs?
How long has this been? What you're describing sounds normal - some chicks take longer to hatch than others and most chicks are exhausted immediately after hatching. Wait for a couple of days before you decide there's a problem. Maybe all will be well. I hope so 🙂
@@chickensinmygarden today marks day 22, but we did collect the eggs into a bunch over a week period. I'm not sure why the first one who pipped first has such a heavy bottom and is so weak. It can't stand, I'm not sure if it came out too early and was prematurely developed.
It sounds normal for a chick less than a day old. It is a tiny wee chick carrying a whole egg yolk in its abdomen - no wonder it can't stand. Give it a few hours before you worry 🙂
@chickensinmygarden yes, it's fluffed up, just weak and still can't walk. It's just laying down, and raises its head when it hears us coming. It's been a day. We'll see how it does, hasnt eaten like the other one has, just water.
Thank you so much for this. I had six eggs from my neighbor that I tried to incubate in my oven (improvised incubator), and all six died on Day 18, with the yolk sac not fully absorbed. One pipped at Day 18 and promptly died. I was heartbroken, thought I did everything right, but it turned out that my hydrometer was incorrect, and there was too much humidity. I thought I was holding it at 50%...it was closer to 80%.
Oh, that is so sad! And you tried so hard! It is good that you understand what went wrong. I hope you will successfully hatch chicks in the future. It can be heartbreaking but also so rewarding! Best wishes
You could check that the nest is not infested with mites or lice which are making her unwilling to sit. If she's stopped being broody there is nothing you can do. Has she hatched chicks successfully before? Have you candled the eggs and confirmed there are chicks growing inside? If the chicks are to survive they need to be kept warm - either an incubator or another broody hen.
Oh, I hope it all goes well for you. Hatching is always a nerve-racking time, whether it's your first batch or hundredth. Best wishes for many healthy baby chicks🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥
I just bought a new incubator and 10 😫 out of 36 didn't hatch...., all (mostly) fully developed, but I think after watching this vid "again" (for the 3rd or 4th time🥰) the problem was circulation..., which I think was my fault.😭. The incubator (chinese make) had 4 holes in the floor which was very very close to the bottom of the tray and I was worried since I incubate inside my house that the water would easily drip out onto the carpet and cause a mould problem..., so I siliconed them up as there was still 2 smaller ones at the side which I "thought" would be enough ventilation..., I was wrong (at least I think that was the cause) The humidity seemed to be correct for the entire incubation (terrible machine where you can't add water from external..., so I set up an IV drip (my wife is a nurse 🥰) and fed the tube through one of the vent holes..., also cutting down the circulation. 🤦 Hopefully the next batch after some extra modifications for circulation will be better. Thank you. 🥰
Hey, wait a minute - "10 out of 36 didn't hatch". So 26 did hatch? That's not terrible. But I agree, they probably need more air circulation than you ended up providing. I think I might suggest redrilling the original holes or similar and standing the whole incubator on a plastic or tinfoil tray to catch any drips. Better luck next time, and for now just enjoy those chicks that did hatch.
This reminds me of the animated cartoon "Garfield & Friends", more specifically the episode "Shell Shocked Sheldon". The matter of taking that shell off Sheldon is explored in the episode "Shell Shocked Sheldon". This episode is about a chick called Sheldon. He looks like a chicken egg with chick legs. The larger part of the egg has two small holes, and each hole has a leg sticking out of it. That is a fully developed chick who was supposed to have been fully hatched, but he refused to do so because he didn't like the outside world. So, no one tried breaking his shell apart. The eggshell was never broken by impacts, either, because it follows the rules of "cartoon physics". So, in the episode "Shell Shocked Sheldon", two other farm animals convince Sheldon to take the shell off and live as a fully hatched chick. Sheldon is taken to the chicken coop, climbs onto a nest and the pig sits on him (because they didn't have any actual chickens available at the time). (THERE IS A SPOILER AHEAD.) The pig spent the rest of that day and that whole night sitting on Sheldon. It is only in the NEXT MORNING that the Sheldon is FINALLY ready to break out of his shell. They notice that Sheldon's beak is pipping at the shell from the inside, and thr pig hops off to watch as the egg finally finishes hatching. A few cracks appear on the shell and Sheldon cheerflully says: "I'll be out in a second, guys!" The cracks then rapidly spread all over the shell as Sheldon prepares to open his arms to break it open from the inside. Then, his shell FINALLY breaks, and it reveals... ANOTHER SHELL underneath... and that other shell even looks identical to the one that had taken so long to come off! When Sheldon finds out that under his shell was another shell, he is so sad and frustrated that he promptly gives up on being hatched. He gets up and walks away as he says: "I guess I'm just an egg! That's all I am: just a poor, little, defenseless egg!" He looks and sounds clearly sad and resigned to never be able of taking off that damn shell! Seconds later, Sheldon is grabbed by a fox who wants to eat him, and he promptly and violently beats that fox up in self-defense... by using only his legs! Then, after defending himself so easily, Sheldon guesses that "there's worses thing to be than... an egg". That is the end of the episode. Damn! I felt bad for the poor chick, and I was also left curious about what his face really looked like under that shell. So, the egg failed to hatch because the chick inside just didn't want to break out of it, and cartoon physics prevented the shell from breaking in spite of all the impacts it suffered throughout the episodes. Then, when the chick is willing to hatch out of the egg, the shell takes ages to hatch, and it reveals another, identical shell underneath. So, this egg fails to hatch even when the chick inside wants to. And the chick doesn't even try again. Ever. Do you remember this cartoon, too? I strongly wish they had tried to hatch this egg again. That baby chick gave up too soon: they broke his shell just once and then he walked away after finding a single shell underneath that one! Who says there would still be another shell underneath if they broke that second shell? Damn! When I saw there was another shell underneath the one they had just broken, I wish that pig had tried sitting on Sheldon again and hatching him again to break that other shell too. If they found yet another (third) shell under that second shell, they should still keep trying to hatch him until they finally revealed his real body, without any shells remaining. If the writers reallly wanted to prevent Sheldon from being fully-hatched, I say they should show the pig sitting on Sheldon again to try breaking his second shell, then skip to a few hours later and show that shell hatching and revealing another shell (a third one). Then, the pig would try sitting on Sheldon yet again to break that third shell, then they would skip to another few hours later to show that shell breaking, revealing yet another (fourth) shell. The pig, again, would sit on Sheldon, they would once more skip to a few hours later, and that shell would break... only to to reveal that Sheldon still had a fifth shell underneath all those shells. After revealing the fifth shell, Sheldon would still be willing to try and break that fifth shell. Once again, the pig would sit on Sheldon, but this time the scene would fade to black, and the episode would end, without showing the fifth shell breaking. That would be a good way to show us that Sheldon would never fully hatch, no matter how many times he and his friends tried. Either that, or Sheldon would get justifiably fed up and hopeless after getting hatched four times in a row and find another shell under his shell every time. That is when it would make perfect sense for the writers to end the episode the way they actually did. So Sheldon, clearly sad and frustrated, would give up on getting hatched and would leave the chicken coop, saying: "I guess I'm just an egg! That's all I am: just a poor, little, defenseless egg!" Few seconds later, he would be caught by the fox again, then grab the fox by his nose, slam him into the ground a few times, spin around and throw him into the distance, and then conclude there are worse things to be than an egg. Being hatched four times in a row, only to find out that he was still wearing a fifth shell underneath all those four shells that he had taken so many hours to break, would be a very good reason for Sheldon to feel so frustrated that he would be both angry enough to use so much violence and resigned enough to accept there are worse things to be than an egg.
@@chickensinmygarden I often watched this cartoon when I was a kid, and I remembered this episode more than others because I had always been curious to see what that chicken really looked like underneath that damn shell. So, the episode where they were supposedly going to reveal the real face of that character was specially memorable for me. And the frustration about how the episode ended made it even more memorable. Also, I rewatched it on UA-cam while I was revisiting that and other old cartoons from my childhood.
These videos of yours have helped me a lot but i wanna ask about something.I keept some eggs in the fridge and i put them under a broody hen. After 20 days all the eggs hatched.How is it posible?
Yes it's possible - mostly it depends on the temperature your fridge runs at and how humid the eggs were (like enclosed in a box or bag). I mention that in my video about storing eggs before hatching ua-cam.com/video/nvkH-5Im1WA/v-deo.html Thanks for watching 🙂
Thank you for the caring way you shared this information. You helped us understand these sad occurances and it is clear you care about your chicks and want them to have the beat start-even before hatching!
Thank you. Yes I do think they are all precious, even when they are wet and bedraggled with the failure of their struggle.
And the ones who make it are wonderful! I adore baby chicks 🙂
Going through this as I watch your video. Thanks for your lesson and easing my guilt. 🤗🥰🐣
It's always sad but it's not your fault
Thank you for this video. ❤
I've hatched chicks here and there for 10 years. (And with broody hens 10 years before that.)
But last time I incubated, I did have a bunch of chicks drown in their shells while trying to hatch.
It was heartbreaking. By the time I figured out what was going on, I thought to help a few out, but only got 4 live chicks out of 15 or so that started to hatch. I got more out, but they died shortly after birth.
And two had spraddle legs (also a first for me).
I never had that experience in all the years I've been using my incubator.
I have eggs pipping now and am having anxiety. It is a terrible thing when things go wrong just as life is on the brink...😢
But at least I now have an explanation. I think I heard so much about not enough humidity, I over did it last time. I hope my current ones will be okay. I've kept humidity at about 50%.
But now I am hearing about this "dry hatch" method.
What do you think about that?
Fingers crossed for you this time. At least you sound like you are experienced enough to help if need be (something I never advise beginners to try).
I have never fully investigated the Dry Hatch method. I wonder whether it relies on your ambient humidity. Certainly I've seen chicks stuck in the shell membrane if the humidity is too low at hatching time. Again this is rescueable if you time it right.
C'mon little chickies!
@@chickensinmygarden two hatched out perfectly so far. Three more pipped!
Oooh, so exciting!
Day 18 now for me soooooòooo nervous can't sleep
Fingers crossed
You are my absolute favorite youtuber. I have learned so very much from you and appreciate you so much. Thank you
Thank YOU for watching. If it wasn't for people like you I would have no-one to share all these fun things with!
And thanks for the compliment too 😊
Thank you so much for this video! My chickens are developing to the end and some are not hatching. I’m a believer in looking at the inside of the unlatched egg to see what is going on, but need the help of experts to pinpoint the problem! Most videos don’t talk about the whole process of egg hatching, the good and bad parts. Yours helps me a lot! Praying I get better at it!
Take a look at this video too.
It might not help but at least you'll appreciate the enormous challenges a chick has to surmount in order to actually hatch out alive. It's still sad when they don't make it, but maybe your hatch rate is not as bad as you think. I've had lots of hatches where less than half of the fertile eggs hatched, although I usually do better now.
ua-cam.com/video/Ptr-kS09H4w/v-deo.html
Thank you so much for this video. Our hens have never had a 100% hatch rate and I’m always riddled with guilt as to what the hen and I could have done better. We had 6 of 8 hatch just this week, but unfortunately I disposed of the 2 unhatched eggs before watching this video. Thanks again for this valuable information.
You're welcome. And now you can be less critical of yourself and your hen🙂
Have fun with your chicks 🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥
Thank you for taking the time to do this video. We really appreciate it.
That's wonderful to hear, thank YOU !
I just love ❤ your channel ❤
Thank you so much 🙂
so educational!! cool to see things like this
Thank you 🙂
Well done intro to this video
I have looked inside but its not for everyone and a chick video would be a happier video
Much love xoxox
Thank you. Yes I understand not everyone thinks the same way - I've even had people say that a new-hatched chick is not nice enough to show until it's dried off and fluffed out. But I think the whole process is wonderful - it's astounding that such a tiny fragile thing can ever succeed! 🙂
@@chickensinmygarden I think the same way :)
I've started raising quail and oh my they are tiny and not afraid to jump out of your hands lol crazy little ones can't sit still lol
Have a great day
@@wildedibles819 You too 🙂
Would you consider making a video on bedding in the coop and the run? Plain dirt, pine shavings, wood chips, straw, or hay? How do you clean a dirt run? Thank you!
Good idea, thank you.
The short answer is I prefer pine shavings in the hen house (I have a video about that -
ua-cam.com/video/xQvSprtQdeE/v-deo.html )
And I prefer bark mulch or wood chips in the run. Dirt gets either dusty or muddy. Hay gets mouldy. Sand gets cold in winter plus for some reason my chickens don't like walking on it.
@@chickensinmygarden Thank you! I’m trying to figure it all out. Dirt is just so messy and sand is no good for compost. I didn’t know what to put down!
A lot depends on what you have available and affordable. People have used coconut coir or plant husks quite successfully
I had one develop to piping, but never piped.
I love you videos they have lots of really good information in them thank you for all your work keep them coming
Thank you very much I appreciate that 🙂
Wonderful video. Very informative. Thank you!
Thank you 🙂
This video prompted smiles and a chuckle, (i.e. the Grim Reaper icon and pony-tailed cartoon character w/gloves, mask, head covering, gown, spectacles, ... about to perform an "egg-topsy." ) Thanks for teaching us, Madam.
Thank you 🙂 You're the first person to comment about the humour 🙂
Blessings🙌 Can You tell Us why jackie and shadow from big beat valley eggbies didnt hatched? Thankyou
You would have to tell me a lot more about them.
Thanks for the great information 👌🏻
Thank you for watching and commenting 🙂
This is the best video Ive seen so far on failed chick hatching. Knowing when to increase humidity which should be around 5 days before hatching is crucial. I have 2 incubators that are designed to produce 40 to 70% humidity always. I cannot seem to adjust that. Ive had a lot of failed hatches about 3 to 4 days before the hatch day and they seem to all have the same issue which is they don't absorb the yolk and its outside the body of the chick instead of inside. If anyone can tell me why Id love to hear from you.
I'm assuming the chicks never pipped.
I would be checking for other possibilities too in order to exclude them
- are all your failed hatches from the same parents?
- is there any doubt about the freshness of the eggs?
- is the air flow adequate? Or have the vents been closed to try to raise the humidity?
- does the temperature remain stable?
If none of these seem likely then you are indeed left with humidity. But I do think that a low humidity wouldn't affect pipping. If the humidity was too low late in incubation I think the chicks would most likely pip then not hatch. However you can check the humidity by looking at the size of the air cell. (Just candle the eggs and draw a line around the air cell margin.) Then compare the size against what size the air cell should be at that number of days incubation.
Once you know for sure that the humidity is too low, you should be able to control it. If necessary, disable the automatic humidity control and just add dishes of water to evaporate. You can experiment with this as much as necessary without any eggs in the incubator.
Good luck.
@@chickensinmygarden Thank you so much for the advice. I have 1 rooster for 10 adult hens. the Incubator I use has a built in fan with humidity control and a sensor alarm that goes off if anything changes in temp or humidity, its really state of the art incubator. I average about one in 5 fert eggs that develops . Many of them die just days before they should pip. Some die while pipping. Its so frustrating to not know what the problem is.
I'm thinking there might be an inherited defect or nutritional deficiency in your flock. I would be trying a few eggs from a different flock - any random fertile eggs, or from someone you know has a good hatch rate. If they hatch OK you have a clue where the problem lies. If they have the same poor hatch rate, it's definitely something in the incubation conditions.
@@chickensinmygarden I started giving them vinegar and b-12 in their water plus some whey protein powder in their grain. I hit the grocery stores twice a week to get them boxes of veggies that are discarded so they eat like pigs not chickens lol. I also use a little bit of diatomaceous earth in their grain food once a week and their eggs come out nice and clean no poop on them. This last batch of eggs in the incubator were a bit better but still only one in maybe 5 pip. I had one with splayed legs which was a clue as to a possible protein deficiency in the grain. Im doing my best to let them out to graze on bugs in the yard a few times a week. they have about 10 square yards or more daily thats fenced to run around. two nice big coops that I made. I really appreciate your help and ideas. Im gonna keep working on the nutrition. I even started cooking beans once a week which they love for more protein.
You can get special poultry vitamins. To be honest I haven't bought any although I do think it's a good idea if there is any doubt about the food, eg how fresh it is.
What I have done is used a human vitamin tablet for men (which has very little iron in it, because chickens can easily overdose on iron) and dissolved it in their water. One tablet per litre of water once a week is plenty. I can't honestly advise anyone else to do that without careful research but that's what I have done.
Just wondering if I would need to prepare myself for any kind of smell at any of these stages or would that only be if the egg was left for a substantial amount of time?
That would only be if the egg had become bacterially contaminated and therefore rotted, which had therefore killed the chick. Unlikely if you set clean eggs. Personally I have only ever had one slightly rotten egg in nearly 1000 that I have set to hatch. But the rotten ones often ooze a little through the pores and you can smell them before you crack them so by all means have a sniff before you start.
I have kept unhatched eggs for over a year and when I opened them they were just dried up solid egg inside. It's bacteria that make the smell. If bacteria can't get in there's not really any smell.
Good on you for thinking about giving it a go 🙂
What is the ideal humidity inside incubator
50 to 55 %
Thank you for such an informative video!
Thank you. I appreciate your comment 🙂
@@chickensinmygarden I have had chickens my whole life. My great grandpa, who passed away when I was like 7years old, had a chicken farm. And I have garnered so much knowledge from your videos!
Just something I would like to share. I recently built an incubator, from an old dresser. I had gutted the inside. There was no “ floor” to the inside of it. So, I put carpet down, lipped it up to close the gap, but did not want it airtight. I placed a metal shelf on the inside. So, basically, the shelving unit (small, with 3shelves) stood on the floor, but inside the dresser. I have two big dogs. Pyrenees mix. They bumped the dresser, just hours after me placing the eggs inside. I did not know it at the time, but when they bumped it, they actually moved the dresser. The shelf, being separate from the dresser, did not move. So, the fan that I installed, for air circulation, ended up touching the shelf. Later, when I went to turn the eggs, I opened it, to see that the tray of water I put inside, for humidity, on the bottom shelf, had ripples across the top. The entire shelf was vibrating! I had 45 eggs inside. Around 38, were fertile. But, as the days have gone by, some of the eggs looked as if there was some sort of bubble between the shell, and the yolk/embryo/albumen. I suspect the vibration must have caused the membrane to separate. I have often wondered what happens to eggs when shipped, that makes them not viable. I think maybe this might be one thing that happens. And the inside of the egg has to be in the right spot, in order to see this “bubble”. It is very very difficult, if not impossible, to see, if the embryo is not sitting directly behind the “bubble”. I am still continuing to incubate. One of my hens went broody, but on non fertile eggs. So I gave her 12, that were fertile from the incubator. I am now down to 7, still developing. Hoping nothing else is wrong.
One question, you stated that the chick will absorb the yolk, before it begins to external pip. Unless I misheard what you stated. My experience has been, that they are absorbing the yolk, as they are zipping the egg. I was taught that the pushing and pulling and flexing of muscles, helps in this process. It’s not the only mechanism. But part of it. Wondering if there is any truth to this? From what I have witnessed, it seems to be true. Just wondering your thoughts. You are so knowledgeable! Your videos are a deep well of info! Thank you
Wow! What an amazing occurrence! And I would have done exactly as you have done - keep incubating and see what happens. At least the eggs without the bubble might hatch. And you've got nothing to lose by giving them all whatever small chance they all still have.
I believe you are right - typically the last of the yolk is absorbed after the external pip and before hatching. But I believe the yolk starts to be absorbed before internal pipping - that's what we saw in the egg I videoed - some of the yolk had been absorbed although the chick hadn't made an internal pip. But yes, that time between external pipping and hatching is important for absorbing the yolk and shriveling the blood vessels, it's not just resting time, which is why it's so important that we must not "help" the chick out of its shell, as we are so often tempted to do.
Do let me know how many of your eggs hatch. I'm betting that at least some will🙂
@@chickensinmygarden Oh, I see what you are saying about the yolk. That is what I was told before. Now I understand.
THANK YOU for agreeing with me, to keep on incubating them. I had a friend disagree with it. But some, just may have been in a spot that did not vibrate as bad, or, have a stronger membrane. I wish I had a good camera, I would have taken pictures of them, and would have sent it to you, so you could see it. I will let you know how many fuzz nuggets make it! Fingers crossed. Thank you so much for the reply!
@@chickensinmygarden I almost forgot to update you! Seven completely developed. But listen to this! Five of the seven were breech! I was able to see one was breech, because I could get light down one side, enough to think, I could see a break. So, I took a chance, and broke a hole, next to the beak. The chick began to peep soon after. Meanwhile, one was hatching well, one externally peeped, but seemed stuck, though I could not see any reason for it. I left it, and watched. One hatched. The breech chick, I had to slowly help, which I knew I would, but proceeded very slowly. The stuck chick, when it began to net respond, when I peeped at it, I began to help as well. I ended up with three heathy flourishing TAMEST, chicks. I broke open the others that never hatched, to see they were all breech.I find this very interesting. I’ve not seen that many breeches chicks in all my life. And here, soooo many!
Another very interesting thing. I have two Sapphire Gems. Which are hybrids. And so, they do not breed true. But, the three that made it, were all Sapphire hens eggs. Two, are the beautiful “blue”/grey color. The third, is a deep coal black. Of all the chicks I have seen in my life, I have never seen such a cool, deep black on a chick. The father is a mixed breed Rhodesia Island Red. I do not know who his father is. For I bought him from someone, and she had many many many chickens and several roosters. I was completely shocked when I saw the lovely blue! Wondering how this happened, since they don’t breed true. You are very knowledgeable about genetics. Wondering if I am simply misunderstanding. Or is it possible that there is a simple explanation? Thank you so much!
Another helpful video. My hen threw out an egg yesterday on day 19. It was rotten and smelled. I wanted to open it and look at the chick. I could feel it was heavy and developed but I couldn't open it. It was too smelly. I think about it and wish I could have opened it. Well we're on track for hatching tomorrow. Hope the rest make it. I know my hen takes potty breaks that are WAY too long. I have to go out and bring her back almost every time. How long should a hen take a break? Mine goes away from half an hour to an hour. I think that's bad. She love to dust bathe and sun bathe too much. I have two other sets of eggs in my incubator for the first time also. We're only on day 3 with them. All the eggs were sent to me in the mail. And two more of my girls went broody yesterday. Oh no.
Hi again. I'm not sure what the temperature is at your place but the average time for a broody hen to leave the nest is 45 minutes so your hen is doing fine! In the last three days when the chicks start peeping from inside the shell she should take shorter breaks then not at all on hatching day or the day after. But short breaks are much better than pooping all over the eggs so try not to worry.
Good luck 🙂
@@chickensinmygarden Oh I'm happy to hear she's actually within the time frame. I'm in Central Florida and we're in our weird winter time where nights can be 40F to 50sF an then the day time can read 80F. Nights and mornings are cold and days are hot. So hopefully things will just stay hot in another month. Thanks for the advice again. It's my first time so I'm very excited. I posted some videos on my channel about the eggs.
BTW - I love your art! 🙂
@@chickensinmygarden Aww thank you. I love making digital art of my characters. I should draw some chickens.
Yes!
Thank you very much for this informative video, as i was just hatching my second clutch of chicks and it was very timely....as they were 'late'! So, in writing 4 out of 9 have hatched with another one pipping BUT, one of the chicks cannot seem to get up on its legs. Its been 7 hours and despite its efforts cannot get up and is sleeping mostly. I have attempted to right it (after much hesitation I might add) but to no avail. I examined it and one of its legs doesnt seem right/limp, although it does have a little relex in the foot but not much. Its bottom was mucky with feather caught up in it so I managed to gently clear it away when it promptly pooed a large amount of watery yellow poo. It perked up a little but yet again is on its back again. Do you have any idea as to what might be wrong? Do I have a disabled chick?
Good morning. I'm sorry about the delay in replying to you (it's just 7.30am here now). I expect you've had a worrying time.
I'm by no means a vet but I can offer two thoughts.
Thar "large amount of watery yellow poo" sounds ominous. I'm assuming this chick is less than a day old and has not yet been eating. Therefore nothing in its digestive system, so not "poo". But what the chick lives on until it starts to eat is the remains of the egg yolk, which should be inside its abdomen. A chick that loses its yolk will do very poorly. If that's what that was, there isn't much hope unless you can get it eating soon.
It's been a few hours now and you can probably tell whether the chick is getting better or worse. If it's getting worse I think it's kinder to put it out of its misery rather than make it suffer to death. If you're not sure, take some video on your phone a few times and compare them. A chick that doesn't get up and start eating within 24 - 48 hours probably isn't going to make it.
It's hard to know what went wrong. The leg could have been damaged (stepped on by the hen? Caught in machinery or under a rolling egg?) If so, it might be repairable as long as the chick can eat (soft wet food since it probably won't be drinking).
I can tell you care about doing the best for the chick. Whatever you do or don't do, trust yourself that you cared, and thank the wee chick for teaching you something. Best wishes to you and all the chicks.
Is it possible to tell if an egg is infertile 10 days into incubating?
Would you still see the bullseye?
Any opinions would be appreciated!
Thanks guys!❤
By day 10 of incubation of a fertile egg, the embryo would be well developed and clearly visible. Check out the images on this website
extension.msstate.edu/content/stages-chick-embryo-development
If the egg was not fertile it would look just like it did on day 0.
If the egg was fertile but failed to develop at all, perhaps due to rough handling or temperature, then yes it would look like it did on day 0 with the bullseye still visible.
@chickensinmygarden I truly appreciate your response!! ❤️ I thought so but wasn't sure if the bullseye would distort or disappear from the continued heat.
Thank you!!!
You're welcome. Have a great day 🙂
Very informative. Thank you
Thank you for that 🙂
Thank you for a very good explanation an amazing video 👍👍👍
Thank you, for watching and your kind comment 🙂
How long do you give an egg to pip? I have one moving around at Day 24. Should I help it?
My latest video covers that last stage of hatching
ua-cam.com/video/Ptr-kS09H4w/v-deo.html
But you ask a difficult question.
Can you candle it and see if it's broken into the air cell? Or is it peeping - that would show it had done the internal pip.
Have any others in the same batch hatched, and if so how long ago?
As a general rule I would not advise interfering. I do break that rule occasionally but only if the chick has already made an external pip. It's a hard call - to risk letting a weak chick die inside the egg or to interfere too early and have an otherwise healthy chick bleed to death or have its yolk unabsorbed.
If it hasn't yet pipped internally I would wait.
🤞
@@chickensinmygarden I candled it and could not see if it had pipped internally or not. It’s a Silkie, so maybe because it’s smaller. It’s my only egg. We had 4 under broody hen. She quit and I made my own incubator. One was unfertilized and two were quitters.
I would just keep waiting another couple of days and see if it starts to peep.
Hmm. Maybe the mother hen knew they were not going to hatch and that's why she walked away.
Chickens can see ultraviolet, and I believe live chickens are brighter in ultraviolet than sick or dead ones. But I don't know whether that works from inside the shell.
We have about a dozen, there were about half that showed movement. 1 came out successfully, the other came out exhausted, and can't stand. The other eggs just stopped moving, could it be the other chicken was moving around too much causing trauma for the other eggs?
How long has this been? What you're describing sounds normal - some chicks take longer to hatch than others and most chicks are exhausted immediately after hatching.
Wait for a couple of days before you decide there's a problem. Maybe all will be well. I hope so 🙂
@@chickensinmygarden today marks day 22, but we did collect the eggs into a bunch over a week period. I'm not sure why the first one who pipped first has such a heavy bottom and is so weak. It can't stand, I'm not sure if it came out too early and was prematurely developed.
It sounds normal for a chick less than a day old. It is a tiny wee chick carrying a whole egg yolk in its abdomen - no wonder it can't stand. Give it a few hours before you worry 🙂
Does it look like this?
ua-cam.com/video/PECcQuu2EkU/v-deo.html
@chickensinmygarden yes, it's fluffed up, just weak and still can't walk. It's just laying down, and raises its head when it hears us coming. It's been a day. We'll see how it does, hasnt eaten like the other one has, just water.
Another amazing video, great work!
Thank you very much 🙂
Thank you so much for this. I had six eggs from my neighbor that I tried to incubate in my oven (improvised incubator), and all six died on Day 18, with the yolk sac not fully absorbed. One pipped at Day 18 and promptly died. I was heartbroken, thought I did everything right, but it turned out that my hydrometer was incorrect, and there was too much humidity. I thought I was holding it at 50%...it was closer to 80%.
Oh, that is so sad! And you tried so hard! It is good that you understand what went wrong. I hope you will successfully hatch chicks in the future. It can be heartbreaking but also so rewarding! Best wishes
Aseel hen stopped hatching eggs after 15 days standing on side since 2 days
What can I do Sister
You could check that the nest is not infested with mites or lice which are making her unwilling to sit.
If she's stopped being broody there is nothing you can do. Has she hatched chicks successfully before?
Have you candled the eggs and confirmed there are chicks growing inside?
If the chicks are to survive they need to be kept warm - either an incubator or another broody hen.
@@chickensinmygarden
Yes hatched before, there is no lice kinda in nest
Then I don't know why she has stopped sitting. I guess the only thing to do is to try to keep the eggs warm, but below 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Hatching my first batch now. 😊
Oh, I hope it all goes well for you. Hatching is always a nerve-racking time, whether it's your first batch or hundredth.
Best wishes for many healthy baby chicks🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥
I just bought a new incubator and 10 😫 out of 36 didn't hatch...., all (mostly) fully developed, but I think after watching this vid "again" (for the 3rd or 4th time🥰) the problem was circulation..., which I think was my fault.😭. The incubator (chinese make) had 4 holes in the floor which was very very close to the bottom of the tray and I was worried since I incubate inside my house that the water would easily drip out onto the carpet and cause a mould problem..., so I siliconed them up as there was still 2 smaller ones at the side which I "thought" would be enough ventilation..., I was wrong (at least I think that was the cause) The humidity seemed to be correct for the entire incubation (terrible machine where you can't add water from external..., so I set up an IV drip (my wife is a nurse 🥰) and fed the tube through one of the vent holes..., also cutting down the circulation. 🤦 Hopefully the next batch after some extra modifications for circulation will be better. Thank you. 🥰
Hey, wait a minute - "10 out of 36 didn't hatch". So 26 did hatch? That's not terrible.
But I agree, they probably need more air circulation than you ended up providing.
I think I might suggest redrilling the original holes or similar and standing the whole incubator on a plastic or tinfoil tray to catch any drips.
Better luck next time, and for now just enjoy those chicks that did hatch.
This reminds me of the animated cartoon "Garfield & Friends", more specifically the episode "Shell Shocked Sheldon".
The matter of taking that shell off Sheldon is explored in the episode "Shell Shocked Sheldon". This episode is about a chick called Sheldon. He looks like a chicken egg with chick legs. The larger part of the egg has two small holes, and each hole has a leg sticking out of it. That is a fully developed chick who was supposed to have been fully hatched, but he refused to do so because he didn't like the outside world. So, no one tried breaking his shell apart. The eggshell was never broken by impacts, either, because it follows the rules of "cartoon physics".
So, in the episode "Shell Shocked Sheldon", two other farm animals convince Sheldon to take the shell off and live as a fully hatched chick. Sheldon is taken to the chicken coop, climbs onto a nest and the pig sits on him (because they didn't have any actual chickens available at the time).
(THERE IS A SPOILER AHEAD.)
The pig spent the rest of that day and that whole night sitting on Sheldon. It is only in the NEXT MORNING that the Sheldon is FINALLY ready to break out of his shell.
They notice that Sheldon's beak is pipping at the shell from the inside, and thr pig hops off to watch as the egg finally finishes hatching. A few cracks appear on the shell and Sheldon cheerflully says: "I'll be out in a second, guys!" The cracks then rapidly spread all over the shell as Sheldon prepares to open his arms to break it open from the inside. Then, his shell FINALLY breaks, and it reveals... ANOTHER SHELL underneath... and that other shell even looks identical to the one that had taken so long to come off!
When Sheldon finds out that under his shell was another shell, he is so sad and frustrated that he promptly gives up on being hatched.
He gets up and walks away as he says: "I guess I'm just an egg! That's all I am: just a poor, little, defenseless egg!" He looks and sounds clearly sad and resigned to never be able of taking off that damn shell! Seconds later, Sheldon is grabbed by a fox who wants to eat him, and he promptly and violently beats that fox up in self-defense... by using only his legs! Then, after defending himself so easily, Sheldon guesses that "there's worses thing to be than... an egg". That is the end of the episode. Damn! I felt bad for the poor chick, and I was also left curious about what his face really looked like under that shell.
So, the egg failed to hatch because the chick inside just didn't want to break out of it, and cartoon physics prevented the shell from breaking in spite of all the impacts it suffered throughout the episodes. Then, when the chick is willing to hatch out of the egg, the shell takes ages to hatch, and it reveals another, identical shell underneath. So, this egg fails to hatch even when the chick inside wants to. And the chick doesn't even try again. Ever.
Do you remember this cartoon, too?
I strongly wish they had tried to hatch this egg again. That baby chick gave up too soon: they broke his shell just once and then he walked away after finding a single shell underneath that one! Who says there would still be another shell underneath if they broke that second shell? Damn! When I saw there was another shell underneath the one they had just broken, I wish that pig had tried sitting on Sheldon again and hatching him again to break that other shell too. If they found yet another (third) shell under that second shell, they should still keep trying to hatch him until they finally revealed his real body, without any shells remaining.
If the writers reallly wanted to prevent Sheldon from being fully-hatched, I say they should show the pig sitting on Sheldon again to try breaking his second shell, then skip to a few hours later and show that shell hatching and revealing another shell (a third one). Then, the pig would try sitting on Sheldon yet again to break that third shell, then they would skip to another few hours later to show that shell breaking, revealing yet another (fourth) shell. The pig, again, would sit on Sheldon, they would once more skip to a few hours later, and that shell would break... only to to reveal that Sheldon still had a fifth shell underneath all those shells.
After revealing the fifth shell, Sheldon would still be willing to try and break that fifth shell. Once again, the pig would sit on Sheldon, but this time the scene would fade to black, and the episode would end, without showing the fifth shell breaking. That would be a good way to show us that Sheldon would never fully hatch, no matter how many times he and his friends tried.
Either that, or Sheldon would get justifiably fed up and hopeless after getting hatched four times in a row and find another shell under his shell every time. That is when it would make perfect sense for the writers to end the episode the way they actually did. So Sheldon, clearly sad and frustrated, would give up on getting hatched and would leave the chicken coop, saying: "I guess I'm just an egg! That's all I am: just a poor, little, defenseless egg!" Few seconds later, he would be caught by the fox again, then grab the fox by his nose, slam him into the ground a few times, spin around and throw him into the distance, and then conclude there are worse things to be than an egg. Being hatched four times in a row, only to find out that he was still wearing a fifth shell underneath all those four shells that he had taken so many hours to break, would be a very good reason for Sheldon to feel so frustrated that he would be both angry enough to use so much violence and resigned enough to accept there are worse things to be than an egg.
I have never come across that cartoon but you must have seen it several times to have remembered it so well 🙂
@@chickensinmygarden I often watched this cartoon when I was a kid, and I remembered this episode more than others because I had always been curious to see what that chicken really looked like underneath that damn shell. So, the episode where they were supposedly going to reveal the real face of that character was specially memorable for me. And the frustration about how the episode ended made it even more memorable. Also, I rewatched it on UA-cam while I was revisiting that and other old cartoons from my childhood.
I love how you can get almost anything you want on UA-cam
@@chickensinmygarden That makes two of us.
Excellent tips
Thank you. Welcome to my channel. I hope you find lots of interest
Thank you so much
You are welcome. I'm glad you found it helpful
Poor chick
These videos of yours have helped me a lot but i wanna ask about something.I keept some eggs in the fridge and i put them under a broody hen. After 20 days all the eggs hatched.How is it posible?
Yes it's possible - mostly it depends on the temperature your fridge runs at and how humid the eggs were (like enclosed in a box or bag). I mention that in my video about storing eggs before hatching
ua-cam.com/video/nvkH-5Im1WA/v-deo.html
Thanks for watching 🙂
You're absolutely amazing.
Aww, thanks ☺
Thank you for watching!