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Helping emu chick hatch

post #1 of 3
6/16/12 at 7:08pm
Thread Starter 

I have an emu egg on day 52 that's wiggling and started peeping yesterday. Its currently at 97 F and 30-40% humidity. I'm considering helping it out since it hasn't yet broken the shell anywhere and was wandering if anyone had any advice on how to do it or if I should wait longer?


Edited by sand man - 6/16/12 at 7:11pm
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post #2 of 3
6/16/12 at 10:53pm

You got plenty of time, don't try to help, helping is last resort only.

 

Just whistle to it or tap the shell to encourage it to pip.  If it doesn't pip after a few more days then you can start to worry, but mine were peeping for a week before hatching.

The one that hatched on it's own is still here, the other I helped when she was a week overdue and she died before she made it through her first week.

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post #3 of 3
6/19/12 at 9:49pm
Thread Starter 

So we decided to help the chick out and unfortunately were too early as the membrane still bleed so we covered up the exposed membrane with moist paper towel and some kind of band aid that allows air flow. Despite removing a little less than a fifth of the shell, it pipped through the membrane next morning. The membrane had stuck to the chick so we helped it out confirming it had absorbed all of the yolk. Interestingly, it looked positioned the wrong way, its head on the side opposite of the air sack. Right now I'm a little worried it was in the egg too long because he pooped in it and he seems like he might be having breathing problems. We gave him some kind of medicine that starts with a B, can't remember the name off the top of my head and I don't know what my mom did with it, but a bird veteran recommended it for any respitory problems. We think he might of also pulled his neck muscles from being in there too long since his head is still a little droopy. He's in the brooder right now with the temperature at 95 F. First time doing Emu, any advice much appreciated.

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