Assist hatch?

[slmwatts]

Against all advice I put a double yolker in my incubator. I candled and it looked possibly viable yesterday (hatch day). Today there’s a long crack and I think I see feathers. It’s looked like this for 5 hours? What should I do?

 

[BelovedBirds]

Against all advice I put a double yolker in my incubator. I candled and it looked possibly viable yesterday (hatch day). Today there’s a long crack and I think I see feathers. It’s looked like this for 5 hours? What should I do?

Are you certain it is a double yolker, chicken egg I assume?

 

[BelovedBirds]

Against all advice I put a double yolker in my incubator. I candled and it looked possibly viable yesterday (hatch day). Today there’s a long crack and I think I see feathers. It’s looked like this for 5 hours? What should I do?

@casportpony @Kiki
I really dont know who to call in here, any thoughts?

 

[casportpony]

Shoot, I have zero experience with twins. @WVduckchick, @Pyxis, can either of you help?

 

[BelovedBirds]

Shoot, I have zero experience with twins. @WVduckchick, @Pyxis, can either of you help?

That's the thing! Much more complicated situation, wouldn't want to give the wrong advice!

 

[casportpony]

Where is the air cell?

 

[Pyxis]

A lot of times twins have trouble getting out because they can't get the leverage, or have the space, to turn in the egg. I'd start by opening the egg over the air cell so you can try to see what's going on in there.

 

[NatJ]

Against all advice I put a double yolker in my incubator. I candled and it looked possibly viable yesterday (hatch day). Today there’s a long crack and I think I see feathers. It’s looked like this for 5 hours? What should I do?

Have you read the article about assisted hatching?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

It talks about how to assist, when to assist, and when to NOT assist.

I know it does not address twins, and I have no personal experience with them, but I think some things will be applicable anyway.

For example, if you see big blood vessels, or if it begins to bleed, you should give it more time for the chicks to absorb their yolks.

If you can see feathers but no veins, I might start picking small bits off the eggshell near the crack, to make it easier to see, but definitely stop if any bleeding happens.

Two chicks are likely to have more trouble than one, because they will get in each other's way. But two chicks also means two yolks that need absorbing. So it will probably be tricky to figure out how much to do at what time.

 

[slmwatts]

Are you certain it is a double yolker, chicken egg I assume?

Chicken. Went by size, did not candle before yesterday.

 

[slmwatts]

Have you read the article about assisted hatching?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-ass

I did read it. I guess I just wanted some hand-holding! I’m about to try candling and manually pipping it more.