No they don't pip at the top but that is where you would make the safe hole. you don't try to hit or aim where they are..
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They don't pip at the top of the egg. Another member informed me that safe holes should be where the chick/duckling would pip, the side of the egg, because if it's in the top, while the baby is turning it can cover the hole and suffocate.Safe Holes should be at the TOP of the larger end of the egg, Not to the side not to the dipping section. Right on TOP... Very Small hole no bigger then the tip of a pen point. It's ONLY used to help them breath so they can escape.. It Gives them a Spot to aim for..
Light will come in the hole and boom they can aim for it.
I'm just going off someone else's experience/advice.
If the majority of your chicks have hatched or
its past day 21 (for Chicken eggs), it's time to....
CANDLE & Tap!
Candle and look for an internal pip. Pencil mark the air cell.
Below is what an internal pip it looks like.
The beak is thrust through the inner membrane into the air cell.
Tap with your fingernail GENTLY on the air cell and hold to your ear, Can you hear a peep?
**IF** YOU DO NOT HAVE AN INTERNAL PIP AND YOU CAN’T HEAR CHIRPING and but you do SEE MOVEMENT, place that egg BACK in the incubator and WAIT, this EGG DOES NOT need assisting at this point!
**IF** however YOU DO NOT HAVE AN INTERNAL PIP AND YOU CAN’T HEAR CHIRPING and YOU DO NOT see MOVEMENT please proceed to The Float Test ~ Checking Egg Viability. Give Eggs A Full 24 Hrs Overdue Before Float Testing ONLY AFTER CANDLING and NO Internal pips and NO internal MOVEMENT or CHIRPING! This procedure takes very little equipment Or time to do and Is Easy To Perform. If your egg is still viable, place back in the bator and wait! https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/383525/float-testing-checking-egg-viability-for-late-or-overdue-hatching
Now its time to assist if…
Your Beyond THE WAITING PERIOD and you’ve followed ALL steps above!
Assist if YOU HAVE AN INTERNAL PIP AND you hear CHIRPING, OR YOU HEAR CHIRPING and No PIP......
AND you clearly understand the hatching process,
AND you are CERTAIN its time to intervene,
AND you have READ THROUGH this ENTIRE ARTICLE,
AND you understand THE STEPS to ASSIST,
AND you HAVE PATIENCE,
If NOT, DO NOT TOUCH THAT EGG!
Creating an Artificial Pip or "View Hole"!
Disinfect & WASH your hands!
Begin this step by making small hole at the pip area
(or closest to where you hear him chirp)
ONLY IN THE AIR CELL AREA!!!
TYPICALLY his beak is towards the LOWER DIP IN THE AIR CELL as shown below
Make "Only" a small hole ENOUGH so you can see that the little beak is free of the inner membrane. Use a flat tipped tweezers or a knife. DO NOT POKE just chip and then use tweezers to pull that white outer membrane away a tad until u can see his beak. Remember, THERE is an OUTER white membrane and an inner membrane. It is very important at this stage not to damage the inner membrane that holds all the chick's blood cells.
If you need to create a pip its best to keep scoring a tiny X until you can chip the hole. You can also use a tiny sharp drill bit, NOT in the drill, I just use it to score the X, but DO NOT harm the chick! DO NOT CRUSH THE EGG with force! It is very hard to start a pip if you dont have one, so be prepared with multiple tools if one isnt working for you....
If you open that pip and can see her beak like below, then leave the egg like this.... set her on a dampened paper towel, and put her back in the incubator and raise the humidity. Then WAIT.... WAIT WAIT!
If you have made a pip AND CANNOT SEE THE BEAK, open a larger hole in the shell little by little, in the AIR CELL Area ONLY, DO NOT GO BELOW THAT LINE. As you can see in the photo below this little bugger was a hard one to find! Again, only clear the beak then dampen the membrane with a finger dipped in sterile/clean water (DO NOT GET NEAR HIS NOSTRILS and DO NOT PULL any MEMBRANE with blood in it!)
Set the egg on a damp paper towel and return to the incubator.
NEVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU REMOVE THIS INNER MEMBRANE AT THIS POINT!
AS long as you LEAVE THAT MEMBRANE intact THEY WONT KICK OUT PREMATURELY...
THIS I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH!!!
TIME TO LEAVE HER ALONE and keep that humidity up!! 75-80s even!!
What did you read that is most important right now???
LEAVE HER ALONE! Do not pick at her shell do not remove any more membrane at this point! Wait, every 2 hours dampen her membrane and place her back in the bator! There is A LOT of stuff for them to absorb!!
Not just that blood, that yolk is HUGE! look!
Now that you created a pip she still CAN finish up the job!
This is a girl I helped and as you can see went to town all on her own!
What if she DOESN’T Finish Pipping?
The first thing to remember when helping is to watch for blood. If bleeding, STOP right then and there. Put the egg back and wait a few hours before trying to help again. Once you start helping a chick at this point, it won't be able to finish by itself.
If after 6-8 hours and there is still NO PROGRESS in her pipping you will need to remove the “CAP” Air cell end of the egg. ONLY ABOVE the Pencil Line! I start by taking tiny pieces of shell off just like a pipping line and follow just above the pencil line. IF YOU DRAW BLOOD you went a bit too low, so move a bit higher…
GO SLOW! And stay ABOVE THAT INNER AIR CELL!
In the picture below you will see an inner pip with the beak in it… Dampen first for better viewing of membranes. Clear a tiny bit of membrane from the nostrils, but DO NOT to hit any veins. If you dampen that white membrane you can see it’s fairly clear when wet but still filled with full vessels. If you do hit a little blood in a vein gently press a dry paper towel on the spot to stop the bleed. Below are pics of THE SAME chick dry membrane and the other dampened.
This chick CLEARLY is NOT READY to COME OUT OF THAT SHELL or have its membrane removed!
Put BACK in the bator on damp towel!
I will also add that I have recently switched from using sterile water in an assist to using Q-tips or "Ear Buds", and adding antibacterial CLEAR OINTMENT called bacitracin (NOT NEOSPORIN) to inner membranes, because you do NOT have to keep wetting them and you can see in the pic below that the ointment makes that membrane clear, and it is ANTIBIOTIC it wont have bacteria in it that water can! refer to https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/704328/diary-notes-air-cell-detatched-shipped-eggs/7850 for understanding ointments and creams. DO NOT USE OINTMENT WITH PAIN KILLER! USE BACITRACIN
NEVER remove this membrane until THOSE VEINS RECEDE and blood is absorbed!
Every 2 hours you will check and if necessary dampen that membrane or add more ointment if your using it. Continue looking for the recession of veining. This will probably take at least 8-12 hours if not more!
If the blood is not absorbed THE YOLK SURE ISNT!
WETTING THE MEMBRANE MAKES IT TRANSPARENT SO YOU CAN VIEW THOSE VEINS!
Nope still needs a little time!
How do I tell if the chick is READY?
Below is how the membrane looked in a healthy hatch! Once the blood has been drawn into the body the veins will look thin, webby and the membrane will look transparent.
Very thin tiny veins like hair strands! Enlarge photo.
WHEN THE chick is READY they will again chirp LOUD!
BUT ONLY GO BY THAT MEMBRANE and its veining!!
She is READY!
WHEN she has absorbed all that blood check the position of the beak and ease the membrane away by stretching rather than tearing if possible. If no bleeding occurs continue to gradually ease the membrane from the beak towards the sides of the shell and I sorta of stick them OVER the shell and they stick to it, as if putting a trash bag in a trash can. Continue until the chick is exposed by dampening the membrane, I use a tweezers with a flat tip (not pointed). If the membrane is sticking to the chick just keep dampening and use a clean damp paper towel and wipe gently with the feathers and it will come off.
Now that you have the membrane pulled off the top of the chick wet along the outer shell membrane 1 more time & PUT THE CHICK BACK IN THE BATOR!DO NOT ATTEMPT TO PULL OR TILT the chick out of its shell!!
LET the chick do that part when it’s ready!!!
Oh NO!It PIPPED the WRONG END!
MALPOSITIONS
It is common to lose about 1-2% of the chicks due to deformities and malpositions. Deformities occur during embryo development, while malpositions occur the last week of incubation. Malpositioned embryos are unable to pip the eggshell and escape due to improper positioning within the egg. The chicks can have difficulty positioning for pipping, absorbing the yolk sac, or changing from embryo to chick breathing air. The majority of malpositioned embryos that have died in the shell probably resulted from exhaustion and/or lack of oxygen. One GOOD thing to remember is that SOME malpositions are Lethal and some are not! Occasionally, malpositioned chicks will hatch unassisted but the hatch does need to be monitored closely to ensure that the chick is not becoming stressed, or stuck. Often as a result of the position in the shell they have been unable to absorb all of the yolk. Please refer to Navel SECTION BELOW.
Common reasons of Malpositions are:
Eggs are set with small end up.
Advancing breeder hen age and shell quality problems.
Egg turning frequency and angle are not adequate.
Inadequate % humidity loss of eggs in the setter.
Inadequate air cell development, improper temperature and humidity regulation, and insufficient ventilation in the incubator or hatcher.
Imbalanced feeds, elevated levels of mycotoxins, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
Lower than recommended temperatures in the last stage of incubation.
Normal hatching position and the six recognised malpositions Images:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/1608/investigating-hatchery-practice-examining-the-hatch-debris
ASSISTING MALPOSITIONED CHICKS
The external pip of a malpositioned chick is actually both an internal and external pip, these are also the hardest to deal with because they are made directly into a fully active membrane and not into the safety of the air cell. Be extremely careful not to puncture the membranes directly under the shell as this is likely to cause a bleed.
PLEASE READ THIS ARTICLE IN ITS ENTIRETY
BEFORE YOU ATTEMPT THIS ASSIST!
The decision to intervene and how fast to progress with assistance is not simple and there are NO RULES except… SLOW SLOW SLOW HOURS HOURS HOURS and MORE HOURS!
A chicks chances are slim with these kinds of malpositions so recognize that your trying to give it a chance to live! I have lost a few malpositions and saved a few! EXPERIENCE WITH ASSISTING is VERY HELPFUL! Assistance should take place in stages. Stopping after each stage of assistance gives the chick a chance to complete the hatching by itself.
Assisting Chicks that have ALREADY pipped the wrong end
or have pipped in an air pocket within the egg (seen while candling, or hearing their chirps). If the chick has made a successful external pip at the wrong end or somewhere in between, you can monitor them and see if they can hatch out themselves, if no progress in say 10-12 hrs begin a slow assist, keep reading. If the pip is not successful you will need to create one, chip a tiny bit of shell away from the center of the crack. Make sure there is a slice through the outer membrane so air can get in. TINY means less than 1/4”. If the pip has fluid running out of it create a viewing hole to check if its still viable.
ASSISTING~ If the chick does not progress, membrane looks brown or seems exhausted after (give or take 8 hrs), begin assist by slowly chipping outer shell as to create a viewing hole to see whats going on in there. CAUTION ~ SLOW as the view hole in the case of a malpositioned chick is actually the external and internal pip in ALL cases. They are difficult! More so than the standard view hole, as they are made into a fully active membrane area and NOT into the safety of the air cell. The membranes directly under the shell should not be punctured accidentally as this is likely to cause a major bleed.
Assisting CHICkS that you SUSPECT Malposition
THIS is by FAR THE WORST SENARIO and SO HARD to Distinguish between Not ready to hatch and malpositioned! If you suspect you have a malpositioned chick (the egg is overdue for hatching) and HAS GONE PAST day 21 and the hatch of everyone else…. you can open air sac, (DO NOT OPEN BELOW AIR CELL LINE!) follow the instructions above on opening the air cell CREATING an EXTERNAL PIP. BUT FIRST Study the common malpositions as pictured in this article so you are familiar with its anatomy!….
Normal hatching position and the six recognised malpositions:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/1608/investigating-hatchery-practice-examining-the-hatch-debris
After carefully removing air cell end, wet a finger and feel and look for the beak through the membrane. IF there is A LOT of fluid under the membrane you may have a wet/mushy chick or one that simply isn’t ready yet, place them back in the incubator and wait! DO NOT OPEN THE INNER MEMBRANE! If a lot of fluid is NOT present, look for its big round eye, or beak, or even wing to help you find its head. JUST LOOK AND FEEL THROUGH THE MEMBRANE AT THIS POINT DO NOT OPEN IT!
If you find its beak/eye/wing take your tweezers and create a small hole in the inner membrane AVOIDING ANY BLOOD VESSELS! Depending on position you may need a larger hole, just AVOID vessels as much as possible. You may need to gently lift/pull the head from under the wing and by gently extending it may be sufficient to allow the chick to complete hatching. (If you do hit a vessel quickly using a dry clean paper towel or gauze hold for a few seconds and bleeding will stop.) After this stage the chick will look as though he is gasping, place in incubator & let it rest at this point. Let the chick rest until the blood vessels recede, follow instructions for assisted hatch above from this point on. WAIT WAIT WAIT! Oh and WAIT SOME MORE! AGAIN. this is the HARDEST position to get a chick to live, but at least your giving it a chance at life!
IF YOU DON’T FIND its beak/eye/wing from the air cell end or see a yellow/orange sack DO NOT break the membrane! I HATE HAVING TO DO THIS STEP AND depending on egg cost I WONT EVEN TRY AN ASSIST! It is Hard understand and find how a chick is positioned! IF YOU CANT FIND ITS BEAK, you can make a guess as to where you think it is after refering to that link and its pictures on malpositions, and carefully chip ONLY OUTER EGG Shell away at the guess area. (Example: If you see the butt or yolk sack when you took the air cell end off, you have the bottom of the chick, you will refer to the link with malposition pictures and take a guess at how the chick is situated at the other end or SIDE of the egg) The membrane will often be brown where the beak is trying to break through. If your lucky and find its beak, create an air hole there so the chick can breathe and if you didn’t find it DO NOT open the membrane, refer back to the position ANATOMY pics and try another spot and keep trying! As LONG as your only taking the Shell off and not causing blood loss and NOT disrupting and inner membrane your ok! ITS HARD to figure out a position and I am finding alot of times their head is tucked in the middle of the egg between butt and feet! After you found its beak establish clear beak for breathing, let the chick rest until the blood vessels recede, follow instructions for assisted hatch above from this point on. WAIT WAIT WAIT! Oh and WAIT SOME MORE!
SHIPPED EGGS & Malpositions!SADDLE SHAPED AIR CELLS are very COMMON with shipped eggs!
Saddle shaped is when one or both sides have a large "dip" in the air cell. For the best way to incubate shipped eggs please refer to the Shipped Egg Section in… https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101
A lot of times with saddle shaped cells the chick doesn’t position correct for hatching and their feet can easily get stuck behind their head and “smoosh” the chick so they can’t move, it can also force the yolk sack and everything more north in the shell.... First lets Look at this position.....
Note the top of the egg (air cell end) and how far down one side of the egg this air cell goes. Some times the chicks CAN do the internal pip but cannot hit that outer membrane/shell. This is why you should pencil mark the air cells and keep a close watch on them at hatch, especially if they seem "later" that the rest by about 6-12 hrs. I will begin an assist by candle and tapping to make sure I have that internal pip, HOWEVER in this case you cant see the internal pip too well because of the angle, so I always tap to see if I hear them. IF you DO hear a chirp or see an internal pip then follow the Assist steps first in this article. If not I check again in another 6 hours and repeat...
She HATCHED! But what's with her butt?
If there is slight bleeding at the navel use corn starch or a dab of cold water to stop the bleeding. You can also swab the umbilicus area with a 1% solution of Betadine and place the chick back in the bator to dry. If you do see this and the chick is already out of the shell dangling with this, use a clean sterile scissors to cut through them, DO NOT PULL as you can harm the chick’s navel!
But only the cords!
DO NOT CUT IF THERE IS UNABSORBED YOLK SACK!!
Please see below for info on unabsorbed yolk.
Please see HOW TO TREAT & PREVENT yolk sack infections!!
click on in the link below
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/mushy-chick-disease-yolk-sack-infection-omphalitis
Below is a photo of a "Duck in a Cup" waiting for its yolk sack to finish up!
The chick BELOW had a large navel at hatch.
With some antibiotic ointment she had quickly absorbed the rest of that navel area and is now a fine young pullet!
3 Essential Chick Care Tips (pasting up and Cord info)
http://ezinearticles.com/?Do-You-Know-These-3-Essential-Chick-Care-Tips?&id=4449831
YES this CHICK MADE IT through with proper Care!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/744592/day-21-ohmy
And this one MADE IT! Say Hello to "Yolk"
Yolk, a WONDERFUL Story of a Chick that stopped pipping midway and ended up having a yolk sack rupture and a bunch of other issues! It is well worth a read and "Rock" has all the footage to boot!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/704328/diary-notes-air-cell-detatched-shipped-eggs/3100
My Links for additional information
Eggtopsy: What happened to my egg?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/363717/eggtopsy-what-happened-to-my-egg-graphic-pictures
"Shrink wrap" vs. "Sticky chick"?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/491421/shrink-wrap-vs-sticky-chick#post_6242987
Hatchability Problem analysis.pdf1,708k .pdf file
Trouble Shooting Failures with Egg Incubation
http://msucares.com/poultry/reproductions/trouble.html
http://www.poultry.msstate.edu/extension/pdf/troubleshooting_incubation.pdf
http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8127.pdf
This is also a great pdf with pics: paste link in browser search:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...joHICw&usg=AFQjCNGgYxCBYwBex31MS5w2McdnpH1zbw
ALSO this PDF at the last pages have a chart that shows what could have happened.... http://gallus.tamu.edu/library/extpublications/b6092.pdf
New Chick Care Links and Info
DIP THE BEAK OF THE CHICK IN THE WATER BEFORE YOU TURN IT LOOSE in the brooder. A taste of water right away helps them to find more water soon. If your chicks are at all stressed, add about 3 tablespoons of brown or table sugar to each quart of water for extra energy. Most baby bird loss is caused because the bird doesn't start to eat or drink. Never let your bird run out of water. http://odysseyranch.com/Chick Care Tips.html
Dont forget to have Sav-A-Chick™ Electrolyte and Vitamin Supplement on hand! AND ITS CHEAP at TSC its Balanced electrolytes supplement for newly hatched and adult chickens, ducks, turkeys, and other domestic poultry. Fortified with vitamins A, D3, E, C, K, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9 and B12. Convenient, single-use packets each mix into one gallon of drinking water. Use during hot weather or other stress to support optimal hydration and bird health. JUST IN CASE you have a weak bird! OR You can add sugar to the water in the first couple of days.
Homemade Electrolyte Recipe for weak/ill chicks
2 C. Water
2 TBL. Brown Sugar, honey or molasses
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
Mix until all dry ingredients dissolve & Keep refrigerated
You could also use electrolyte drinks Gatorade or Pedialyte, or
3 drops of POLYVISOL (liquid childrens A-B-D vitamins)
Slowly drip along inner edge of lower beak.
http://www.mypetchicken.com/backyard-chickens/chicken-care/chapter-4-caring-for-baby-chicks.aspx
Some causes of EARLY CHICK MORTALITY ~
CHICKEN ORTHOPEDICS ~
Splayed Leg & Curly Toes
On occasions “stuck” chicks are affected with splayed or rotated legs. This may be a result of an unusual position in the egg, a fall resulting in injury to the leg, or slipping on a smooth surface in the hatcher & brooder. Splayed legs are preventable by the use of non-slip brooder matting and can be corrected with hobbles, if identified early enough.
https://sites.google.com/a/larsencreek.com/chicken-orthopedics/leg-braces
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/72885/boot-for-curled-toes-on-3-month-old-chicken-update-w-pics
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/02/spraddle-leg-in-baby-chicks-what-is-it.html
Culling ~
Small Animal Euthanasia at Home http://www.alysion.org/euthanasia/index.php
How to cull chicks http://www.waldeneffect.org/how_to_cull_chicks/
How to Dispatch a Chicken.http://poultrykeeper.com/general-chickens/how-to-kill-a-chicken
SEXING CHICKS ~ With in TWO DAYS you must do this or wait till they crow or lay!! refer to : http://www.ca.uky.edu/smallflocks/sex_linked_crosses.html & http://www.ca.uky.edu/smallflocks/Feather_sexing_practice.html
FINISHED ~
SANITIZE EQUIPMENT & PAT YOURSELF ON THE BACK or throw the bator out the window!
A few Cool Videos!
Disclaimer: Please note this information is offered as friendly advice only and, whilst I have made every effort to ensure it is accurate, I can not be held responsible if it proves not to be useful in your case!
A little fun compliments of my friend Oz!
ozexpat https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ck-out-of-here-a-diary-of-a-crazy-chicken-man
My new Avy Created by my friend cochins1088 from BYC,
How cool is that!
@subhanalah and @Lacrystol you ladies are KILLING ME!! I love all of your advice but I can't make a choice if neither of you can agree
@Lacrystol how will he run out of air when he is not internally pipped?
I'm so confused :-(
It's been my experience that Sally's guide can be applied to *all* fowl (turkeys, peafowl, duck and Guineas are what I've used it on), not *just* chickens. To me it makes sense to make the hole where they would make it, but to each their own.That's a great LINK for CHickens but how about this ONE:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/491013/goose-incubation-hatching-guide-completed