Intervention: Helping Your Chicks Hatch

[DebbieParker]

Thanks so much! That will really help me next time. I have all hens, so a friend of mine gave me the fertilized eggs. I didn't know when the eggs were collected so,I had no idea if there was a day between them or,if they were collected on the same day. I am hoping one of the chicks is a roo, that way I can collect my own or let a hen sit them next time. I don't know,what I would,do,without all my friends here! Thanks again!

Hi Debbie,
First, I am sorry for your loss. It really hurts when we lose a chick and sometimes we tend to feel responsible. Here is a little bit of wisdom that I use myself when incubating:
Mark EACH egg with the date you enter it into the incubator, and the TIME you enter it into the incubator.

I put a date on each air cell end of the egg the day I collect them. When I am ready to incubate, all eggs going in get marked on their SIDES with the incubation date and the exact time. Sometimes I will add an egg or two within a day or two (at most) of starting a hatch. With the date marked in pencil that I am incubating it and the time, it is a HUGE help in knowing WHEN I should expect a pip.

For example, If I put the majority of my setting in the incubator at 9am on July 5th, and then add a freshly laid egg later that evening at 6pm,I will know to expect, as a general rule, that the 6pm egg should pip about 9 hours later than the pip of the 6am egg.

I just hope that this advice helps someone. Knowing the time incubation started can often help you in determining if a slower chick needs a little help.

 

[RooRidgeFarm]

Thanks so much! That will really help me next time. I have all hens, so a friend of mine gave me the fertilized eggs. I didn't know when the eggs were collected so,I had no idea if there was a day between them or,if they were collected on the same day. I am hoping one of the chicks is a roo, that way I can collect my own or let a hen sit them next time. I don't know,what I would,do,without all my friends here! Thanks again!

You are welcome! Happy hatching

 

[hd_darcy]

What a great thread! Unfortunately, I just helped a chick hatch, and he/she didn't make it. I don't get why though. It had made it's hold, and no progress all day from early morning. So, at 7:00 tonight, I decided I had to help. I could tell it was weak. Well, it took me quite awhile as I had to take all of the shell off, and then peel back the membrane too. In the end, I thought the chick was doing fine. I mean very weak, but was coming alive more. I went in the house for about 10 minutes and came out, and no longer alive. Any idea what I did wrong or what happened? There were two tiny bleeds when I was hatching, but that was it. The membrane (is that what it's called?) was very dried out. I'm so bummed. And to make matters worse, my kids watched me do it...and now for this ending... UGH...

 

[RooRidgeFarm]

What a great thread!  Unfortunately, I just helped a chick hatch, and he/she didn't make it.  I don't get why though.    It had made it's hold, and no progress all day from early morning.  So, at 7:00 tonight, I decided I had to help.  I could tell it was weak.  Well, it took me quite awhile as I had to take all of the shell off, and then peel back the membrane too.  In the end, I thought the chick was doing fine.  I mean very weak, but was coming alive more.  I went in the house for about 10 minutes and came out, and no longer alive.    Any idea what I did wrong or what happened?  There were two tiny bleeds when I was hatching, but that was it.  The membrane (is that what it's called?) was very dried out.  I'm so bummed.  And to make matters worse, my kids watched me do it...and now for this ending...  UGH...

Hi, first off, sorry for the loss. It sounds like you did a great job, everything sounds good from what u wrote. The only guess I can make without knowing more details is that it was just a chick that wasn't strong for possibly genetic reasons. Did you have other chicks from the same hatch that did OK?

 

[hd_darcy]

Thank you. Yes, I've had other chicks from the same hatch. However, these chicks are "special", because we had a raccoon take out 6 of our chickens (we were already down to 9). The raccoon got a broody who was sitting. I found the eggs the next day, and thought they were done for. I also had a broody sitting on another batch, who did survive. Well long story short, I hadn't researched to find out what to do with the other eggs, so they were in the nestbox still. Meanwhile my other broody got confused and got off her eggs and went to the cold ones. Ahh.. I got flustered and put all of them under her, and thought I'd candle to see what was up. When I candled I was so shocked that they were all alive (both batches). So....... if I lost this one, it can't be surprising at all considering. They were sitting for quite awhile without a hen on them at all...I've had 4 other chicks hatch that are perfectly fine from those eggs, and she's still currently sitting on more. I've been taking them from her, so she continues to sit, and we have the best chance to get some more chickens! ;( So, my guess is it must have been genetically. I did notice the babies feet were pretty curled, but I didn't know if that was due to him/her being just born, or could that have been a sign? Otherwise, the chick looked great to me.

Thanks again. She's still sitting on plenty more eggs. I will leave her alone. I have been picking her up here and there to see if she had any hatch that I could take. I'm sure that is exactly why this one dried up. Right? I'm guessing I shouldn't be doing that, but I'd like to get them out of there ASAP too since I already feel so guilty from taking them from her. Eeks... My plan is to attempt to give them back when we've gave all the other eggs a chance to hatch, which won't be for a bit yet...as she herself didn't start sitting until maybe a week and a half ago, or a bit longer.

Sorry for the long story!

 

[RobinB84]

Thank you.  Yes, I've had other chicks from the same hatch.  However, these chicks are "special", because we had a raccoon take out 6 of our chickens (we were already down to 9).  The raccoon got a broody who was sitting. I found the eggs the next day, and thought they were done for.  I also had a broody sitting on another batch, who did survive.  Well long story short, I hadn't researched to find out what to do with the other eggs, so they were in the nestbox still. Meanwhile my other broody got confused and got off her eggs and went to the cold ones.  Ahh.. I got flustered and put all of them under her, and thought I'd candle to see what was up.  When I candled I was so shocked that they were all alive (both batches).  So.......  if I lost this one, it can't be surprising at all considering.  They were sitting for quite awhile without a hen on them at all...I've had 4 other chicks hatch that are perfectly fine from those eggs, and she's still currently sitting on more.  I've been taking them from her, so she continues to sit, and we have the best chance to get some more chickens!  ;(  So, my guess is it must have been genetically.  I did notice the babies feet were pretty curled, but I didn't know if that was due to him/her being just born, or could that have been a sign?  Otherwise, the chick looked great to me.

Thanks again.  She's still sitting on plenty more eggs.  I will leave her alone.  I have been picking her up here and there to see if she had any hatch that I could take.  I'm sure that is exactly why this one dried up.    Right?  I'm guessing I shouldn't be doing that, but I'd like to get them out of there ASAP too since I already feel so guilty from taking them from her.  Eeks...  My plan is to attempt to give them back when we've gave all the other eggs a chance to hatch, which won't be for a bit yet...as she herself didn't start sitting until maybe a week and a half ago, or a bit longer.

Sorry for the long story!

First off, not a pro lol, but when I see blood, I take a dry qtip and stop it. I use vaseline lightly and coat only the drying out membrane and tuck a fresh wsrm wet rag around the egg and put back in the bator. I wait about an hour or 2 and try again. Letting the chick rest, my nerves rest and hop that he severs his own blood flow. Hope this helps for future cases

 

[RooRidgeFarm]

Thank you.  Yes, I've had other chicks from the same hatch.  However, these chicks are "special", because we had a raccoon take out 6 of our chickens (we were already down to 9).  The raccoon got a broody who was sitting. I found the eggs the next day, and thought they were done for.  I also had a broody sitting on another batch, who did survive.  Well long story short, I hadn't researched to find out what to do with the other eggs, so they were in the nestbox still. Meanwhile my other broody got confused and got off her eggs and went to the cold ones.  Ahh.. I got flustered and put all of them under her, and thought I'd candle to see what was up.  When I candled I was so shocked that they were all alive (both batches).  So.......  if I lost this one, it can't be surprising at all considering.  They were sitting for quite awhile without a hen on them at all...I've had 4 other chicks hatch that are perfectly fine from those eggs, and she's still currently sitting on more.  I've been taking them from her, so she continues to sit, and we have the best chance to get some more chickens!  ;(  So, my guess is it must have been genetically.  I did notice the babies feet were pretty curled, but I didn't know if that was due to him/her being just born, or could that have been a sign?  Otherwise, the chick looked great to me.

Thanks again.  She's still sitting on plenty more eggs.  I will leave her alone.  I have been picking her up here and there to see if she had any hatch that I could take.  I'm sure that is exactly why this one dried up.    Right?  I'm guessing I shouldn't be doing that, but I'd like to get them out of there ASAP too since I already feel so guilty from taking them from her.  Eeks...  My plan is to attempt to give them back when we've gave all the other eggs a chance to hatch, which won't be for a bit yet...as she herself didn't start sitting until maybe a week and a half ago, or a bit longer.

Sorry for the long story!

Hi again, I appreciate you posting more details, I can really sympathise with what you are going through. I lost chickens to a predator before and I know how hard that can be, and then on top of that, you are trying to save the babies. There are no hard and fast 'rules' when it comes to raising chickens, and sometimes we experience things we never imagined.

I DO believe you are doing a terrific job dealing with all that's been handed to you in such a short time. You did perfectly fine helping the chick hatch, and I am pretty sure that due to the conditions (cold eggs) that your chick may have just not been as strong as the others. Curled toes usually indicate possible nutrition deficiencies. Sometimes you will have one like that in a batch of strong healthy chicks.

As far as the reason the membrane was dry, that may have had something to do with being left out after mom died, and just possibly due to checking on the eggs. Letting the stand in hen sit on the chicks after they hatch will be fine-she should be careful with them and still set awhile longer to let the other eggs hatch. But if you are worried about her getting off the other eggs, just check her a couple times a day and collect chicks when you have a few to get at one time.

I hope that everythings calms down for you soon and you can enjoy your new chicks

 

[hd_darcy]

Hi again, I appreciate you posting more details, I can really sympathise with what you are going through. I lost chickens to a predator before and I know how hard that can be, and then on top of that, you are trying to save the babies. There are no hard and fast 'rules' when it comes to raising chickens, and sometimes we experience things we never imagined.

I DO believe you are doing a terrific job dealing with all that's been handed to you in such a short time. You did perfectly fine helping the chick hatch, and I am pretty sure that due to the conditions (cold eggs) that your chick may have just not been as strong as the others. Curled toes usually indicate possible nutrition deficiencies. Sometimes you will have one like that in a batch of strong healthy chicks.

As far as the reason the membrane was dry, that may have had something to do with being left out after mom died, and just possibly due to checking on the eggs. Letting the stand in hen sit on the chicks after they hatch will be fine-she should be careful with them and still set awhile longer to let the other eggs hatch. But if you are worried about her getting off the other eggs, just check her a couple times a day and collect chicks when you have a few to get at one time.

I hope that everythings calms down for you soon and you can enjoy your new chicks

Thank you kindly for the words, it is appreciated! We've had another hatch whom is doing just fine since. So far, I have a total of 5 babies. I'm happy with that! She's still sitting on more, I don't even know how many more. It's fun checking each day to see if we have a new one. So far, the babies are all getting along fine too. I hope that continues and I can continue to add the new ones. Oh, and speaking of curled toes, I have my roo separated because he's having issues with curled toes. I worry sooo bad that it's Marek's, but hoping that it's a b12 deficiency. So far, no change in the past few days with him. Yes, so true, between the raccoon, baby chick that didn't make it and my roo (only have two other grown ones beside him), I'm having a heck of a time!

Thank you again for sharing your thoughts!

 

[RooRidgeFarm]

Thank you kindly for the words, it is appreciated! We've had another hatch whom is doing just fine since. So far, I have a total of 5 babies. I'm happy with that! She's still sitting on more, I don't even know how many more. It's fun checking each day to see if we have a new one. So far, the babies are all getting along fine too. I hope that continues and I can continue to add the new ones. Oh, and speaking of curled toes, I have my roo separated because he's having issues with curled toes. I worry sooo bad that it's Marek's, but hoping that it's a b12 deficiency. So far, no change in the past few days with him. Yes, so true, between the raccoon, baby chick that didn't make it and my roo (only have two other grown ones beside him), I'm having a heck of a time!

Thank you again for sharing your thoughts!

Hi again, I would aim for the vitamin B deficiency first. (Just in case you don't know), You can get great B complex liquid vitamin suppliment at Tractor Supply Company and sometimes your local feed store will carry it. I will often boost their nutritional intake also by using an egg mix with the vitamins at least 2x's daily. Here's what I do:
Boil an egg or two, peel, remove egg white and keep yolks. Mash the warm yolks in a small container and add whole milk and a cc or 2 of the liquid B vitamins to create a smooth creamy, slightly runny mix. Use a dropper or shot syringe and administer 1cc to 2cc's of warm mix at a feeding orally. You can give the egg mix (without extra B vitamins) to any chicken or chick anytime you think they need a boost of nutrition or their growth/weight is lagging behind, just be sure to only give the B vitamins according to the label. Be careful feeding orally, I just squeeze a bit in their mouth and them let them swallow it, so I don't shove too much in and they aspirate it.

Well, now I've typed too long lol. But, I hope that this info may help your rooster recover!

 

[chicklover21299]

I have a baby that i didnt know was still alive. he has been in the bator for 24 or 25 days. I tried helping him but i dont think he is ready. There is blood around his beak so i stopped. I have no idea when he even started breaking through his shell. He is peeping a little but the only movement i can see is his breathing. I dont know if he is even ready to come out yet. Tips?