Intervention: Helping Your Chicks Hatch

[ChickenEnthusiast]

i want to help with my chicks but i cant can i help them when they are in the eggs they have been in the eggs for four weeks i have three broody chickens and chickens came and eat some of the eggs and chicks were in them i feel so bad

and one of the eggs was big and it had a chick in it and a chicken pecked it open and there is more of those eggs please help!!!!!!!!!

 

[MrsWagley]

I am worried. I have a hen sitting on eggs that began piping (I think it's called) at what first saw was about 8 hrs ago. Momma is still on them but a couple of hours ago I noticed a couple of them have large portions of the shell gone with membrane still intact. I could even see one moving under the membrane. Should I help them. Not sure what to do. I also heard some chirps...

 

[sssharon]

Mrs.wagley, if I were you I would leave it to the broody. They usually take care of everything. My broody just hatched her second group and I did nothing. Maybe I'm just lucky.just wait awhile unless you think it's an emergency and then take your chances. God luck.

 

[ChickenEnthusiast]

well that is very bad but leave them and see what happens something is wrong but did your hen get out at anytime or went somewhere they are aloud out but not for long i have four broody chickens now but when did this happen!!!!!!!!!!! i am sorry



Thanks

 

[MrsWagley]

Thanks for the suggestion, I left them alone and one of the chicks came out, I'm not sure if it was one of them with membrane exposed, hen is being super protective. Last look tonight and it was still moving in there, I'm guessing maybe the hen moved around too much and cracked more of the shell off and that is how membrane got exposed, she only left them to eat. I will see what is there in the morning, hopefully the chick makes it out tonight. Fingers crossed!!

 

[MrsWagley]

I have two beautiful new chicks this morning and a third is poking its ways out of the shell! I'm so glad I left them alone!! I have a proud little momma hen. She didn't even leave them to eat so I brought her a bowl of food and small dish of water.

 

[ChickenEnthusiast]

awsome four or three new chicks i am going to have chicks soon

 

[MrsWagley]

Four chicks hatched and healthy! Sleeping under momma hen! Here are a couple of pictures as momma hen was kind enough to let me hold her babies.

 

[Michellejaa]

I may have posted in the wrong spot previously, was trying to work and do this at same time. I believe this duckling is shrink wrapped. It had pipped outside shell and remained that way over 12 hours. I slowly started to pick away shell and what was not attached . Only started to help as duckling had been in same spot and no progress and seemed like it could not move very far compared to its siblings. Any way to finish? it is still chirping and trying to move head. Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

There is an awful lot of blood still in that membrane. It's not ready to hatch. Wrap it up in warm wet paper towels and leave it in the incubator. Don't cover the bill it still needs to breathe. Get your humidity as high as you can. All that blood still needs to be absorbed. It does not look shrink wrapped. That looks a healthy membrane.

12 hours is nothing for them to be externally pipped especially for ducks that take their time to hatch. 24 hours plus before they need looking at. Often longer for ducklings. Helping too soon can cause more harm than good. Hatching is a very slow process and time needs to be taken.

Have a read of this article, it's got lots of great info contained ~ https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching

Good luck, I hope your duckling makes it