Should I help this chick hatch or it is ok?

[yinepu]

Quote:
I totally agree! I am new here and to incubating and have been following this thread. I so appreciate the time and effort you put forth to help us.

I'm torn on what to do. I feel I should go ahead and see because the peeping has dwindled so since yesterday. It wasn't loud like a full sized chick but for a bantam it was significantly louder yesterday than today. Also, it has been over 24 hours. I know regardless it is my decision and a chance that I take, but would like to know what others would do.

well.. i look at it like this.. IF there is a problem and i do nothing.. then the chick WILL die.. but if I assist it to the best of my ability then it stands a very good chance of surviving.. I know you can't save them all.. sometimes there is just something wrong with the little guys and they won't survive anyway.. but a lot of times it's an environmental issue.. and a perfectly healthy chick who would have hatched on its own had everything gone like it should

ultimately though it's your chick and your egg.. so the choice is entirely up to you,, you need to follow your heart and do what you believe to be the right thing..

 

[yinepu]

Quote:
if you ned to wrap it in wet paper towels cover the entire egg AND the opening.. just leave a gap between the membrane and the wet towels.. that way if he needs to pip he can still breathe.. the papertowels will keep his immediate humidity high and will keep the membrane moist.. if he decides to pip someplace other than the membrane we can deal with that when it happens

 

[MommaB]

Okay, we are going into 21 days 6 hours and 24 + hours with a peeping baby that is fading. I'm going to check on my big chickens outside and then come in and see what I can find. Thanks so much!

 

[ReikiStar]

Quote:
That is our stance as well. My DH put it beautifully, "If we'll help a breach [human] baby out, why not a chick?" Isn't that what C-sections are? Helping an otherwise healthy baby to get out safely?

The whole notion of helping out deformed or chicks that won't thrive...that's an understandable reason not to help, but incubation is such an artificial environment -- too often it's our mistake and not the chick's fault. Even if the chick is born with problems, sometimes they are attributed to too low or too high temperature/humidity in the 'bator.

The other way we look at is..."If I were stuck in the shell, and someone able bodied was looking at me...would I want them to help me?!"

I agree, everyone has to make the choice that's right for them. For some of us, our gut pulls us to help and others their gut says, No, let it be. Just do what feels right and you'll never go wrong.


MOMMA B - a drop in peeping is, to me, a strong sign someone needs a hand. Esp. if it's been over 12 hours and no progress had been made. The keys to helping are CLEANLINESS, MOISTURE, GOING SLOWLY and STOP if you see blood.

 

[yinepu]

Quote:
That is our stance as well. My DH put it beautifully, "If we'll help a breach [human] baby out, why not a chick?" Isn't that what C-sections are? Helping an otherwise healthy baby to get out safely?

The whole notion of helping out deformed or chicks that won't thrive...that's an understandable reason not to help, but incubation is such an artificial environment -- too often it's our mistake and not the chick's fault. Even if the chick is born with problems, sometimes they are attributed to too low or too high temperature/humidity in the 'bator.

The other way we look at is..."If I were stuck in the shell, and someone able bodied was looking at me...would I want them to help me?!"

I agree, everyone has to make the choice that's right for them. For some of us, our gut pulls us to help and others their gut says, No, let it be. Just do what feels right and you'll never go wrong.


MOMMA B - a drop in peeping is, to me, a strong sign someone needs a hand. Esp. if it's been over 12 hours and no progress had been made. The keys to helping are CLEANLINESS, MOISTURE, GOING SLOWLY and STOP if you see blood.

X2

best thing Momma B can do is take a peek at that membrane and let us know what's going on there so we can advise further

 

[yinepu]

my internet has slowed to a crawl... and i just restarted it.. so if i am a little slow in replying.. you'll know why!

 

[MommaB]

Here is what I found. I slowly opened the pin sized hole that I made to find the membrane the that was barrier to the air cell was completely white and couldn't be seen through. The chick really started peeping loudly. I continued to removed more of the hard shell and leave the white inner layer until I saw the beak. It had broken through the membrane but had made it no further. The membrane around were it had internally pipped was clear with maybe one very tiny vessel. You could see a tiny bit of old blood where it had pipped. I removed a little more of the hard outer shell where the head was and then lightly wrapped it in a wet paper towel and placed it back into the incubator.

Was it in trouble with the portion of the membrane being completly dried out? Did I remove too much? How long should I leave it in the paper towel until I check it again?

 

[yinepu]

yeah.. sounds like the membrane is too dry and he can't break through... ok.. here's what I would do:
take the q-tip and moisten the membrane.. do not get any water into his beak!
see if you see any plump veins.. since the membrane is dry it's doubtful you will hit any.. but keep it in mind for any of the membrane you run into which is still naturally moist

also remove any LOOSE shell.. that is shell which has already separated from the membrane.. if it's still attached do not remove it

once the membrane is moist and the excess shell has been removed I would start on the membrane itself

for the membrane I would start at his beak.. you may want to use some sterile (you can use alcohol) blunt tweezers if you have any
then starting at his beak .. gently tear back a little of the membrane.. just a teeny bit.. go very slowly.. IF YOU SEE PLUMP VEINS STOP.. also IF YOU SEE ANY BLOOD STOP

if you run into any blood at all wrap him with wet paper towels and put him back into the incubator (leaving the area right around his beak clear)

you will want to leave him in the bater wrapped in the towels for at least an hour if you run into any blood

 

[yinepu]

remember GO SLOWLY.. the big mistake many people make is tearing too much of the membrane too fast

 

[yinepu]

Just as a note.. finding plump veins means he's not ready to hatch just yet

when a chick goes to hatch.. the motions he goes through with zipping is what triggers the veins to dry up and for the last of the yolk to be absorbed.. so if you see veins that are still filled with blood it means he hasn't completely absorbed the yolk yet
chicks like that can benefit from wet paper towels wrapped around the egg and across the membrane so they can finish hatching on their own

occasionally you will run into a chick who has not absorbed his yolk even though the veins are dry.. in essence he exits the egg before he was ready (can even happen with chicks who hatch out completely on their own).. this chick usually has a few problems.. but if left alone one of several things can happen
1. he may absorb the yolk on his own without any issues
2. he may not be able to absorb it.. however sometimes the yolk will dry up like a scab and fall off
3. he may develop an infection due to bacteria entering the site (which may happen if you intervened or not)
4. he may have more issues than just the unabsorbed yolk and won't live anyway
5. the yolk sack may rupture in which case a bacterial infection is pretty much a given

so that's why it's best to just wrap them up in the wet paper towels and let him shut down the veins on his own