Under what circumstances should I help a chick that is trying to hatch?

metalman488

In the Brooder
5 Years
Mar 2, 2014
45
1
39
Texas
I had a clutch of eggs that I was letting my broody hen hatch, but she ended up leaving a lot of them behind because it was a staggered hatch, so I made a makeshift incubator out of a Styrofoam cooler to allow them to finish since the latest one was scheduled to hatch was a few days. Two days ago one egg pipped and I've been watching it. Yesterday morning it made the first hole a little bigger and then made a second hole. I could see it moving and breathing through the holes, but last night I checked on it and it wasn't moving. I figure it was just taking a break because I heard that they do that a lot, but it still wasn't moving this morning and now it is 12:30 in the afternoon and it still isn't moving in the shell. I'm worried that it may have died or if it is having a really hard time hatching and whether or not I should help it out of the shell or if this is normal and I should leave it alone. Meanwhile another one of the chicks managed to pip, zip, and hatch without me ever noticing until now in the incubator.
 
I'm afraid it could have died during this process :hugs. Not hearing or seeing it move after this length of time would point me towards that. You could try chipping the shell away between the two holes just incase its still alive.

On a better note congratulations on your hatched chick.
 
I just chipped some of the shell away in between the two holes and then decided to touch the chick. It felt stiff and not very warm
th.gif

The hatched chick seems very excited though. I hope its a hen
fl.gif
 
Sorry to hear it hasn't made it. I'm sure if you post some pics when it's a little older in the what breed gender section members will be able to help if you don't know.
Hope you have some more hatch soon.
 

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