Assisted Hatch Quetions Help Please

[Curnow]

I am on day 26 of a very poor incubator hatch. 13 eggs appeared to be viable at lock down. Of those, 2 hatched on day 23.

After reading every article and thread I could about late hatches. I suspect that due to low temps near or around incubator may have caused cold spots. Also, having a hard time keeping humidity to even 60% during lock down. Many factors I believe may have played a role in this poor hatch.

Day 25 I decided to candle and tap. There was one white egg with very slight movement that showed at the edge of air cell. No internal pip, no peeps. Back into incubator it went.

Day 26 After reading the very informative article in the Learning Center, and every video I could find, I decided it was time to gently open the air cell and see if there was in fact a live chick. Well, there is.

Here is where I need help!
Shell cap is now removed, along with dry outer membrane. Inside membrane around chick is intact with the beak only out. I lightly smeared Vasaline on the exposed part of the inside membrtane. Veins were clearly visible and obviously still engorged. Chicks beak was opening and closing slightly like the articles said it would be while sleeping. I wrapped the remaining shell portion in moist warm wash cloth and placed back in incubator. I loosely draped a piece of wet paper towl over the open end of the egg. I left a small area for air and viewing.

Where I go from here. I don't know for sure if this chick is shrink wrapped or not. I do know it is not completely ready because of the engorged veins. Do I just wait now and see what happens? I know article says WAIT, WAIT, WAIT!
At day 26, how much longer could this little one still be away from those veins receding? That is the MAIN question I have.

Thanks in advance for any answers!

 

[nchls school]

I do not think a definite time to wait is possible; you simply have to wait for the veins to recede before any more assisting. in my experience late chicks are often weak and/or malformed; often dying after hatching if not before. I hope you have good luck and the chick turns out fine.

 

[Laodicia]

I am on day 26 of a very poor incubator hatch. 13 eggs appeared to be viable at lock down. Of those, 2 hatched on day 23.

After reading every article and thread I could about late hatches. I suspect that due to low temps near or around incubator may have caused cold spots. Also, having a hard time keeping humidity to even 60% during lock down. Many factors I believe may have played a role in this poor hatch.

Day 25 I decided to candle and tap. There was one white egg with very slight movement that showed at the edge of air cell. No internal pip, no peeps. Back into incubator it went.

Day 26 After reading the very informative article in the Learning Center, and every video I could find, I decided it was time to gently open the air cell and see if there was in fact a live chick. Well, there is.

Here is where I need help!
Shell cap is now removed, along with dry outer membrane. Inside membrane around chick is intact with the beak only out. I lightly smeared Vasaline on the exposed part of the inside membrtane. Veins were clearly visible and obviously still engorged. Chicks beak was opening and closing slightly like the articles said it would be while sleeping. I wrapped the remaining shell portion in moist warm wash cloth and placed back in incubator. I loosely draped a piece of wet paper towl over the open end of the egg. I left a small area for air and viewing.

Where I go from here. I don't know for sure if this chick is shrink wrapped or not. I do know it is not completely ready because of the engorged veins. Do I just wait now and see what happens? I know article says WAIT, WAIT, WAIT!
At day 26, how much longer could this little one still be away from those veins receding? That is the MAIN question I have.

Thanks in advance for any answers!

If its internally pipped on its own it could be around 24 hours. The larger veins are in the pointy end of the egg so once the air cell membrane looks good wait at least 3 - 4 hours before doing any further under shell checking.

 

[chickens really]

@WVduckchick
She is awesome and will help..She should be along shortly..

 

[WVduckchick]

Hi there!
Late hatches can be tough. It sounds like you have done alot of research, so you probably know this ones chances aren't great, but not impossible.
What you have done is about all you can do until those vessels recede. The only other thing, is I would get rid of the damp towels around the egg....they can mess with the air exchange that is so important for the chick to proceed, and they can also cause a chill as they dry.

Can you get a picture of where it stands now? Also, what type of incubator are you using? Fan or still-air? Did you check your meters for accuracy? What did you run humidity at, prior to lockdown?

 

[Curnow]

Unfortunately the chick passed away just a bit ago. I probably should have just let it be and let nature take it's course.

Incubator is a Little Giant still air (like everyone seems to hate). I have had very good hatches with it before without using any extra equipment other than what is built into the unit. I use the dry incubation method that I also found on BYC. I have even had good luck with shipped eggs!

Prior to lock down humidity ran consistently at 40%. Temp at 101.2. Eggs turned minimum of 3 times a day. Lock down humidity was hard to keep above 60%, so it fluctuated in the 60s.

I have 4 eggs still in the incubator...shells are too dark to get a good view into air cell. I don't see or hear anything, so not much hope for them. Judging by the state of the deceased chick upon eggtopsy, I will give the remaining 4 eggs a couple more days. His egg sack was partially absorbed, so it was getting close on it's own (perhaps) before I intervened.

Although this was a very poor hatch, it was, at the same time, very educational as compared to a normal "successful" hatch.

I know I will never again watch a video or read an article about someone putting their incubator in a closet under a towel and think..."well that's overkill".

I will accept the practices of others that may seem strange or extreme more readily.
I will presume they learned these practices the hard way...as I just have.

Thank you to everyone on BYC for your experience and eagerness to help!

 

[WVduckchick]

I'm sorry for your loss.
Do you have any theories on what may have been different with this particular set?

 

[Curnow]

As per instructions, plugs were left out for air exchange. We are running much cooler in our house this year due to work schedules, building a new house, and life in general. Ambient air temp in the house is around 64-68. Very low humidity because we are heating with wood only this year. The placement of the incubator in a far corner that probably was only around 60 degrees, if that.
I believe that there were more cold spots in the incubator than normal spring hatching I have done, where the house stays around 72 and humid. From what I've read, the incubator I use is notorious for cold spots anyway...even on a good day!

Egg quality may have also played a role. There were several pullet eggs in the batch. The 2 surviving chicks and the one that just passed were from mature hens.

This was a spur of the moment hatch (encouraged by my sister's goading). Our temps here is Missouri have been COLD! Our eggs are gathered in the evening, so have been in a cold coop for several hours before making their way indoors.

I lean more heavily to the incorrect/cold temps in the incubator theory.
I made a lot of mistakes this round.