Broody hatch novice

[Shezadandy]

Some images I grabbed along the way

If you haven't found this forum/article, it's well worth a good close read- we've saved a few using this information!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching.64660/

 

[kari_dawn]

Thank you so much for the link, Shezadandy! That's actually the exact link that gave me the courage to try to help this chick! I've been reading it and re-reading it for hours, trying to make sure I am not gonna screw this up! The waiting part is the very hardest! I just checked on the little guy, and it's still hangin on....I still don't know if it's gonna KEEP hanging on, but I think I have done all I can at this point.

 

[Shezadandy]

Thank you so much for the link, Shezadandy! That's actually the exact link that gave me the courage to try to help this chick! I've been reading it and re-reading it for hours, trying to make sure I am not gonna screw this up! The waiting part is the very hardest! I just checked on the little guy, and it's still hangin on....I still don't know if it's gonna KEEP hanging on, but I think I have done all I can at this point.

I'm so glad you'd found it before- it took a lot of the stress out of the first couple/few hatches for sure. Any time I sell fertile eggs I send people that link because it's so good at describing everything that has to happen before the chick pushes out. The breach ones are tough - finding the beak and making sure they can breathe if there's no external pip - those are the hardest ones!!! You've given it a chance - now it's up to the chickiebaby!

 

[kari_dawn]

I really really want this chick to make it >< I am gonna be pretty sad if it doesn't...it hasn't been a very active chick throughout this whole process, so it wouldn't really surprise me if it doesn't :/ It was already pipped, or I probably would have never known it was breached. I probably wouldn't have ever tried to look up information to see what to do to help (or not) if it hadn't pipped either.

 

[Shezadandy]

I really really want this chick to make it >< I am gonna be pretty sad if it doesn't...it hasn't been a very active chick throughout this whole process, so it wouldn't really surprise me if it doesn't :/ It was already pipped, or I probably would have never known it was breached. I probably wouldn't have ever tried to look up information to see what to do to help (or not) if it hadn't pipped either.

Fingers crossed that chickee is just in a resting phase, it is so sad when they don't make it after we invest so much time and emotional energy... hopefully this will be a happy story.

Here's another of my favorite link that might help you "age" some of your other eggs. I know looking through an egg shell is nowhere near as clear as the video, but it's so amazing to see the whole process without the shell in the way!!!

He puts all the info about how he sets everything up at the beginning- if you want to skip to the "good part", fast forward to minute 4:42 - the chick "hatches" and lives. =)

 

[kari_dawn]

Thank you so much! I will check it out!

 

[kari_dawn]

So far, it's still kicking. The amount of yolk still visible is much smaller than some of the other pics on the forum. It's in there laying down, but chattering to it's self a bit

 

[kari_dawn]

So I finally went to bed early this morning, and hoped the little one would still be alive when I woke. It's definitely alive, chirping to its self and responsive to stimuli, eyes open, but it was laying in the same position it was in when I left it last night, and still appears kinda wet looking. What should I do now?

 

[Shezadandy]

So I finally went to bed early this morning, and hoped the little one would still be alive when I woke. It's definitely alive, chirping to its self and responsive to stimuli, eyes open, but it was laying in the same position it was in when I left it last night, and still appears kinda wet looking. What should I do now?

Sorry, I was away from my computer all day yesterday with the holiday. Has the chick survived so far? If so, is it starting to want to eat/drink? When they haven't fluffed up, I usually give them a quick go under the lowest effective setting on the blow dryer - sometimes being around a sibling who's more active will perk them up also and shows them what they should be doing. Fingers crossed it's survived and doing well!

 

[kari_dawn]

Yolk is fully absorbed now, and the chick is nice and fluffy!