Broody stepped on egg.

[Onley219]

I have a young pullet that went broody on September 3, it took me 3 days before I realized she had been stealing eggs for her clutch. So there are some up to 3 days apart. We have 7 chicks that have hatched and the mother is starting to get up more and help the chicks some, but is still consistently sitting on the rest of her eggs. She stepped on one and crushed it. The chick had begun to pip, but wasn't quite ready to come out. It is alive and peeping and moving. But it looks as though the membrane has started to dry. I have checked it a couple times and it has a couple small spots of blood.Im wondering what I should do? I do not have an incubator. Here is a photo. This is my first hatch too.

 

[Lauren Kim]

Usually after this stage, there isn't much to do. When the membrane dries up, the chick can get stuck inside and give up and die, so just hope for the best. Good luck.

 

[theuglychick]

It looks fine to me if it's the white-ish egg with the chick most exposed.

My first time broody did the same thing and the membrane was bleeding a bit (much more than what I can see there) but it eventually stopped bleeding as the membrane dried and the blood receded, and the chick hatched on its own.

He's got plenty of air exchange so he won't suffocate in the shell.

I disagree with the statement that there isn't much you can do. There is plenty you can do. You can rub a little coconut oil on the exposed membrane to keep it from drying completely out.

If, after 24 hours with zero progress, you CAN also assist the hatch. I've done it several times and have yet to loose a chick.

I would just watch him and only after 24 hours with no further progress would I consider assisting. But really looks like he should get out of that with no issues.

Keep us posted!

 

[Onley219]

It looks fine to me if it's the white-ish egg with the chick most exposed.

My first time broody did the same thing and the membrane was bleeding a bit (much more than what I can see there) but it eventually stopped bleeding as the membrane dried and the blood receded, and the chick hatched on its own.

He's got plenty of air exchange so he won't suffocate in the shell.

I disagree with the statement that there isn't much you can do. There is plenty you can do. You can rub a little coconut oil on the exposed membrane to keep it from drying completely out.

If, after 24 hours with zero progress, you CAN also assist the hatch. I've done it several times and have yet to loose a chick.

I would just watch him and only after 24 hours with no further progress would I consider assisting. But really looks like he should get out of that with no issues.

Keep us posted!

Well, the chick made it out of the egg. Unfortunately it isn't doing well. It is just curled up like it was in the egg. It's not opening its eyes really. Im separating it from the rest so it doesnt get trampled. There are 8 other chicks now and more eggs starting to hatch. She is leaving the eggs more and more in favor of her babies. Should I just leave these eggs and hope for the best? None of my others are broody, all I have is a heat lamp, but they are viable chicks I would think. You can hear cheeps and them pecking the shell and see some movement. I hate to see them not make it just because they are a few days behind the rest.

 

[Onley219]

Sad update, the chick died.

On a more positive note she's back on her eggs. Let's hope they hurry and hatch.

 

[The Golden Egg5]

How is everyone? Is she on the eggs and are they all hatching?

 

[Onley219]

We have 10 healthy chicks now. She is back on the eggs for the most part it seems. We have one egg with its beak poking out and 6 more with chicks cheeping and pecking, but no external pips yet. I think Sparkles is going to loose her patience with these eggs since her babies are so active. She is very attentive and such a good mother for how young she is, she is only 7 months but doing such a great job.