I have 12 eggs that are on day 21. Yesterday, two of them pipped and one has hatched. The other one pipped about 25 hours ago and has made no progress since this morning. It is starting not to be as active as it was either. Is this where I help it? If so, what should I do? Or should I just leave it alone? Thanks in advance.
I would say leave it. Do not open the bator or disturb the environment and everything should work out just fine. Good luck with your hatch! Jody
I agree with hinkjc. I would just leave it for now, don't open the 'bator, and make sure your humidity is up so the chick doesn't get shrink wrapped. A couple of mine were like that and needed a little assistance to hatch and also didn't fluff up like they should. Good luck
Don't open the bator. Sadly, sometimes they do pip and die but it is through no fault of ours. They probably would never live anyway. Don't risk the rest of the hatch for 1 egg right now.
Good luck J! It's a tough call. I did help one using the advice here (I think it's a sticky now) and the chick made it. I didn't help another and lost it. But I had a heads up from Fallenweeble the eggs she hatched had trouble so I knew it was probable since she gave me the eggs. I'd print that advice and have it handy in case you decide to help. I'll be sending positive hatching thoughts across the country for you!
Thanks for the advice everyone! I will leave it alone for now. I am a little concerned however with the fact that none of the other eggs have pipped yet. Guess I still have a couple days to wait.
Quote:First hatches can always be nerve wracking. They may have been a day or 2 behind in development because of temps. or just because they're slow pokes Just sit back, relax, and take some pictures of my heeler puppy to get your mind off of it
Some people strongly disagree with these ideas, but here are mine: I've helped a few chicks break out of their eggs--I've had the membrane on an egg dry out and get too rubbery when the chick started a hole but didn't finish getting out for a long time, & other circumstances. If the chick is old enough that it's body has had time to absorb the yolk alright, and has pipped but is taking an unusually long time hatching, I feel alright about chipping away part of the shell to encourage it, or breaking off large pieces of shell or pulling membrane away if chick seems inescapably stuck. When I helped a chick & felt it did not get enough correct exercise while hatching (because it didn't work at it very hard, or because the chick's position or the egg's condition didn't facilitate that), I've restrained the chick by cupping it in my hand (within the warmth of the brooder) for short sessions to encourage more healthy struggling and stimulation of muscle and organ development. There is my experience for any who might be interested in the ideas.
I followed SpeckledHills' path and helped a little guy out of his shell last week. He had pipped and then just sort of quit. After everyone else had hatched, I picked him up and I could hear him a hollerin' in there, so I started chipping away at the shell and wetting the membrane with a Q-tip. Eventually I got all but the shell that was down around his butt off, and put him back in the 'bator where he finally zipped himself out. One of his legs had stayed encased in some membrane for a long time, and he had spraddled legs, but a bandaid wrapped around them got him up on his feet in no time. He's only been around now for four days, but he looks just as strong as the other one of his kind that hatched himself out. Susan
