Chick struggling to hatch T o help or not to help

[kalilou2]

After seeing various posts on helping chicks out of their shell if they struggle I have hatched some out in an incubator and some natural with hens sitting them. Natural was no problem but after 5 Rhode Island chicks in the incubator hatched I watched the sixth struggle. It peeped for over a day stuck in the same position and after reading YOU MUST NOT TRY TO HATCH let nature sort it self I left it as long as I could. This morning it was still the same when I actually looked at it the membrane was stuck solid to the chick inside so as a last resort iI thought if it stays inside it will die and if I try to help it could die so here goes. I got a cup of warm water and covered the shell and moistened the chick carefully and did this a few times until the bird was wet through and not as stuck, then I carefully peeled some of the shell away to release it until most of the top end of the shell had gone and only the rear end of the bird was stuck to the shell, In which I wet it through again, At this point I had to go to work but got my mum to check and add more water to the rear as it was still stuck solid and at this point did begin to loosen I didn't rip the shell off as I thought this could kill the chick. When I got in from work it was completely dry again (the incubator was fine) so into a bowl of warm water it went to try and release it from the shell which was now stuck to its back, at this point it came away and the bird looked in poor cond but I thought at least its had a chance I thought it either thrives or dies so I wrapped it on a towel tried to dry it off so it was warm and It took a while for it to come around but it is now stood up and moving about. The foot on one side is a bit deformed maybe that's why it couldn't get out in the first place who knows. Ive give it a drop of cod liver oil to help its joints and maybe will help the foot and the others are okay with it so we shall see. To help or not to help do your best for them that's all you can do at least it will give them a chance.

For future reference I'm going to keep a spray gun to spray them to keep them damp if this happens again it may be an idea.

PS to add to this my husband dropped the incubator lid on two of the eggs 3 days ago and cracked 2 eggs bad

so I put candle wax on them and still one has hatched and is a really healthy chick

so we have been quite lucky really

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

A good rule of thumb I learned: Wait 24 hours if the chick is not making any progress help them. People always say not to help, but I'd rather help then watch the poor thing suffer and die.

By the way, I have a big, healthy thriving 9 week old chick in my coop right now who spent 30 hours in his egg and made no progress. I helped him and I'm glad I did.

 

[Becci]

I will only help a chick if it is stuck due conditions inside the incubator (Humidity to low, etc) Some chicks cannot hatch due to deformities, and would have to be culled anyways. When a chick is hatching, all of that kicking and squirming actually puts the legs into socket, and into place in the skeletal structure, which is why when we 'help' chicks, they usually come out with some sort of leg deformity. So, if I ever have to help a chick I will only zip the shell and moisten the membrane to loosen it up. Never will I take the chick completely out. This way, the chick still has some kicking and squirming to do. Because I do this, my chicks that I help never have leg issues. I have also had healthy chicks pipped for 24 hours, then hatch with absolutely no help at all. Therefore, I recommend you wait atleast 48 hours after the pip, before helping a chick. All in all, I believe it's only appropriate to 'help' a chick in certain situations. It shouldn't be something that is thought of as 'normal'. If the conditions in the incubator were correct, you should not have to help.

Just my opinion. Hope your baby pulls through

 

[kalilou2]

Thanks for your comments the chick is okay and getting a bit stronger as it goes on and the others are okay with it. I did read today online that the membrane can stick and dry like deadly glue which is what happened to this chick. I do agree that the deformety was caused by me helping so i'm doing a bit of physio

i've hatched a duckling in the incubator tonight and the chicks are snuggled up to it so all's fine
Looking back it was stuck solid and all dried up so chances are it wouldn't have made it we will see if it gets any stronger and will post on later. Bottom pic the one right in the middle with a dry back is the chick ( awe they look so sweet .

The others were from my arucana cockerel female bovan browns and light sussex cross so well see how they turn out LOL these are from my allotment and some hens have hatched 5 out between them all about the same as these will post a photo on later. Actually I was surprised that the 3 hens sat all together and are all rearing together so you learn everyday
thanks again folks from sunny England

 

[jruhle]

I assisted a chick out of the shell and thought it was going to die because it flopped around cheeping for hours and it looked like its guts were coming out. I trimmed the cord and came back a couple hours later and it was FINE. It is now a cute little ball of fuzz hoppin and a boppin. It pipped but didn't make any progress for over a day so I decided to intervine and it was a happy ending!

 

[kalilou2]

I think in certain circumstances you have to help it otherwise it will die I know mine has a foot problem but as it was stuck it wouldn't have been able to move it anyway as it was rigid until I soaked it in water. A bit ruthless but it did the trick
Elaine

 

[kalilou2]

update the chick is fine and the foot is a lot better only one toe goes a bit to one side so it worked