Chicken Hatching out underneath egg...

[ozgirl0012]

Good Morning everybody,

My chicken eggs are on day 19 and one of my chicks are trying to hatch the egg on the underneath side....is this normal or do i have to turn the egg to assist the chick.....this is my first hatch and rather confused as i thought they hatched from the top..thanks

 

[ozgirl0012]

can somebody please help me...cant find the answer anywhere on the net...

 

[Comeonbroodyhen]

Yes if you can post pics on the chick hatching it would be more helpful. But for right now is the chick in a tray with the egg standing upright or is it down on its side? If the egg is in a tray or a turner you should place it on its side. Just for the record chicks are supposed to hatch on the big end of the egg as this is where the air sack is. If the chick is hatching on the pointy end of the egg you should definitely help it out.
Good luck !!

 

[ozgirl0012]

Thanks comeonbroodyhen...we had to end up helping with the hatch of this little one...she/he is in the incubator chirping and moving a little and has been for about 1 hour...so hopefully she/he will be a little fighter and survive....now just patiently waiting for the other 13 to hatch....

 

[Comeonbroodyhen]

When I did my first hatch ever I did the same thing, helping them out of the egg because I just couldn't wait for that little fluff ball. But that is a big mistake !! I ended up losing 2 chicks that way. Because when a chick is hatching it is building muscles for when it gets out so it can walk around, eat, drink ect.. But when you help it out the chick has no chance to develop muscles to help it be self relient, therefor dieing, so I suggest that you stop thinking about the incubator and don't look at it for at least 5 to 6 hours. you'll be surprised how meany will be out after that 5 to 6 hour time period.
PS.
Hatching gets easier after the first time!!

Good luck

 

[sumi]

Remember chicks can take up to 24 hours to hatch, start to finish. So don't assist unless it's obvious that the chick needs help. They often pip thorough the shell long before they finished absorbing the yolk etc and helping them out at that point usually results in the chicks dying. It's better to leave the chick and see what it does, keep the humidity high and don't handle it if you can help it.