death during zipping

[gimmie birdies]

I would candle mine one every 3-6 hrs. after day 20. I only have 6 so it wasn't a big deal.

 

[buckabucka]

It is best not to open the incubator at all after lockdown. Opening it will cause the humidity to drop. I usually wait until day 23 or 24 before checking any eggs that didn't hatch.

If I have some hatch early, day 20, for example, and then nothing else, I will sometimes open the incubator just long enough to quickly grab out the chicks after a day and leave the other eggs in there.
This hatch, I have 10 chicks that I am leaving in there for 2 days because I don't want to compromise the one chick that has zipped part way. I'll be checking it tomorrow morning.

 

[bigbum1984]

I've done as u suggested and made a hole in the air sac and could see movement. How long should i give them because its day 23? my temperature has been between 97.5 and 99.5

 

[buckabucka]

I've done as u suggested and made a hole in the air sac and could see movement. How long should i give them because its day 23? my temperature has been between 97.5 and 99.5

I hope someone else will weigh in here, because I don't have any experience with this.

I am running my own experiment with my half-zipped chick. This morning, I didn't see it moving and thought it was dead. Everything else is done hatching, so I removed the chicks to the brooder, and when I picked up the half-zipped egg it chirped loudly.

I wrapped it in a warm, damp washcloth, and used tweezers to finish zipping around. I didn't remove the membrane, but moistened it with a Q-tip. I put it back in the incubator with the damp washcloth. I'm giving it some time before I mess with it again.

it certainly seemed strong, chirping loudly and I could feel it kicking around. We'll see if it makes it's way out.

 

[sumi]

Quote:

Now just keep an eye on the membrane and the blood vessels. Once the blood in the membrane has been absorbed the yolk should be absorbed as well, but it wouldn't hurt to give it a little bit more time. If you can free the chick up enough then so it can kick free and complete the hatch by itself that will be good.

 

[sumi]

I've done as u suggested and made a hole in the air sac and could see movement. How long should i give them because its day 23? my temperature has been between 97.5 and 99.5

The lower temperature is what delayed the hatch here. As little as 1* too low can delay at hatch by as much as 24 hours. So don't rush to get this chick out. Think of it as a normal 21-day hatch. Has it pipped internally yet? I.e. is it's beak in the air sac? Keep the humidity high, so the membrane stays damp.

 

[buckabucka]

The membrane was totally clear. The chick was really, really stuck though. The wing was glued to the head, back glued to the shell, etc.
there was no way the chick was going to free itself from this mess. I ended up removing all the shell and membrane I could. The chick is trying to dry off in the incubator, but it has hunks of egg shell all over it's back and stands somewhat hunch-backed. I don't know if it will make it.

meanwhile, another chick that accidentally incubated upside down for 14 days, has hatched with just a tiny bit of intervention, and is looking good.

none of the other chicks had sticking issues, and I think the stuck one was not in proper position. After it zipped half-way and sat for 24 hours, I think it dried out, but I know little about these things.

 

[sumi]

The membrane was totally clear. The chick was really, really stuck though. The wing was glued to the head, back glued to the shell, etc.
there was no way the chick was going to free itself from this mess. I ended up removing all the shell and membrane I could. The chick is trying to dry off in the incubator, but it has hunks of egg shell all over it's back and stands somewhat hunch-backed. I don't know if it will make it.

meanwhile, another chick that accidentally incubated upside down for 14 days, has hatched with just a tiny bit of intervention, and is looking good.

none of the other chicks had sticking issues, and I think the stuck one was not in proper position. After it zipped half-way and sat for 24 hours, I think it dried out, but I know little about these things.

You are doing great! The sticky chick: take a sponge and some warm water and wipe it as clean as you can. Wet the fluff around the shell to loosen it. It would be good if you can do this under a heat lamp, so the chick doesn't get cold. Then make a little sugar water and dip it's beak in it. It will perk it up. Shame, poor thing's probably exhausted from the hatch.

 

[buckabucka]

Oh, thanks so much for the response! I am fretting over this poor chick. After I wash it under the heat lamp, can I leave it in a brooder of sorts, or does it go back in the incubator? I have a box that I can set up with an Ecoglow, to keep it separate from the more active chicks until it rebounds, but just wonder if the incubator temperature is better for the wet chick. I do have a regular heat lamp, but don't like to leave that plugged in because of fire hazard.

 

[sumi]

Have you still got unhatched eggs in the incubator? She should dry off very quickly under a heat lamp and wiping her dry with some tissue paper will also help. Keeping her separate from the other chicks for now is a good idea. Give her time to catch her breath. How is she doing? Did you give her some sugar water yet?