Do I need to break the egg shell?

[Lpskitfit]

Ok. So how many hours has it now been since he externally pipped? Do you see him.making any yawning/chewing motions? If so, as not ready. He's not ready until these motions stop. They make yawning motions to induce the contractions that cause the yolk to absorb. Don't do any more until you can't see any veins and there is no yawning. You shouldn't have to assist him anymore though, he'll be able to pop out when he's done. He probably won't be ready until at least tonight. Blood takes a while to absorb, and you don't want him hatching with unabsorbed yolk. Those ones are the toughest to care for.

I figured I shouldn't touch him until he's done. He's been making the yawning/chewing motions so I've left him alone. He's kicked a few times and he's looked like he tried to squeeze out but I didn't chip anymore because I saw him yawning. He's actually managed to widen the hole a little but more and the veins I saw this morning are receding. I've got someone at home keeping an eye on him. He externally pipped at 1:30 am yesterday, so it's been 34 hours. That said, did I make the right call by chipping some of the shell away? Thank you for responding!

 

[MGG]

I figured I shouldn't touch him until he's done. He's been making the yawning/chewing motions so I've left him alone. He's kicked a few times and he's looked like he tried to squeeze out but I didn't chip anymore because I saw him yawning. He's actually managed to widen the hole a little but more and the veins I saw this morning are receding. I've got someone at home keeping an eye on him. He externally pipped at 1:30 am yesterday, so it's been 34 hours. That said, did I make the right call by chipping some of the shell away? Thank you for responding!

Ok. That's fine. Yeah, if he's yawning he's working on absorbing. Hopefully he doesn't kick out too early, but he probably knows he's not ready. When he gets to 48 hours post a pic if he's not out yet. I personally would have done a smaller hole, but it's fine. Your hole won't hurt him in any way as long as you keep him moist. What day is he on? Is this your only egg? No problem. Hopefully he hatches out healthy and strong. He seems to be doing well so far.

 

[Lpskitfit]

Ok. That's fine. Yeah, if he's yawning he's working on absorbing. Hopefully he doesn't kick out too early, but he probably knows he's not ready. When he gets to 48 hours post a pic if he's not out yet. I personally would have done a smaller hole, but it's fine. Your hole won't hurt him in any way as long as you keep him moist. What day is he on? Is this your only egg? No problem. Hopefully he hatches out healthy and strong. He seems to be doing well so far.

I will post a picture at 48 hours. He's on day 29 and there's one more egg in the bator with a happy healthy baby who actually pipped first. Both of them are a bunch of chatter boxes and seem pretty healthy. The other one has a smaller hole that's been getting bigger slowly and is still working on absorbing. They respond to each other's chirps as well as videos of themselves chirping. Next time I'll make the hole smaller! Thank you!

 

[MGG]

I will post a picture at 48 hours. He's on day 29 and there's one more egg in the bator with a happy healthy baby who actually pipped first. Both of them are a bunch of chatter boxes and seem pretty healthy. The other one has a smaller hole that's been getting bigger slowly and is still working on absorbing. They respond to each other's chirps as well as videos of themselves chirping. Next time I'll make the hole smaller! Thank you!

Ok! Yay! That's awesome! Hopefully they all hatch. I love the way they chirp back and forth to each other. It's so cute. No problem! Keep me posted!

 

[Lpskitfit]

Ok! That's good there's no blood or yolk. Yep, the foot thing is fine. They always go back. I don't ever tape feet, every time I used to they always died. I don't know why, I used many different safe kinds of tape and they were in safe areas. They would just always be laying on their sides dead. They didn't drown or overheat either. So my advice would be don't ever tape their feet, the only exception is if their legs are splayed. Hobbling splayed legs is necessary. But it's not often that you'll get a bird with splayed legs.

Legs aren't splayed thankfully. Thanks for the reassurance through this. I'm glad my first hatch was successful.

 

[Lpskitfit]

That's great!

Just hatched the other one! It had been over 48 hours and I got worried when the hole hadn't gotten any bigger since yesterday afternoon, so I chipped at some of the shell and he was WAY too big for the egg. Both feet were over his head and went all the way down to the side of his neck and he had no room to move to break anymore. Looks like both of my babies had to be assisted hatches but it worked out for both of them! Darth Vader (the first chick) has been running around the brooder pecking at things getting lonely, so as soon as Johnathan Throckmorton is dry and in the brooder I'll post a picture of them!

 

[MGG]

It's gonna be a while before JT dries off, so here's him in the bator and Darth Vader in the brooder! Our flock is a bunch of mixed breeds so it was funny seeing Darth come out of the mallard egg and a mallard coming out of the khaki campbell egg.View attachment 2409714View attachment 2409718View attachment 2409718

Oh my! They're so adorable! I'm glad they're ok. You might want to put some grippy shelf liner down in the incubator, it looks like it might be hard for him to grip. They're so cute. Darth Vader is adorable. I'm so glad he's ok. That is funny. Is the lamp plenty warm enough? I'm sure it's ok, I just know desk lamps sometimes aren't warm enough. It should be at least 90 degrees under the lamp.

 

[Lpskitfit]

Here's JT after some hydrotherapy. He can now sit up on his legs and they're not out as much as they were. I plan on doing more in a couple hours. He's got a little crest!

He couldn't even sit up earlier and now look at him!

 

[Lpskitfit]

Oh my! They're so adorable! I'm glad they're ok. You might want to put some grippy shelf liner down in the incubator, it looks like it might be hard for him to grip. They're so cute. Darth Vader is adorable. I'm so glad he's ok. That is funny. Is the lamp plenty warm enough? I'm sure it's ok, I just know desk lamps sometimes aren't warm enough. It should be at least 90 degrees under the lamp.

That's a heat lamp we used to use for our beardies and we used it when our chickens were babies. It's definitely not a desk lamp but it does look like it in the picture. I don't know the temp but it kept the chicks warm and Darth Vader seems happy. JT has splayed legs but a little bit of hydrotherapy has already helped. We're picking up vitamins today to add to the water. Darth Vader is so curious about JT and wants to get over the divider we put up between them but we want to get JT on his feet first. The bottom of the incubator actually feels pretty grippy with the holes but next time I'll add shelf liner because I'm not sure if it contributed to JT's legs or not because he popped out with his legs completely out to the side.

 

[sniper_ghoul]

YAY!!!!!!!!!!