Does this chick look ok? Please help!

[chickeegirl]

So I helped a second one that had done nothing since pipping 15 hours before and the white membrane was very hard. I just gave it a little room for its beak to come out and rewet (gently) the membrane and wrapped it in wet paper towel. I'm pretty sure that my humidity has been the cause of problems with these little guys. I'm kicking myself for not getting a tool to measure it. Oh well I guess. I'm hopeful that these two will make it...St. Francis has gotten a lot of prayers from me today!

The 3rd one was dead, after pipping last night. I opened it and there was green and yellow pus all inside the egg, but the chick appeared to be fully formed. Not sure what happened there. Glad I got it out though, since it seems as though something was not right with the gunk inside it.

We are now about to get a big thunderstorm. We've never lost power here, and I'm hoping tonight's not the night that we will either. If so, I don't know what we'll do...

 

[Marty1876]

St. Francis is good, and so is St. Jude, as some consider egg issues a lost cause, but not me.

Yes, the dry white membrane says your humidity is either too low overall or it suddenly dropped (like when bator openen) during lockdown. I personally add 2 or 3 very damp sponges at lockdown, and that gets humidity up over 70% and keeps it there for 3 days.

Now, to tell if your humidity is always too low, you have to look at chick size. When hatch is over, check out the unsuccessful eggs, and see how big the air pocket it. If its very large, too little humidity. Narrow, like a crescent moon, too much humidity. I use a didgital indoor/outdoor temperature humity gauge from wal-mart. Works awesome. I simply compared its temperature to my most trusted thermometer to be sure that part was accurate. IT was, and on all 3 it's been great.

 

[chickeegirl]

Thanks Marty...I'm trying to be hopeful, but the more I read, the more it's slipping away. My friend raises chickens and gave us her old styrofoam incubator that is not in great shape (they had to replace the glass pieces on top, etc). I didn't get a whole lot of instructions, hence my first batch all dying b/c I put them in the turners pointy side up.

I'm feeling pretty defeated at this point. This was supposed to be a fun way for my elementary school kids to learn about chickens and the life cycle. They both keep checking on our two little ones every 10 minutes and they are sure that they'll be fine...

But now, as I'm reading, I'm thinking that this big red blob on one chick's belly is a problem, but I don't know what to do. My friend isn't home and I'm at a loss. I'm so sad to think that I could be somehow helping this little one to survive, but I don't know what's going on. He's in there chirping away and moves around when we talk to him.

Here's the best pic I could get:


See the reddish blob on the right? It looks like it's got yellow at the base of it.

Any idea what this is or what I can to help the chick if I need to?


Here's the 2nd chick after I peeling a bit of shell and wet the membrane. He's alive and moving his beak. Not doing much else though. Not sure if I should help him at some point? I wish I knew what I was doing. I've researched a ton, but nothing still is going right for us.

Re: humidity. I think you are correct Marty. I added a sponge and a bowl of water this morning (day 21), but perhaps it was too late? All I was told was to fill all 3 bins on the bottom of the styrofoam on Day 18 and that I'd be fine. Guess not...

 

[chickeegirl]

Oops...here's the other chick:
<img src=http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t202/6siojos2/DSCN4040_zps319dc362.jpg>

 

[Cynthia12]

Thanks Marty...I'm trying to be hopeful, but the more I read, the more it's slipping away. My friend raises chickens and gave us her old styrofoam incubator that is not in great shape (they had to replace the glass pieces on top, etc). I didn't get a whole lot of instructions, hence my first batch all dying b/c I put them in the turners pointy side up.

I'm feeling pretty defeated at this point. This was supposed to be a fun way for my elementary school kids to learn about chickens and the life cycle. They both keep checking on our two little ones every 10 minutes and they are sure that they'll be fine...

But now, as I'm reading, I'm thinking that this big red blob on one chick's belly is a problem, but I don't know what to do. My friend isn't home and I'm at a loss. I'm so sad to think that I could be somehow helping this little one to survive, but I don't know what's going on. He's in there chirping away and moves around when we talk to him.

Here's the best pic I could get:


See the reddish blob on the right? It looks like it's got yellow at the base of it.

Any idea what this is or what I can to help the chick if I need to?


Here's the 2nd chick after I peeling a bit of shell and wet the membrane. He's alive and moving his beak. Not doing much else though. Not sure if I should help him at some point? I wish I knew what I was doing. I've researched a ton, but nothing still is going right for us.

Re: humidity. I think you are correct Marty. I added a sponge and a bowl of water this morning (day 21), but perhaps it was too late? All I was told was to fill all 3 bins on the bottom of the styrofoam on Day 18 and that I'd be fine. Guess not...

This baby should do fine. Just needs to wake up. Didn't read all of the posts..looks like it was assisted? The yolk is pretty much absorbed. Now, just wait for it to wake up on it's own. It will be able to get out of that pretty easily.

 

[Cynthia12]

Oops...here's the other chick:
<img src=http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t202/6siojos2/DSCN4040_zps319dc362.jpg>

This chick probably needs to "hang" as I call it, meaning, just sit in the shell for a while. Probably needs to absorb the yolk. Can take a while. Chip the egg shell away every couple of hrs. as long as you don't draw too much blood.

 

[chickeegirl]

Marty-
Thank you! I ended up helping it out of its shell a few minutes ago. It was completely stuck to it. Now there is just part of it attached by yellow gunk to the red bump on his belly. He's back to resting, chirping pretty regularly and moves his legs around. My hope is renewed again! My 8 year old daughter has been singing and talking to it all evening.

 

[chickeegirl]

Cynthia-
Thank you! So after I helped the other one out of its remaining shell, I washed up and helped this 2nd one a bit too. I was able to get a fair amount of shell off without hitting any blood. One little leg is trying to pop out now. No chirping, but its mouth is busy opening and closing. Thank you. I will check on him in a few hours and see what he is doing.

Praying that these two make it. My two kids would be thrilled (as would I!).

Will update in a bit. Thanks again! This site has been super helpful!

 

[mattsinger]

sounds like you are making progress.....Good Luck!

 

[Marty1876]

The other one on its way, is it chirping? IT does have its beak clear, right?

The most important thing on an assisted hatch it
1. beaks need air
2. Don't help beyond an airhole if there is still blood in the vessels, and never let a chick with yellow yolkd outside the skin complete its hatch, wrap with gauze and tape in
leaving only an airhole if needed
3. Only help when absolutely needed
4. q-tips dipped in water are best for remoisturinzing dry membranes, but I also like spray bottles on extra fine mist