EMERGENCY!!!! Half hatched chick with PICS!

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

Yes I have had this happen before. Get the humidity as high as you can. Make sure the fan is off, if you have a forced air incubator. Wrap it in a damp paper towel. When you see that the veins have dried out and it hasn't hatched yet and it's still breathing. Remove only the part of the shell that will free his head. Then put it back in the bator and hope that it can kick the rest of the shell off. This can take up to 8-10 hrs. depending on how long it takes the veins to dry out.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

Once my quail's blood vessles were dried up, I had to peel them out of the inner membrane. Make sure to keep that moist. Sometimes, i have heard that when chicks are born later, just like human babies, they keep growing right up to the end and may be so big they can't move enough to zip, or kick their way out. Hope he makes it.

 

[jutinus]

Update:So far so good, I added more water and changed his moist paper towel. He is is still peeping, but he is resting. I am trying not to disturb him to much. I heard that playing hen sounds may help too... I will play a you tube video for him...

 

[nurse_turtle]

He's not shrink-wrapped. If you do need to help remove that inner membrane, use a q-tip dipped in warm water and kind of push it back instead of tearing or cutting it. I think he's gonna be just fine. I wouldn't be surprised if he's out by morning.

 

[jutinus]

Will he eventually get weak from trying to get out? He has been making a couple of very half hearted attempts at hatching. It is hard to tell if the blood vessels are drying or not....Will it be easy to see? The others I have helped in the past had almost none.....meanwhile the other 17chicks are sharing a brooder with two three week old Silkies!! the Silkies are being very friendly and tolerable of the new additions! Nurse-turtle I will use the qtip for sure! Thanks!

 

[nurse_turtle]

The vessels in your picture look nice and full. When they are dried up, they will appear more thread-like. The chick will tire from an extended hatch effort. I personally would assist after those vessels dry up more.

 

[jutinus]

nurse_turtle is this better?They have definitely shrunk...the big huge one is almost gone.

 

[animallover505]

looking better, but not quite.

 

[jutinus]

looking better, but not quite.

Thank you!! He is still peeping away..In fact he seems to have a second wind, I am hoping he will do it on his own!

Update at 120 AM: I helped him a little more as all the vessels were gone. Using a moist qtip I gently pushed away the sac and I just helped get his head out. He is absolutely exhausted which could be from blood loss, the super long hatch or there could be something wrong. He is half in the egg, half out. He is wrapped in a moist paper towel. I am going to catch a few hours of sleep and hope he gains some energy, hatches all the way and recovers. Thank you for all your help. I will let you know how it all turns out, honesty I think it is 50:50 or worse right now....I did give him a sip of water from the q-tip which he seemed to really like? Now that he is all wrapped up I plan to leave him alone until he hatches all the way or not.

Update at 145 AM: He is still unchanged, peeping occasionally but not moving. He looks at me when ever I look in the window.....He is so weak. So silly, but I am praying over the poor little guy!
Update 200 AM: He is starting to peep little more, he will peep a couple times, I play hen sounds and then responds lots. Still not moving though. He might just make it!

 

[jutinus]

He is alive! He was out of his shell by 520 this am. He still has a hard time balancing to an upright position though his legs appear fine!