Emergency! I Repeat Emergency!

[silkiechick05]

My chicks were due to hatch on wednesday, but some didn't. I went to throw the eggs away tonight and one was still alive, scratching and peeping. Should I help?

 

[the4heathernsmom]

I would in the air cell end first!!! Slowly and carefully you might could save some.

 

[Akane]

If you don't it's probably as good as dead by this point. Especially if you've unplugged the bator. Always wait at least 24 and preferably 48hours after the last chick has finished hatching before ending incubation. Then I usually hold each egg to my ear, tap it, and wait to hear if it peeps. If it does I put it back and if it doesn't I poke a hole in the end with the air sac to double check before throwing it away. I know on more than one occasion people have thrown eggs away and ended up with a peeping trash can.

 

[WriterofWords]

Candle all that didn't hatch and check for movement in the air cell. Spray them lightly to keep them moist and from shrink wrapping further too.

 

[missred871]

I agree with everyone else. Definately gonna need to help. I would make a small hole in the air cell keep some moist paper towels handy and some cuticle scissors and tweezers just in case. I would not do a lot at first unless the chick is drying out. wet qtips help keep the membrane moist as well.

 

[silkiechick05]

I am afraid to intervene just yet because when my mom opened the air sac on the other egg (on Thursday) which was due to hatch last Wed (or so we thought), it was underdeveloped as evident by the large blood vessels in the membrane so may be this egg needed extra time to develop since I had trouble with my incubator temp/ humidity?
The chick is peeping and moving vigorously but has not broken through into the airsac.
How can one tell if the egg yolk and vessels have absorbed before intervening?

 

[missred871]

It is not easy to tell anything. I had to make a rescue mission on one of my bantys last week. I will add a pic you can see after I got half the shell off. There is a winging it method to it because each chick will need its own level of assistance, mine was weak and couldnt get out on its own because it was saran wrapped by the inner membrane. I had to slowly peel away the outer membrane and shell and dampen the inner membrane stretching it away from the chick without breaking any of the vessels. I got one of them accidently but it did not injure the chick, shes my little baby now. I suggest you get a good light source, damp towel, tweezer, cuticle scissors help but arent usually necessary, cup of warm water and qtips to help if your membrane starts to dry out and some damp paper towels. As far as whether or not it has absorbed the yolk, mine had not fully absorbed the blood or yolk but was in fact going to DIE if not helped. I wrapped (loosely) it in an old CLEAN damp burp rag and wrapped that again loosely in a heating pad on LOW after 45 min to an hour and a half the chick had absorbed everything and detached from the shell. so patience is key and a steady hand really helps too.

 

[lemurchaser]

Quote:
If you can hear it peeping its broken into the airsac. They have to have be breathing air to make a sound, just like a baby can't cry while its still in the uterus.

I would make a small hole in the top, so that it's breathing air, and then see what the membrane looks like. If it isn't developed enough, then you should just leave it in.

 

[silkiechick05]

I opened him up this morning because he wasn't moving or peeping like he was last night. He is still alive, but barely. There are still some huge blood vessels. Unfortunately, a few got ripped in the rescue mission. I know this chick won't make it. I don't understand why he wasn't developed though, temp was at 99.5 the whole time.

 

[FenDruadin]

That is weird. Is there any chance your thermometer isn't showing the correct temp? That is fairly common.

I'm sorry about the chick, but don't give up on him yet. They can sometimes lose alarming amounts of blood and still be fine. I had to help one out of the shell from this last hatch, and he bled a little because those vessels were still full of blood, but he was fine. Just take it slow and easy and keep setting him back in the bator to recover after each bit. Good luck!