ER HELP!! Is it time to get her out?!?!

[MagikalMisfitsMomma]

She's currently my my only egger chick, and my only seemingly troubled hatch (out of a hatch of 12/18 if she hatches & survives). The incubator temp is 99% and humidity is 60%. She pipped about 30-31 hours ago, but we're going on 24+ with the zip line and half crack away. The exposed membrane seems to be getting a brownish papery texture, and even her wing(?) seems kind of sticky looking. Her activity level has also drastically dropped (without anymore bursts of kicking or pushing). I have a small cup of water (covered with cheesecloth) to try and maintain a higher humidity. I nervous as heck to step in too soon, because I know the consequences can be fatal to the chick, but something just looks and feels wrong here. Any advice would be SO appreciated! I'm a long time chicken mama, but a first time incubator mama!

 

[MagikalMisfitsMomma]

She passed this morning. I was there for her last few peeps. I told her what a strong little girl she had been... Ok, I know that she didn't even make it to full a day old, and I KNOW that this is the risk of incubation, so I shouldn't get Attached attached until they're out of the "danger zone"... but my heart broke a little when her little body just gave up. I'm not ashamed to say that cried when I put her on her little viking burial pyre...

 

[Pollmadoll]

you could put alittle coconut oil (vegetable) on the membrane to keep it soft. The oil may dry after couple hours.
Not unusual to for chick to take break after pipping and start zipping 24 hours later.
You could take the egg shell off where the zipping has started very slowly and carefully if you feel a need to assist.
The chick may be taking a break or is getting wore out from trying to get out and running out of steam.
Heres articles if you choose to assist.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching.64660/

How is it going? I have assisted a few times . It is always successful and has saved a few lives . It is nerveracking at the time but so worth it

 

[TOR]

you could put alittle coconut oil (vegetable) on the membrane to keep it soft. The oil may dry after couple hours.
Not unusual to for chick to take break after pipping and start zipping 24 hours later.
You could take the egg shell off where the zipping has started very slowly and carefully if you feel a need to assist.
The chick may be taking a break or is getting wore out from trying to get out and running out of steam.
Heres articles if you choose to assist.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching.64660/

 

[MagikalMisfitsMomma]

How is it going? I have assisted a few times . It is always successful and has saved a few lives . It is nerveracking at the time but so worth it

I helped pop open her air pocket side and along her zip line a little, then put her back in her incubator with some damp, warm paper towels to push up the humidity a little. The membrane looks different than my others. I was making sure to keep an eye on it, in case the veins were still too big, or there was any blood. None of that, but the membrane is almost a yellowish color and you can't really see any veins at all. Now I'm totally confused and worried I may have hurt more than helped! but she's still breathing and seems to be responding to my other late bloomers peeps. But I know I'm not going to get any sleep until something happens either way...

 

[Pollmadoll]

Right now I have two guinea keets about to hatch but they are also taking too long and have not pipped.

I helped pop open her air pocket side and along her zip line a little, then put her back in her incubator with some damp, warm paper towels to push up the humidity a little. The membrane looks different than my others. I was making sure to keep an eye on it, in case the veins were still too big, or there was any blood. None of that, but the membrane is almost a yellowish color and you can't really see any veins at all. Now I'm totally confused and worried I may have hurt more than helped! but she's still breathing and seems to be responding to my other late bloomers peeps. But I know I'm not going to get any sleep until something happens either way...

Can you send a photo?

 

[Pollmadoll]

How is it going? I have assisted a few times . It is always successful and has saved a few lives . It is nerveracking at the time but so worth it

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

After they're out of the shell there is no need to up the humidity. The humidity is to soften the shell so they can hatch out. High humidity makes it really hard to breathe. Just something to know for next time.
Sorry for your loss...

 

[MagikalMisfitsMomma]

After they're out of the shell there is no need to up the humidity. The humidity is to soften the shell so they can hatch out. High humidity makes it really hard to breathe. Just something to know for next time.
Sorry for your loss...

Thank you. Everything I was reading said to keep the humidity up because her membrane was drying and sticking to her skin and feathers. I'll keep this in mind if we have these complications in the future.

 

[K0k0shka]

I'm so sorry your chick died! It wasn't your fault though. I would've helped if I were you, too. In fact, I did - I had 3 chicks in this year's hatch that had the same problem - started zipping but couldn't finish, and started drying out. I helped all 3 of them. Once they start zipping, it's safe to help because it means they've absorbed the yolk and the veins have receded, so there's no danger of bleeding out. Helping at that stage is low risk, but can really up their chances of survival, and if you don't intervene, they can die because the membrane eventually dries out completely (even with high humidity in the incubator) and gets glued to them hard, restricting their movement and locking them in the egg. Gently cleaning the shell and membrane off with a warm moist cloth is exactly the way to go, just like you did. Mine were really glued down. All three of them made it out alive. However, two of them had problems and the third is still a runt, 1 month later. One of the problem chicks had severe wry neck and breathing problems and died, and the other had problems with its eyes. It's very likely that the chicks failed to hatch properly because there was something else wrong with them already, and that something is likely the reason why yours died - not something you did (or didn't). Like with my chick - it died because it had underlying problems - the wry neck and breathing problems - not because of the hatching issue. So, if you end up in this situation again, at this particular stage of the hatch, absolutely do help - it could save a life, and if the life is lost anyway, then it won't be your fault, but would've happened anyway. 2 of my 3 assists from this year are still alive and doing very well 1 month later, and even the chick with the eye problem has adapted and is a robust little cockerel right now.