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

[MagikalMisfitsMomma]

Well, I went back and she's out. She had some shell and membrane stuck to her back so I moistened it with a warm wet cloth and gently removed it. I did notice something concerning though. There was a little bit of blood under belly, and while she had absorbed her yolk sac, it almost looks like the hole hasn't closed all the way or properly. I cleaned the area with some VERY diluted vectrine, and the bleeding stopped, but she's got this weird little mass there... She seems to be strong enough, moving along the incubator and figuring her feet out with stops to rest. But now I'm worried I helped to soon, even though her membrane was starting to harden... not gonna lie, this sucks and is kind of discouraging. I feel like I hurt more than helped her...

 

[Chicalina]

sounds like a little hernia. Nothing you did caused that.

 

[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...

 

[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...

 

[Kellyjenny]

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...

I'm so sorry.

 

[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.

 

[MagikalMisfitsMomma]

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.

Thank you! That means a lot. I'm totally a guilt carrier, so I would've let this weigh on me, and gone over the would've:could've:should've for weeks! These little babies remind me why I'm not gonna throw in the towel though! They've been the best medicine today!

 

[K0k0shka]

Thank you! That means a lot. I'm totally a guilt carrier, so I would've let this weigh on me, and gone over the would've:could've:should've for weeks! These little babies remind me why I'm not gonna throw in the towel though! They've been the best medicine today!

They are adorable! Enjoy!

 

[TOR]

I am sorry for the loss.