first chicken hatch.....very anxious

[FowlMood37]

Hi everyone. So glad to b here. I have an incubator FULL of Rhode Island Red and Golden Comet eggs. I had 9 hatch between yesterday afternoon and today. They started pipping on thursday afternoon. I never candled them to see if they were fertile....just figured they would hatch or not. Well, I have lost one this afternoon. Pipped externally, was breathing great, checked when i got home, and it had died. Now, i have another egg that pipped, but part of the shell broke off, about the size of a nickel, and there is an ever so tiny slit in the membrane. I am keeping it moist, it continues to peep and move. It's been like that for about 10-12 hours. I do not have a way to measure humidity, as i couldn't find a hygrometer. Should i keep doing what I'm doing and leave it? Membrane isn't dried out at all. After this last chick I'm so nervous. I have incubated turkey eggs before, had 100% hatch and survival rate, so i jist kind of followed what i did there, but i didn't have this problem. Please, some advice. Thank you all so much!!

 

[red horse ranch]

Hi everyone. So glad to b here. I have an incubator FULL of Rhode Island Red and Golden Comet eggs. I had 9 hatch between yesterday afternoon and today. They started pipping on thursday afternoon. I never candled them to see if they were fertile....just figured they would hatch or not. Well, I have lost one this afternoon. Pipped externally, was breathing great, checked when i got home, and it had died. Now, i have another egg that pipped, but part of the shell broke off, about the size of a nickel, and there is an ever so tiny slit in the membrane. I am keeping it moist, it continues to peep and move. It's been like that for about 10-12 hours. I do not have a way to measure humidity, as i couldn't find a hygrometer. Should i keep doing what I'm doing and leave it? Membrane isn't dried out at all. After this last chick I'm so nervous. I have incubated turkey eggs before, had 100% hatch and survival rate, so i jist kind of followed what i did there, but i didn't have this problem. Please, some advice. Thank you all so much!!

It's not uncommon for some of them to die while hatching. It's hard work and very stressful for them. And it's stressful for us too. If the chick does not hatch on it's own after being pipped for 24 hours it may be stuck to the shell. But it takes 18 to 24 hours for the yolk to be absorbed and for the blood vessels to dry. If you help too soon the chick will likely die. There is a link on this site that describes the process in detail.

I put a small wet sponge in my incubator and keep it moist during the hatch. Try not to open the lid any more than you have too. Hygrometers can be ordered thru Amazon and most are not expensive. But it takes the guesswork out of it.

Most of all.............

 

[FowlMood37]

Also, i have been reading thru everything in here for DAYS. There's just so much conflicting info out there. I want to intervene, but i don't want to hurt my baby. I have a borrowed Sears Roebuck bator, temp steady at 99.5, manual turning. I will post a pic of the egg in question in a few minutes....

 

[FowlMood37]

Thanks red horse. I keep a moist cloth in there now, and had a small medicine cup up until the last day or two. Increased humidity once they pipped.

 

[FowlMood37]

 

[red horse ranch]

Just keep watch on it. When you are sure it is past the 24 hours then you may want to try to help it. But go VERY slowly and stop at the first sign of fresh blood. Some of them do take more than 24 hours. You may find it has already hatched when you look in tomorrow morning!

Believe me, I KNOW how nerve wracking this is!

 

[FowlMood37]

I hope it hatches tonite. I am so worried about it drying out, or at the other end, drowning. I raise other farm animals for obvious reasons....but i luv my rhodies, and all babies r just special. It's so frustrating and heart breaking when they come so far and die at the finish line...

 

[FowlMood37]

So heres a question....if u need to assist the chick, how do u keep it warm enough? If ur supposed to go slow, it seems like it could take a long time. Maybe its in here and i just missed it.....

 

[FowlMood37]

Ok, still hear the heartbeat on my missing shell...very strong. Can see it too thru the membrane. Still seems a little bloody thru the membrane though.... I'm not sure exactly what time it pipped...sometime this morning. So worried....

 

[FowlMood37]

Update....heard single VERY loud peep and went to check. It has broken a lttle more of it's shell...about the same size as the open spot....can still see the heartbeat. Occasionally pushes on the broken shell....nervous wreck.....cant remember anything I've been reading!! Aaarrrggh. This is like waiting for ur child to b born. I do remember reading that if a chick is peeping it means it's in trouble.....