First Time Egg Candler Scared!

[coleson12]

He got through about 1/2 a centimeter of membrane, should I pell more of it back next time?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

He got through about 1/2 a centimeter of membrane, should I pell more of it back next time?

If he's making progress on his own, let him continue. If not then repeat the steps you've already done.

 

[coleson12]

repeated steps and hit some blood so I stopped, will see what happens

 

[WVduckchick]

Getting close to my bed time... What's the latest Cole?

 

[coleson12]

Getting close to my bed time... What's the latest Cole?

Well, i am still doing assisted hatching. Does anyone know what to do with the super dried out membrane that is soo stuck its almost impossible to get off?

 

[BYC910]

Is that chick out yet or is it still in the shell

 

[coleson12]

Is that chick out yet or is it still in the shell

still in shell

 

[WalnutHill]

Just keep dampening it gently in hopes it will soften and release. What's it stuck to? Have the blood vessels receded yet?

 

[coleson12]

Just keep dampening it gently in hopes it will soften and release. What's it stuck to? Have the blood vessels receded yet?

How do you check to see if they receded? It is stuck to chick

 

[WalnutHill]

If the inner membrane is relatively clear, no blood vessels showing, then they are receding or have receded.

There are two kinds of sticky, where the amniotic fluid turns quite brownish and is like mucilage, and normal sticky where it is just like egg white and comes off pretty easily with warm water and time.

If the super sticky, it's a mess. Normally the chick is stuck and can't get out. You may have to do a full blown assisted hatch, Amy is a great tutor but the Assisted Hatching article in the Learning Center is great too. I've had pretty good success with the nasty stickies with the aid of a sink full of warm water, 97-98 degrees, once I can be certain where the head is and have ensured that all the blood vessels have receded and am confident that the chick is trying hard to get out on its own. Warning: if it hasn't absorbed all the yolk, which you can't see until you start, then the chick's chances go down dramatically as it leaves its formerly sterile environment.

I have opened the entire air cell with blunt tipped tweezers so that I can fully see the inner membrane. If it's pulled down tight against the chick, you will have to help. Moisten that membrane like you've been doing, cotton balls are better as they are bigger. Work over that sink full of warm water to help keep from chilling the chick, but don't get it wet quite yet. If there are no red or brown blood vessels showing in the membrane, gently pull it back away from the chick's face and if you can, wrap it over the side of the egg shell. If it starts bleeding, use a bit of paper towel and apply pressure for a few moments to stop it. If no bleeding, just keep chipping away shell and pulling the membrane down until you reach the chick's armpits. At this point you should be able to see if there is a yolk sac (yellow with blood vessels) still hanging between/below the thighs. If so, you have to wait, prop the chick in a cup with a moist paper towel over the top and back in the incubator. You can gently wipe as much sticky goo as you can off the chick's head and upper body with a warm, wet cotton ball. If it's the nasty goo, it will not all come off, but do what you can do quickly.

Once the yolk is fully absorbed, you can continue the assist until the chick is out. Check the navel to be sure it is closed. If not, again wait, but wipe the goo off. With a fresh sink full of warm water, you can cradle the chick with it and dunk it up to its neck in the warm water, gently massaging the goo off the down. Gently wipe dry with a microfiber cloth and/or blow dryer in a low gentle setting, and pop it in the incubator or brooder.

As long as its face is clean, and the chick stays warm and dry, the sticky down becomes more of a cosmetic issue and the chick will clean much of it through regular grooming.