First time hatching...chicks pipping at narrow end

[Cleangreen2016]

Hello new friends. So I am totally new to this whole hatching thing. My mother in law is an experienced hatcher, so I relied on the information she gave me to get started. She forgot to mention that the eggs should be incubated blunt end up.....so we did quite a few "upside down" and now we have 2 chicks pipped on the narrow end of the egg on day 20 of incubation. The first one pipped sometime between 9 and 11 this morning (mountain time) and the 2nd one pipped about 2 hours ago (its now 6:15 our time). The first chick has the tip of its beak out of the pip and is very vocal. I have yet to notice the 2nd one chirping, but we can see its beak moving through the opening, so I thinknits doing ok, too.

From everything I have read on this site, I dont want to intervene until the odds are good that the chick has absorbed the yolk sac and the membranes are less likely to bleed. My assumption is that I can/should wait at least 24 hours and see what they do on their own. I know that often enough it can be even longer than that, but since they are pipping the wrong end should I intervene sooner, later, or should 24 hours be ok as long as they are still moving and breathing and making noise? Thoughts and suggestestions are appreciated.

 

[sylviethecochin]

I'll admit. I've very seldom been able to resist handling hatching eggs, even if it is just to hold them until they hatch in my hands, so this advice should come across as a little hypocritical:

Unless they stop moving for an extended period of time, wait the full twenty-four hours. Most upside-down chicks hatch just fine on their own, especially if they've already pipped through the outer shell.

Good luck on your hatch!

EDT: Incidentally, you have read the two "guides to assisted hatching", right? If not, I'll link them. They contain good stuff to know.

And welcome to BYC.

 

[Cleangreen2016]

Yes, I have read a couple threads on interventions, and assume those are the ones you are refferring to...but links are always helpful in case they are different threads.

 

[Cleangreen2016]

The first one hatched! Only 18-20 hours later. Few. That gives me high hopes for the others that have pipped at the narrow end.

 

[aart]

As long as you can see the beaks so you know they can breathe they usually make it out ok.
Here's the best assist article:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

 

[Cleangreen2016]

So the 2nd chick to pip didn't progress beyond that for over 30 hours. It was alert and peeping, and I could see it moving its beak in the egg. I figured if it hadn't progressed at this point, it probably wouldn't, so I decided to assist in hatching. I unzipped the shell for it, put bacitracin on the membrane and left it for the night, hoping I at least gave it a chance. Low and behold, I wake up at 3:30 am and it is out of its shell. It seems weak, though, not as much energy or exuberance as its siblings had, and is having trouble getting all the way up on its legs. They don't look splayed, but it just seems to be having trouble pushing up. I see several posts on here about giving chicks sugar water or gatorade (I don't have anything more than that) to help with a boost after a difficult hatch. How do I go about getting it to take it? put it in a little dish and dip the beak in?

 

[aart]

How do I go about getting it to take it? put it in a little dish and dip the beak in?

Give it some time, might take a couple-few more hours to get it's feet under it.
Let it rest.
I wouldn't mess with it until it is fully dry.

You can try a beak dip.
Or soak a qtip in the liquid and hold it against the side of beak.
Liquid will seep into mouth and bird should swallow it.
Stroking under the beak and front of neck might help stimulate it to swallow.
Be careful tho, can still aspirate using this method.

 

[Cleangreen2016]

Give it some time, might take a couple-few more hours to get it's feet under it.
Let it rest.
I wouldn't mess with it until it is fully dry.

You can try a beak dip.
Or soak a qtip in the liquid and hold it against the side of beak.
Liquid will seep into mouth and bird should swallow it.
Stroking under the beak and front of neck might help stimulate it to swallow.
Be careful tho, can still aspirate using this method.

Thank you! I think you are right for now to just let it rest.