Guinea just hatched with this on behind...another w/ translucent skin?

[Wynette]

I agree with jvls, and I have a rule to never help. It's very sad at times...I've had some pip & then die. However, I know in the end, that by not helping, I am not producing unthrifty chicks that will possibly add to a "poor hatching" gene pool.

It's a very controversial subject, and if you're interested, do some searching about it on here and you'll find lots of opinions. I'm sure you did what you thought was the right thing at the time, and everyone has their comfort level. I don't condone helping, but I do understand folks ARE just trying to give the chicks what they think is the very best chance.

Hope your little one makes it okay!

 

[Wynette]

Your humidity must have been a bit off...but if he's out and trying to walk, he'll be okay. You can sort of rub the down between your fingers and it'll come off. But do make sure he's had enough time in the bator to dry off as much as possible. Congrats!

 

[Wynette]

Your humidity must have been a bit off...but if he's out and trying to walk, he'll be okay. You can sort of rub the down between your fingers and it'll come off. But do make sure he's had enough time in the bator to dry off as much as possible. Congrats!

 

[riqui1]

See, I have read "all of" the posts and I knew that there were differing opinions on the idea of helping, but I was told (with the others) that if I didn't help, that they probably wouldn't have made it. I try to keep in mind that, while they may have died after I had helped, they weren't going to live if I hadn't (at least, that is my opinion). Even if I didn't help them live, they got to stretch once. As for this one, I was under the same assumption. I didn't want to see a chick die for no reason. Maybe it wouldn't have and maybe it will now...I will never know the answer to that.

He is slowly kicking that shell off, but I think that it will be a bit before he is out of the bator and in with the others. There are a few fiesty ones in there and he isn't up for that just yet. Not only will he be dry before he goes to the brooder, he will be upright and moving well!! lol

I am seriously considering the idea of this being the last hatch I do in an incubator for a while. I don't know how people deal with this! It is too stressful for me!!

I will let you all know how he does as soon as he does...

Thank you all for your help!!

 

[jprinc44]

give him time, and he'll be o.k. in the 'bator for a full day or more- just think if you ordered them in the mail-it's a day or two before you get them! The reason he still looks wet is he still has yolk on his feathers- but be patient- he'll get it off sooner or later!

 

[Wynette]

Yes, it certainly is stressful! You really (of course) do need to make the decision on helping that works best for you. Just because I'm a firm believe in not helping doens't mean YOU have to be! I sell hatching eggs...thus, I do not want to promote bad hatchability for my customers. Also, I believe if they cannot hatch on their own, there is a reason. But again, that's just me.

Please don't get too discouraged on hatching, though! It's a wonderful experience, and if you're like me, you'll learn something each and every time you hatch!

[ETA: he's not wet looking from yolk; that will have been absorbed by now, so please don't worry about that. Your humidity was a bit off; it's very common.]

 

[jvls1942]

If you helped, that wet look is most certainly egg.

.. yolk is only fully absorbed if the chick hatches naturally..

I do help once in awhile.. but only after I am quite cetain that enough time has passed and the yolk should be absorbed.. but I still only help a little bit.. never remove the chick from the shell..

after many years of this I have developed a wet birth that I do.

I will not go into it on this site as it is quite dangerous, but effective..

 

[Wynette]

jvls, if the OP would like "wet birth" instructions, they can PM you.

The wetness is certainly "egg" but it would be albumen, NOT yolk. The yolk, by day 20 (for chickens), would be in a VERY small sac and shriveled up or completely absorbed. Unless you helped one to hatch days before it was due, and hatched it from the wrong end, it would not be yolk.

 

[riqui1]

There wasn't any indication of yolk left in any of the three that I helped out - not even the two that didn't make it. I, most definitely, would have stopped touching them at the first sign that they yolk hadn't been fully absorbed yet. There was nothing off about that at all. The two that didn't make it were much wetter than the others when they hatched. They were also much smaller. And they had done more than pip. It was as if they had gotten into it and then just couldn't go anymore.

The same thing happened with this little one. There was, again, nothing yellow colored in the egg at all. Although I do recall seeing a small amount of something that looked like it had pooped in there. I don't know if that is possible or not, but I do know that human babies do it...and it wasn't attached to anything in the egg or on him...

The part of the shell that he had to kick off had no indication of their being any yolk either. It was exactly the same looking as one of my silkie chicks that did hatch naturally. It is just thin strings that look like the umbilical cord isn't ready to let go. That chick finally dropped it and is just fine now, a month later.

Anyhow, here is what he looks like now that he has kicked the shell off and is moving around better. He is really mouthy and kicking around good, but I would like to wait a bit longer before I put him in with the others. His feathers remind me of a person that you see that has put too much styling product on their hair while it is still wet...if that makes sense.

PLEASE NOTE - the stuff that you see under him is NOT yellow and it is NOT yolk. It is the stuff that was coming off of and out of the other chick's protrusion, as it began "leaking" before I got him out. I just want to make that clear before it gets brought up.

 

[riqui1]

Actually, his feathers are starting to look better even...