Hands on hatching and help

[jenniferlamar70]

Hey guy's earlier I noticed one of my Ameracaunas had pipped. I don't know when. It's super tiny. Not suprised that no progress has been made. I have noticed that the membrane is turning tan. Should I be worried about this? I haven't heard it chirp yet either...

So this morning there was a little bit more cracked. Not much. Still don't hear chirping and the membrane is starting to look brown? Can it still get through this way? How will I know if I need to do something? I would like it to be a last resort because another one pipped last night. I don't want to open the lid and dry that one out. We are on day 22. Thanks.

 

[WVduckchick]

Im pretty sure that some work out fine. From what I've heard the reason they say hands off is some people move in to help to early making things harder for the chicks to hatch. I'm pretty sure it's all very time sensitive. You don't want to be to early or late. I think this will only get better with experience. also this forum helps so much.

X2! I think it all comes down to timing!

So this morning there was a little bit more cracked. Not much. Still don't hear chirping and the membrane is starting to look brown? Can it still get through this way? How will I know if I need to do something? I would like it to be a last resort because another one pipped last night. I don't want to open the lid and dry that one out. We are on day 22. Thanks.

Really hard to guess. Can you get a pic?

 

[jenniferlamar70]

X2! I think it all comes down to timing!
Really hard to guess. Can you get a pic?

I tried but I can't get a clear pic through the glass. My phone is pretty old and doesn't tale the best pics.

 

[jenniferlamar70]

These were the best i can get. It looks like its trying to break more shell but i think its going in thw wrong position. It looks like its moving from the first spot and making a line up to the fat end?

 

[WVduckchick]

These were the best i can get. It looks like its trying to break more shell but i think its going in thw wrong position. It looks like its moving from the first spot and making a line up to the fat end?

How long since the first pip?

Personally, I think it looks fine. I wouldn't touch it yet. But I'm not there, so you have to gage it.

As far as the direction, I've had them do that with no problem, it could just be getting in better position to rotate. But if they start actively zipping in a non-circular pattern, then I've seen those be a problem. Seems like the head wasn't under the wing correctly, so it didn't rotate properly.

 

[Laurel Meadows]

Please answer my question.

I think you posted your question after many of us checked out of here for the evening. It sounds to me like things are moving along fine at this stage. No reason to worry if you didn't see an internal pip yet. I rarely see them at day 18

Ugh so I helped hatch 3 of 4 birds at my hatch a week or so ago.

1 golden died Monday and 1 has a crippled foot. Not sure bout 3rd yet. Have not looked super close.

Is this why people who are hands of choose tone hands off? Or do some helps work out fine?

I ask because we want to breed these chicks not have for pets.

Thanks and good morning.

Good morning, Sorry your chick didn't make it.
With the chick with the toe issue Its hard to say for sure if it's genetic or related to incubation. Many times, toes that curl to the sides can be corrected with band aids if done in the first day or so. Is your chick walking and getting around ok?

I think people who are hands-off believe that helping a chick who isn't able to hatch on its own perpetuates "weak" birds. Also, some folks have helped and had to endure culling an assisted chick who had fatal problems, or had some assists die and just don't want to go through that again.

I understand both of those reasons but I still choose to assist.
It's very possible to assist birds who have no health issues!

I have 5 very nice and healthy young chickens in my flock who were assists. Mine were malpositioned or stuck- this doesn't qualify as "weak" to me and doesn't created bad genes in my flock. I know that because after I had all those malpos, I test hatched multiple sets of my eggs in different incubators. I also hatched them under broody hens, so that I knew my chickens produced consistently healthy babies without issues before I offered them to the public. That may not be practical for everyone, but I thought it was best to be sure

 

[jenniferlamar70]

How long since the first pip? 

Personally, I think it looks fine.  I wouldn't touch it yet.  But I'm not there, so you have to gage it. 

As far as the direction, I've had them do that with no problem, it could just be getting in better position to rotate. But if they start actively zipping in a non-circular pattern, then I've seen those be a problem.  Seems like the head wasn't under the wing correctly, so it didn't rotate properly.   

So I'm not sure exactly when it pipped because the initial was so tiny but I noticed it yesterday right after the last chick hatched. Around 3pm I think. With my other hatch none of them zipped this way. They all went to the side. If it's malpositioned and I wait the full 24 hours can it live that long that way?

 

[jenniferlamar70]

Geez I'm going to have a freaking heart attack over here.. I keep trying to read things that are reassuring that leaving it alone will be ok if it's not positioned right. Ugh just don't Google ,sigh. Now I'm more worried then ever.. I have 4 eggs, 2 have pipped. One is healthy and chirping. The other is scary quiet...

 

[WVduckchick]

So I'm not sure exactly when it pipped because the initial was so tiny but I noticed it yesterday right after the last chick hatched. Around 3pm I think. With my other hatch none of them zipped this way. They all went to the side. If it's malpositioned and I wait the full 24 hours can it live that long that way?

Geez I'm going to have a freaking heart attack over here..

I keep trying to read things that are reassuring that leaving it alone will be ok if it's not positioned right. Ugh just don't Google ,sigh. Now I'm more worried then ever..

I have 4 eggs, 2 have pipped. One is healthy and chirping. The other is scary quiet...

Its hard to give a definitive answer. The pips look properly placed to me, so I would still wait a bit longer, but some others would go in. Its a judgment call, and you really have to be the judge! I hope someone will come along and say you should assist, but personally I can't say that yet.

For an example though, I found this pic of one that broke a huge hole, she was all over the place for the longest time, just smacking the same general area, over and over. But she finally got around and zipped perfectly. So it "can" be ok.



Here's one that zipped crooked, skipped spots, and died before getting out.

 

[jenniferlamar70]

Its hard to give a definitive answer. The pips look properly placed to me, so I would still wait a bit longer, but some others would go in. Its a judgment call, and you really have to be the judge! I hope someone will come along and say you should assist, but personally I can't say that yet. For an example though, I found this pic of one that broke a huge hole, she was all over the place for the longest time, just smacking the same general area, over and over. But she finally got around and zipped perfectly. So it "can" be ok. Here's one that zipped crooked, skipped spots, and died before getting out.

I know you can say for sure but in these situations how long before they die? This one is definitely zipping towards the fat end. After watching the others do it right yesterday I for sure it's trying to zip. Is it possible for it to change positions it's self and start zipping properly or get out by zipping this way?