Hands on hatching and help

[Pat 7110]

Newbie here. I'm really enjoying this thread! Mine just started hatching today. One out and lots piped!! 21st day tomorrow. As I try to go to sleep I hear the chick peeping away. And the crickets I have for a gecko are chiming in. Lol

 

[walkswithdog]

Hi all. Just wanted to drop in and read along for a bit. I can offer today another reason to help out. And options for what can be done to save a chick in this situation. After final candling,I had marked the one that would hatch first. This was a staggered hatch, so each was individually marked for progress. Sure enough, He pipped first, but then nothing. Two other chips pipped and hatched, still nothing. Hmm. So I pulled him out and zipped the shell, not the white liner, until I found the spot where his beak was and had opened the inner layers but not the shell. Hmm again. He should be stronger, not weaker. And there was some odd wetness to the area. I put him up to warm rest and breathe but again,no progress. Finally I fished him out to fully intervene and discovered the trouble. The little idiot has kicked through and torn his unabsorbed egg sacrifice. Doing himself great harm and making him too sticky and weak to hatch. I've seen it three times before so I grabbed some string, my little surgical scissors and hot water and gauze and peeled him from the sticky mass of she'll and good, cut the cord and instead of a loop of sstring,I saw that the wound was mostly closed so I applied a small patch of tegaderm, a breathable bandage, to the area, to prevent more fluid loss. Worked like a charm. He's drying in my hand in a heating pad so I can rub him dry and stimulate him some instead of him being air dried and trampled in the incubator where others continue to hatch, and add humidity he doesn't need right now. He's becoming more active so he may survive his near death attempt at hatching. Nature really isn't perfect, and unassisted he would have died in shell,from a mistake. So yes, I think intelligent intervention has its place. Pardon the grammar and run ons but I'm doing this one handed.

 

[walkswithdog]

Omg. Please try to see through the auto-correct "help".

 

[newchickmama91]

Hi all. Just wanted to drop in and read along for a bit. I can offer today another reason to help out. And options for what can be done to save a chick in this situation. After final candling,I had marked the one that would hatch first. This was a staggered hatch, so each was individually marked for progress. Sure enough, He pipped first, but then nothing. Two other chips pipped and hatched, still nothing. Hmm. So I pulled him out and zipped the shell, not the white liner, until I found the spot where his beak was and had opened the inner layers but not the shell. Hmm again. He should be stronger, not weaker. And there was some odd wetness to the area. I put him up to warm rest and breathe but again,no progress. Finally I fished him out to fully intervene and discovered the trouble. The little idiot has kicked through and torn his unabsorbed egg sacrifice. Doing himself great harm and making him too sticky and weak to hatch. I've seen it three times before so I grabbed some string, my little surgical scissors and hot water and gauze and peeled him from the sticky mass of she'll and good, cut the cord and instead of a loop of sstring,I saw that the wound was mostly closed so I applied a small patch of tegaderm, a breathable bandage, to the area, to prevent more fluid loss. Worked like a charm. He's drying in my hand in a heating pad so I can rub him dry and stimulate him some instead of him being air dried and trampled in the incubator where others continue to hatch, and add humidity he doesn't need right now. He's becoming more active so he may survive his near death attempt at hatching. Nature really isn't perfect, and unassisted he would have died in shell,from a mistake. So yes, I think intelligent intervention has its place. Pardon the grammar and run ons but I'm doing this one handed.

Brilliant well done to you!

 

[walkswithdog]

Considering that he is the only chick I incubated from that hen, I would prefer he make it. Hydrating him slowly with a syringe and water with molasses, while he hangs out in a homemade sleeping bag, so I can mess with him without panic and heat loss. He'said begun to peck at the bag as if it were a shell, so he is getting stronger.

 

[newchickmama91]

Considering that he is the only chick I incubated from that hen, I would prefer he make it. Hydrating him slowly with a syringe and water with molasses, while he hangs out in a homemade sleeping bag, so I can mess with him without panic and heat loss. He'said begun to peck at the bag as if it were a shell, so he is getting stronger.

Have you tried sugar water? My quail chick lost some blood so it was really weak I gave it a few drops every hour and now it's running around with the others.

 

[walkswithdog]

Molasses does provide the same carb bump that sugar water does but also provides some vitamins and minerals that are useful in recovering an animal. I've done rescue/rehab of many species over the last 30 years and found that a mild molasses mix works more swiftly. I get a much stronger bounce and less crash from the molasses and water mix. If you don't have molasses, sugar water is better than plain water to give energy to a weak chick.

 

[newchickmama91]

Molasses does provide the same carb bump that sugar water does but also provides some vitamins and minerals that are useful in recovering an animal. I've done rescue/rehab of many species over the last 30 years and found that a mild molasses mix works more swiftly. I get a much stronger bounce and less crash from the molasses and water mix. If you don't have molasses, sugar water is better than plain water to give energy to a weak chick.

Sounds like your doing a great job

hope your chick gets stronger

 

[walkswithdog]

When I pull out his sleeping bag now he lifts his head and goes for the syringe himself. I think he'll make it if it doesn't infect.

 

[casportpony]

Did you all know that "molasses products" are the second ingredient in Nutri-Drench?