Hatch help please - pic included!

lutz123

Songster
Apr 10, 2011
190
0
132
Loudoun County - Hamilton, VA
This little chick didn't zip before he's trying to squeeze out. His left wing and beak are exposed. Wiggling and peeping. I've been gone for about 4 hours and he had a tiny external pip before I left. Will he still try to zip at this point? If he just stays, what are the signs that he might need some help, and how do I do that? He looks like he's just trying to push his way out of that little hole. The humidity is 65%. No other eggs have pips - 2 have hatched fully. Today is day 21. The hole is roughly the size of a quarter.

Edited to add...Is it still even possible for him to zip with his beak out of the shell? Any movement pushes the beak out further (but it goes back in when it stops). I can't imagine the chick being able to rotate at all. The membrane is brownish...no white. The chick appears wet, but I don't know how long it's been this way.

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Nobody? Sorry to bug - and I hate to bump my own post. I know that it's hard to answer whether to definitely do it or not, but this is my first hatch and the first 2 chicks were fine on their own. I'm just worried that it may be just too big and don't want to make it harder if I'm going to have to intervene. I noticed the pip through the shell, not membrane, this morning at about 6:30. I was gone from 10:30 (same state) until 2:30 (current state). It doesn't seem to be suffering too much yet. It's FBCM sibling zipped much easier.

It wiggles and presses but isn't making any new progress. It's just a bulging wing/beak from that hole.
 
i cant answer your questions but ill bump your post. i have 6 silkie eggs in the bator so i wanna be prepared if i have to do it too lol hope the chick is ok
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Hi,
Im new, just had my first hatch. i read a bunch on here, u could possibly do a search too..
but it seems that prematurely getting out the shell is bad. the remaining placenta stuff/yolk is absorbing and since she can breathe it might be ok.
mine took btw 12 hours to hatch to two days.
maybe give it another few hours or day. it could be worse!
good luck!
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I agree, if that is the progress after 4 hours, that is pretty good a lot of mine took 4-8 hours. The membrane does not look dried out, so I don't think you need to worry just yet.
 
So...the membrane was beginning to dry. Also, his head and wing were in a position that would allow no more movement. I really think he was too big. I pulled the egg out and zipped the outer shell. He pushed and popped the top but when he began to wiggle I noticed the deflated yolk sac was still attached with a skinny brown string so I put him back in the incubator with his rear end in the egg (but the actual chick detached from the egg). He's resting, but peeped alot during the process. I'm crossing my fingers for the little guy. No blood at all, though one of the vessels was a little pink. I didn't have time to look closely.
 
I've hatched quite a few chicks like this, give him time, he will be fine. Sorry i couldnt of answered your post sooner to reassure you and give you some tips, sounds you've done very well. I've not been a member long but i have kept and hatched many chickens over the years. They say you shouldn't really help them as it makes them weak but all mine have that have needed a little help have turned out just fine
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