Hatch In Progress Question!

gregg3

Chirping
8 Years
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Sep 16, 2014
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Hello all!, We left the flock mostly alone (father in law checked on them every other day but didn't really collect eggs) for a week while on vacation and came home to a broody. I wasn't sure when she started sitting but I've been checking on her every afternoon and today came home to three fuzz balls and the fourth egg pipped. I went out a few minutes ago (roughly 5 hours later) and the pip hole has a beak showing through but no zipping yet. My question is that nearly the entire side of the shell where the chick's feet are is cracked and mostly missing. Otherwise it's chirping and seems healthy. I'm going to check again in the morning but I'm wondering if I should have any concern with the sheer amount of the outer membrane currently exposed?
 
Since I'm posting about the hatch, I started with 10 eggs. One Friday I heard an unusual amount of chatter in the coop and opened the lid to the nest boxes to see three hens staring at me and eventually noticed this 6 ft Rat snake. Made it to hatch day with only 4 eggs but all were viable!



Three of the four hatched so far! You can barely see the head (right eye) of one just to the top left of the chick in the middle and also make out the beginning of the final pip!

 
Holy cow thats huge! I would have screamed! What did you do?!!!!
 
Snakes are lethargic after a meal so I just grabbed him! Learned to catch snakes when I was younger - not a fan of them (would never want one as a pet) but I'm not afraid of them either.

PS chick #4 was out by 6 AM so I guess it was nothing to worry about. Of everything I've read though I'm still wondering how half of the shell nearest the feet was missing.
 
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Snakes are lethargic after a meal so I just grabbed him! Learned to catch snakes when I was younger - not a fan of them (would never want one as a pet) but I'm not afraid of them either.

PS chick #4 was out by 6 AM so I guess it was nothing to worry about. Of everything I've read though I'm still wondering how half of the shell nearest the feet was missing.
I wounder if "mom" or another chick was "helping" out out. I know the little ones will help when they are hatching in the incubator.
 

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