Hatching: Again, to help or not to help?

[Kool-Kemp]

Putting in a safety hole in the shell is safe with a chick that’s internally pipped but if the chick has not internally pipped the safety hole is likely to kill the chick. Too much oxygen when he isn’t ready.
Candle and check for an internal pip- if there is an internal pip go ahead with the safety hole - if no internal pip check for movement- if there is movement he may just be a late Hatcher. I would leave it be if there is no internal pip. Chick could have died but could also just not be ready

I know! It’s so hard to make that decision to help or not to help! I would say each situation is so different and there’s no right or wrong answers. Sometimes, we thought we followed everything in the book (assisted hatch instructions, which are super helpful) but still turned out wrong. So, I guess sometimes, we just have to trust our guts, do what we can and let nature take care of the rest.

 

[Jada22]

I know! It’s so hard to make that decision to help or not to help! I would say each situation is so different and there’s no right or wrong answers. Sometimes, we thought we followed everything in the book (assisted hatch instructions, which are super helpful) but still turned out wrong. So, I guess sometimes, we just have to trust our guts, do what we can and let nature take care of the rest.

I agree. Its never an easy decision to make

 

[Kool-Kemp]

In the pictures, she is using her beak trying to dry herself, I guess. It’s been 9 hours since I helped her out. She still looks pretty wet. Except keeping her warm in the incubator and unplug all the vents, and wait, not sure what else I can do.
Is the high humidity (76%) preventing her from dry out quickly?

 

[Kool-Kemp]

The other egg is still very quiet. I candled again but it’s really hard to see. I poked a hole on the air sack and put it back in and wait. Humidity is at 70ish right now.

 

[Jada22]

What was your humidity during incubation? Does the chick feel sticky? You could wipe him with a damp warm cloth and see if that helps

 

[Kool-Kemp]

What was your humidity during incubation? Does the chick feel sticky? You could wipe him with a damp warm cloth and see if that helps

It’s 76% right now in the incubator. I’m also thinking she doesn’t dry quickly because of the high humidity.

 

[Yardmom]

With your humidity that high the chick would dry faster in a brooder. Does the chick have oil on it from the membrane?

 

[Kool-Kemp]

With your humidity that high the chick would dry faster in a brooder. Does the chick have oil on it from the membrane?

She does have oil on her, I believe, which I applied on the membrane/her to get her out early this morning. Is there anything I can do to absorb the oil/get it off her or just let it be?

Luckily I have another incubator going (that I'm trying to do store egg hatch experiment). So, I have moved her to that one (humidity id between 48%-54%). Will see how it goes in an hour or so. When she dries out well, I will move her again to the brooder. Poor baby, so many struggles!

 

[Jada22]

I’m wondering if humidity may have been too high during incubation and therefore have a sticky chick- in this case you may need to clean with water. Keep in mind too that having her in the other incubator could raise your humidity in there. Poor chick is having many struggles but at least she is fighting through it!

 

[Kool-Kemp]

I’m wondering if humidity may have been too high during incubation and therefore have a sticky chick- in this case you may need to clean with water. Keep in mind too that having her in the other incubator could raise your humidity in there. Poor chick is having many struggles but at least she is fighting through it!

She is in a warm brooder now. I did use a wet paper towel to clean her a bit, and put her right back in. Will see if that helps, then I will clean her again before going to bed.
I did dry hatch so no water in the incubator until lockdown. Even during lockdown, my separate thermo-hygrometer read 65%, I thought that was low and why she got shrink-wrapped.

I do have water in my current batch though (day 2 now), and humidity is at 52% without this chick in it.