Hi, I'm a new chicken caretaker and my first batch of eggs began hatching 3 days ago under the Hen. All hatched quite quickly and appear to be very healthy, until today. 2 Hens had set on the nest so as the chicks hatch I give them to one of the mothers who I placed in a separate enclosure, and allow the other hen to set on the remianing eggs. ( which is not really pertaining to this problem) Today, first thing in the morning I noticed 2 more eggs pipping, one had the chicks head protruding already. I left the hen alone and when I returned several hours later, the one egg had fully hatched, and the chick was dry and active and the other whos head was protruding hours prior still had made no progress. It was breathing but not making much noise or kicking out. It appeared its neck and back were dried to the membrane. I gently broke the shell dowm its chest to its feet a little-bit to hopefully allow it some space to kick out, placed it back under the hen to check on later. Hours later when I re-checked It still hadnt broken free...it had been well over 6 hours. I decided to intervene, it looked weak, was still breathing but dry and stuck to the remaing half of the shell. I gently removed the shell, and the dryed membrane from its neck and back. It kicked a bit as it was freed`, but looks pretty sad and weak. I placed it under the appointed mother hen with the 6 already hatched these past days to warm up. Should I keep it with the hen or move it inside under a heat lamp? Not sure how much or even 'if' I should interevene further. Did I screw up by messing with its natural hatch?
I have always used an incubator, when that happened I helped it out and stuck it back in the incubator for several hours. They awlays seemed tobe OK afterwards
Whether the baby survives or not, it would surely have died if you'd left it on its own. I hope it recovers its strength & grows into a happy, healthy young'un!
I'm glad to hear I'm not the first to intervene in the hatch. I forgot to mention that there was a bit of blood on the membrane as well. I'm not sure where exactly it originated from, but when I removed the remining shell there was some blood on the inside that hadnt been present with the clean hatches. I went to check on the little guy, but its pretty dark out now and mama isnt letting me stick my hand in there!lol--mama knows best. Morning will tell....thanks for the feedback, any other comments appreciated
