Help! Assist a chick?

[Sarah B.]

Need some help guys! How do I assist a chick? When should I do it? I think my chicks that haven't hatched might be too weak to hatch by themselves. Candling on day 17 showed perfect development so they should be fine. If they haven't hatched by day 24 dinner time I'm going to assist. So how do I assist? Detailed explanations are much appreciated. This is absolute last resort though. I do really hope I won't have to assist.

 

[Poultrybreeder]

What I do is make a crack in the shell, and slowly pull off bits and pieces of it until there is a large hole. I pull it back enough that the chick can kick it's way out of the shell after I have broken it, such as half way down it's back

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Need some help guys! How do I assist a chick? When should I do it? I think my chicks that haven't hatched might be too weak to hatch by themselves. Candling on day 17 showed perfect development so they should be fine. If they haven't hatched by day 24 dinner time I'm going to assist. So how do I assist? Detailed explanations are much appreciated. This is absolute last resort though. I do really hope I won't have to assist.

Slowly chip away the shell. I try to chip a tiny bit at a time. It is not a race. Do not punchier the inner membrane! If the chick has not absorbed the fluids, leaking will be a problem. Try to chip around the entire egg. Remove some of the outer membrane at the breathing hole. Tiny bit at a time. I would use a paper towel and dampen the membrane so it does not dry out and shrink.

I would place it back in the bator & see if can finish the job on it's own. I only remove them completely as a last resort.
Usually I assist at the end of day 22. Late 22.
The photos are from last weeks assist. The chick is fine.

 

[Sarah B.]

What I do is make a crack in the shell, and slowly pull off bits and pieces of it until there is a large hole. I pull it back enough that the chick can kick it's way out of the shell after I have broken it, such as half way down it's back

Thanks a lot, Poultrybreeder, it means a lot. Really. Thank you.

View attachment 1076418
Slowly chip away the shell. I try to chip a tiny bit at a time. It is not a race. Do not punchier the inner membrane! If the chick has not absorbed the fluids, leaking will be a problem. Try to chip around the entire egg. Remove some of the outer membrane at the breathing hole. Tiny bit at a time. I would use a paper towel and dampen the membrane so it does not dry out and shrink.
View attachment 1076428 I would place it back in the bator & see if can finish the job on it's own. I only remove them completely as a last resort.
Usually I assist at the end of day 22. Late 22.
The photos are from last weeks assist. The chick is fine.

Thank you so much, Farmer Connie, for the pictures too. I'll definitely make sure to keep the membrane humid; thanks also for that, I've been wondering how to keep it from shrink wrapping.

 

[MillersFarm]

I would not dampen the outer membrane with a wet towel.. This will actually make it dry up even faster which is something we don't want... What you could do though to keep the membrane moist is apply a little bit of Vaseline to it.. Besides that sounds like you're doing great!

 

[Sarah B.]

I would not dampen the outer membrane with a wet towel.. This will actually make it dry up even faster which is something we don't want... What you could do though to keep the membrane moist is apply a little bit of Vaseline to it.. Besides that sounds like you're doing great!

Yes, I've also heard oil works. Thanks.

 

[MillersFarm]

Yes, I've also heard oil works. Thanks.

No problem.. Also how many days has it been since the chick has been hatching? You really dont want to help it too much if its still a bit early.. Thats how you end up with chicks that havent absorbed the yolk fully and most chicks dont make it with an un-absorbed yolk...

 

[Sarah B.]

No problem.. Also how many days has it been since the chick has been hatching? You really dont want to help it too much if its still a bit early.. Thats how you end up with chicks that havent absorbed the yolk fully and most chicks dont make it with an un-absorbed yolk...

Well, the first one hatched on day 18. The only one who hatched. Today is day 22. . . I think I will either assist tomorrow or on day 24.

 

[MillersFarm]

I would not start to freak out on day 22.. For this is completely normal I would though start to worry if it hasn't hatched yet on day 24... So dont start panicing yet!

 

[Sarah B.]

I would not start to freak out on day 22.. For this is completely normal I would though start to worry if it hasn't hatched yet on day 24... So dont start panicing yet!

No worries. I won't. Well, I'll try not to. This is just a precaution because I'm travelling to a summer cabin on day 25 and I want to take my chicks with me but I can't do that with eggs obviously and I want to know how to assist beforehand if they haven't hatched by day 24.