Help! Chick hasn't absorbed yolk sac, still in shell!

[jewellsloan]

Hi all,

So my one egg-yet-to-hatch is having problems!

It pipped about 28 hours ago. We realized that it was shrink wrapped a couple of hours ago, after we had to help the one before it out of its shrink wrapped membrane/shell (which went wonderfully & he/she is very healthy). Yes, I imagine the humidity got too low...

Thought this one might not have made it, no sound or movement since the initial pip 28 hours ago. So I picked it up to confirm that it was dead and "Peep peep"!

So I immediately grabbed some very warm water & a Q tip and moistened up the pip site. I carefully pulled back the shell & could see its head, with a large full vein next to it. I wrapped it in a warm moist towel & put it back into the incubator.

I read to wait 2 hours and then try again to see if the yolk & veins have dried up, but the vein is still full and the chick is showing no signs of wanting out.

So now its been about 28 hours, 2 hours after I helped it out, still a fat vein.

I guess I just have to wait?

Do chicks ever not finish their yolk, and why would that happen? Possibly because it dried out?

I am growing grey hairs here & would really appreciate some feedback! Thanks!

 

[jewellsloan]

Should I take the shell all the way off to see if the yolk is indeed not absorbed?

 

[AnimalLady123]

I think you may need to wait a while for it to dry up, And then after that you have to wait 'till it's fluffy to take it out to go to the brooder!! Good Luck!!

 

[jewellsloan]

Okay to continue on a conversation with myself ...

I chipped away a little more at the shell and the vein is definitely going strong so I didn't want to go any further.

Why would he not be absorbing? Its been 29 hours since he pipped.

 

[jewellsloan]

That's what I figured..I am probably being over-zealous.

Is it normal for chicks to take this long to hatch? The others took between 12 & 24...

He was definitely a little dry & shrink wrapped however...maybe that just put a dent in his progress?

 

[LittleRaptorFarm]

I have no clue but I am going through the same thing whatever happened to that poor chick. I see no yolk but definitely a vein so i have put back with towels after wetting down with q-tip. But just at a stall point I see breathing. So just curious to see how yours went

 

[Peep_Show]

Chicks can take a long time between pipping and zipping. It is during this time that the veins abate and the yolk is absorbed. I've had some that take a day and a half to hatch out and others that it's pip-zip-done.

One reason possibly for the delay is that your incubator temp is too low. Warmer incubators have earlier hatches, lower temps produce slow hatches. Too, some breeds of chickens just take their sweet time if they want (don't ask me about my Marans).

As much as you'd like to help -- and it's hard not to -- my suggestion is to let the hatch via lockdown happen unassisted. Opening the incubator to help one chick might shrink wrap the rest. Chicks that hatch on their own are likely to survive better than those that don't....and trying to get them out of the shell before they're ready compromises that optimal vigor.

Chicks can stay in an incubator during hatching time for three days before needing food and water. Their hatching will raise the humidity and keeping the lid closed will help avoid shrink wrapping of yet-to-hatch eggs. Patience!