HELP!! Day 21 and possible shrink wrapped chick

[mmjc]

Today is day 21 for my white leghorn bantam and I candled it this morning when it hadn't hatched. I couldn't see any movement so I assumed it had died. I put a hole in the air sack and noticed there was movement!!! It has not internally pipped yet so I put it back in the incubator and have been keeping the internal membrane moist with warm water and a q-tip, but now what?? Do I leave him and hope he pips or should I help?? I don't know if he's stuck and not able to get out or just not ready yet. I really don't want to lose this little guy. I can see him breathing and opening and closing his beak. It's been since this morning (about 13 hrs) and no pip yet.

 

[Habibs Hens]

thats why they say dont mess with lock down

sometimes eggs will hatch upto day 22

is normal for 24 hours to occur for hatch to complete

 

[mmjc]

I knew sometimes they can hatch after day 21 but this hatch had not gone too well so I assumed it had died like the others. I had left the others in the incubator un-touched until almost day 29 and then had tossed them because I could confirm they died. Now that it is alive, I don't want to lose it. Not sure what to do now.

 

[Sonja73]

Today is day 21 for my white leghorn bantam and I candled it this morning when it hadn't hatched. I couldn't see any movement so I assumed it had died. I put a hole in the air sack and noticed there was movement!!! It has not internally pipped yet so I put it back in the incubator and have been keeping the internal membrane moist with warm water and a q-tip, but now what?? Do I leave him and hope he pips or should I help?? I don't know if he's stuck and not able to get out or just not ready yet. I really don't want to lose this little guy. I can see him breathing and opening and closing his beak. It's been since this morning (about 13 hrs) and no pip yet.

It is unfortunate. At this point you can do one of two things. See if he makes it until morning, or break him out. Chances are his yolk is not in his body yet, and in by putting a hole in the air sac when he wasn't ready, well, I think you know. Me personally, if it were up to me and me only, I would break him out and see if he has a chance at all. I am so sorry. But honestly, this is how we learn. Been there, done that.

 

[mmjc]

Okay, so he's made it through the night but it seems like his breathing has slowed down. I really don't want to lose him but don't want to do more harm to him if he hasn't absorbed his yolk sac yet. His beak has broken through the internal membrane now so he's breathing but not chirping? Hasn't made a sound, but his beak opens and closes. There are a couple blood vessels (thin) throughout and I fear that if I try to break him out that one of those will break and he'll start bleeding....couldn't that kill him?

 

[sumi]

Dampen the area around his beak, so you can see where the vessels are and free his beak, so he can breathe. I have a sharpish pair of tweezers that I use for this, but any sharp, sterile object, like the blunt end of a needle will do. Just make a small hole to get it's beak and nostrils open. Be very careful around the vessels, so you don't damage them. It won't kill him unless you damage a major one, but be very careful. If there are still vessels visible it means he's still got a while to go before he can complete the hatch. But he needs to get some fresh air now.

 

[mmjc]

Okay, going to do that now. I've been keeping the membrane damp with a q-tip and warm water every couple of hours. All of the blood vessels are really small but I do see one that is larger and it's near his bottom...or what appears to be his bottom. Hard to tell. I'll take a picture too so you can see....that might help.

 

[Sonja73]

Yes it could kill him, but to be honest, it sounds like he is weakening. Bantams usually start to hatch out day 18-20 in my experience. I just hatched out bantam Orpingtons, and I had one just like this situation. I went to the kitchen and got some warm water going in the sink, not a powerful stream, just enough so if I cupped my hands it would slowly fill up. The water was real warm, but not so warm that it burned my hands. Next I "pipped" a ring of shell around his head with a toothpick, carefully, and slowly. I sat him back in the incubator to check that by water temperature was stable. Then I came back, picked him up and was VERY careful not to drown him in the water. I kept his head up and was able to peel the rest of the shell off. It bled a little, but not terrible. The whole time I kept my hands cupped so that the warm water surrounded him the best I could. As soon as I got him all the way out, I rushed back and put him in the incubator. He was really weak, and I was afraid he wouldn't make it. 24 hours later he was up and walking around. He was splayed legged because I help him, but I shackled him with zip ties and by the third day out of the incubator I was able to cut off the shackles and he walked fine. It was touch and go, and I was a nervous wreck, but he is now 3 weeks old, a bit smaller than the others, but healthy and running around.

 

[sumi]

Okay, going to do that now. I've been keeping the membrane damp with a q-tip and warm water every couple of hours. All of the blood vessels are really small but I do see one that is larger and it's near his bottom...or what appears to be his bottom. Hard to tell. I'll take a picture too so you can see....that might help.

Yes, a pic would help.

 

[mmjc]

Okay, so I went in there and through the incubator window it didn't appear he was breathing anymore. I quick opened it and got him and he has died.

I'm SO heartbroken!! I know this happens and knew that this could go either way but really wanted to give him a chance. I guess I didn't act quick enough.