Help-Do i help?

[Fraoch21]

I realise helping chicks hatch can be a touchy subject for some but i dont want a debate. I have 2 bantam eggs in the bator at day 21 and one has pipped but hasnt made any progress in the last 12 or so hours i noticed it looks like its dryed up ad ive been trying to to put warm water on it incase its stuck. Problem is they are both hatching at the wrong end of the egg. This first one has pipped externally so im assuming it might be ok with a little help if its stuck but the second one was trying to break the shell last night but hadnt and now this morning itts silent. I really want both these chicks to survive if its possible but do i interfere yet with either of them and if i did how do you go about helping an upside down chick!?

 

[kellysmall87]

Mine pipped the wrong end of the egg two days ago, and I worried! But as long as their beaks are out and they're breathing, its fine.

I also thought one was dried up as the membrane was paper white but I left it as I couldn't have it on my conscience if I had killed it by helping, and next morning it was out and happy and healthy. It had zipped itself out.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's up to you, I wouldn't do it yet. I would wait as they can take 24-30 hours after they have pipped to start making progress. I have also noticed that humidity at this time can never be too high so I used papertowels in warm water to boost humidity up. Lots of vapour in the atmosphere helps the chick break free itself.

It's this breaking and zipping that makes the chick absorb the yolk sac. So they need this struggle.

I helped one before and it turned out ok - but that was touch and go. Luck was on my side.

If you candle the egg that isnt chirping and see where the beak is - if its possible - then you can pip the egg for it near where the beak is.

P.s the chick wont be upside down, it'll be fine . mine were and they were pipping the narrow end of the egg.

 

[Sphinx]

I've had chicks pip at the wrong end of the egg and hatch out just fine.

I've also found that my chicks tend to take a good 24 hours to hatch out (especially the first couple. I think they like to torture me). If you help too soon, the blood vessels in the membrane aren't dried out, and your helping can kill them.


I don't do anything other than fret until it's been over 24 hours since pip.

 

[Fraoch21]

Thank you!! I have helped chicks before and killed them which is why im so worried about it this time!
Its now 24hrs since the first chick pipped and i heard the second trying to pip. Theres been no progress in either, the first can breath and cheeps and wriggles but i havnt heard a thing in the second one since last night and i dont know where its beak is cause of it pipping in the wrong end!

i put a moist paper towel under them both and peeled back a small bit of membrane around where the one pipped and theres not blood vessels there

 

[croach510]

I had 2 bantams hatch over the weekend. These where the first so I was on pins and needles. With both of mine, they pipped and didn't do anything else for about 18-20 hours. No movement and very little peeping, I just knew they where dead. Then all of a sudden after 18-20 hours of doing nothing they start to zip and where out in under 15 min. So i wouldn't bother with them yet. I would give it 24 hours before I helped them. The membrane on mine also looked white but I still didn't intervene, and didn't open the bator. Sending good vibes your way.

 

[Fraoch21]

thank you! i had to open the bator today to candle all the others an get rid of dead ones but the temp went back up pretty quick. I'll see what its like tomorrow then and leave it in peace

The second one i candled and i could see shapes but there was no movement, i left it in the bator but i doubt its ok ..

 

[Fraoch21]

Its been nearly 48hrs since first pip now and the only progress is it cracked a little bit of the shell which i took off and peeled back the membrane a little bit to try and help but theres been no progress since. It cheeps loudly and wriggles though

 

[kellysmall87]

Should be any hour now. If not, I would help out a bit.

 

[Fraoch21]

Well it still hadnt made progress so i took the shell off where it was supposed to zip and started to slowly peel back the membrane but there was a tiny bit of blood so i stopped and put it back, I think i'll leave it till tomorrow now

 

[Fraoch21]

This morning there was no more blood on the membrane so i peeled more back and took more shell off but discovered something on the poor things head. It looks like its head might be where either the sac off waste thats left behind in the shell is or the small remainder of the yolk sac is

I dont know whether this sac is joined to its head or just sitting beside it

Edit; Now the chick is out far enough it was just the sac i saw above its head is just waste but the yolk sac is inabsorbed and about the same size as the poor chick. Its trying to get right out of the shell so i proped it up so it hopefully cant untill the yolks gone!