Help: how long to let chick hatch unaided?

[cep55]

Hi all, I know this general question has been asked a lot before, but in searching I couldn't find an answer to exactly where mine is at... basically, this guy started pipping about 27 hours ago. He's made good progress, and still moving a bit periodically, but hasn't enlarged the hole in at least 5 hours.

I know he can breathe fine, and it's probably okay to leave him alone (which I'll do), but I just wanted to see if there's a point where I should be concerned about him running out of yolk sac nourishment or anything else I might not be thinking of. I'm also a little concerned about his positioning.

Appreciate any insights!

 

[mcdze]

mmm ive learned to not mess with them, pretty much just causes more problems than it helps .. the most i'll do, because i have a bator that doesnt cradle the eggs either, they can roll once the turning mechanism is removed, is i'll use something to prop up the egg and chock it so it wont roll around .. that can disorient them and slow them down although ive had early hatches that came out with the turning system still running lol .. but handling or playing with the shell trying to help them i dont do, can cause issues, that foot hanging out is plain weird lol .. id put the lid back on the bator and give him till noon tomorrow, if no progress maybe chip the airpocket end away some ..

 

[Kingbobkingdom]

Hi! It can take chicks from 24 to 72 hours to hatch, so you shouldn't worry about the chick running out of yolk so far. Maybe check if the membrane is still wet..
Sorry, I don't know much about positioning, but can you clarify what's worrying you?
If the chick doesn't make much progress by 48 - 72 hours, you can definitely help it a little.
Good luck!

 

[Ridgeback825]

That zip positioning doesn't look normal. I'm a bit concerned that it's not rotating correctly. They normally spin and zip off the top (where the air sac is). I'm much more hands on than most and will help clear an external pip to get good breathing. I also mark the outline of the air sac on the last candling to know where they should pip and where I'm safe to help. If they get hung up, I will assist in chipping the shell in the direction of a proper zip. Not much but enough to encourage them. I also play chick sounds on my phone if no others are hatched inside the incubator. It's a balance but the best thing is to study and understand how and why they hatch the way they do. This way you don't cause more issues and allow them to spin and pop out in the way that separates the umbilical cord while allowing good breathing and circulation of blood from the egg to the muscles. It has worked well for us and I won't watch a chick die because of a hiccup. We have a small flock, so each health chick life matters. Do your best and learn through the whole process. That's the best any of us can do!

 

[Tennessee Great Granny]

Hi all, I know this general question has been asked a lot before, but in searching I couldn't find an answer to exactly where mine is at... basically, this guy started pipping about 27 hours ago. He's made good progress, and still moving a bit periodically, but hasn't enlarged the hole in at least 5 hours.

I know he can breathe fine, and it's probably okay to leave him alone (which I'll do), but I just wanted to see if there's a point where I should be concerned about him running out of yolk sac nourishment or anything else I might not be thinking of. I'm also a little concerned about his positioning.

Appreciate any insights!

You will always find people of different opinions. I myself know if the blood supply has been absorbed there is nothing dangerous in helping a chick hatch. Its a good thing for them to struggle with birth though, just not so much it exhausts the baby to no strength to survive. Human obstetricians know the struggle is good and stimulates the baby to breathe. The old school docs used to gently squeeze a baby's head simulating passage through the birth canal on c-births for that reason. I've been retired 20 years so I'm not sure they're still doing that. Chicks use their feet to push their way out of the egg. What has a chick to push against that is feet first? It obviously got disoriented inside of the shell and turned wrong.I've only had that happen once in hundreds of hatches. (I sell chicks to pay for feed) If you start to peel back shell and membrane immediately stop the second you see any blood. It just isn't ready. The baby can breathe and it has a yolk sac for nourishment. for at least a full day or two. It's fine until it's fully ready. Once the opening is big enough you can tip the baby out if need be. I've had a couple with a long bloodless umbilical/placenta-like material still attached I use scissors or simply let it fall off after drying and picked it up later. Once it was still attached to the shell even though bloodless. I was afraid the baby was going to cut it's feet up on the shell trying to kick it off so I cut that one too. They feel gristly to cut and I worried I was getting the baby's leg, but it was just cord. I held the baby's moving feet out of the way to make sure. I have a son who was anti-chick raising and hatching.I had a baby soon to be born. I simply sped up the last few minutes of the process and placed that egg-baby in my son's hand. The chick came flying out of the shell into his hand and was on it's back looking up at him. The bond between the two was instant. My son has a rooster in his room in a cage and they are inseparable. Only this "baby" needs to move outside now that he's too big for his diaper. He has ladies in waiting.

 

[Tennessee Great Granny]

That zip positioning doesn't look normal. I'm a bit concerned that it's not rotating correctly. They normally spin and zip off the top (where the air sac is). I'm much more hands on than most and will help clear an external pip to get good breathing. I also mark the outline of the air sac on the last candling to know where they should pip and where I'm safe to help. If they get hung up, I will assist in chipping the shell in the direction of a proper zip. Not much but enough to encourage them. I also play chick sounds on my phone if no others are hatched inside the incubator. It's a balance but the best thing is to study and understand how and why they hatch the way they do. This way you don't cause more issues and allow them to spin and pop out in the way that separates the umbilical cord while allowing good breathing and circulation of blood from the egg to the muscles. It has worked well for us and I won't watch a chick die because of a hiccup. We have a small flock, so each health chick life matters. Do your best and learn through the whole process. That's the best any of us can do!View attachment 3426170

I've done hundreds of hatches now. I am always learning. I always try to keep one birthing buddy in the hatchery to keep those pipping and hatching company. Never thought to play audio chirping for them. But they do seem to like music. The zip lines don't always coordinate with the air cell lines. They hatch out fine whichever side of the air cell line they start.I've had plenty hatch out breech and were no where near the air cell. They tend to peck a bloody hole in the wrong end of the egg to breathe a day or two early . Then when they are ready hatch out they finish the job. The only complications I've had to deal wtih the is the narrow end of the egg may not be wide enough for them to pop out of. I widen it and sometimes even tip them out as long as there is zero blood. If I think they have struggled long enough and are starting to get too tired you bet I help. Docs do that for human babies too and vets do it for animals all the time. The air cell is still not safe to go opening at whim. Its a non-interference zone unless it's too overdue. It has a blood supply even as they are pipping. Pipping is preparation for birth unzipping is birth. Pregnant humans have signs of impending birth before the actual birthing event.It starts with a bloody show. Chicks start with internal and then external pipping. If you feel you must work on the air cell, stop if you ever seen blood it's just not time and if you must only do a very tiny portion at a time. Too much bleeding and you'll have a weak sickly chick who may never recover. It can take hours to even a day plus for the blood supply to absorb. This is nutrition and strength the chick needs to survive.

 

[AmyA248]

mmm ive learned to not mess with them, pretty much just causes more problems than it helps .. the most i'll do, because i have a bator that doesnt cradle the eggs either, they can roll once the turning mechanism is removed, is i'll use something to prop up the egg and chock it so it wont roll around .. that can disorient them and slow them down although ive had early hatches that came out with the turning system still running lol .. but handling or playing with the shell trying to help them i dont do, can cause issues, that foot hanging out is plain weird lol .. id put the lid back on the bator and give him till noon tomorrow, if no progress maybe chip the airpocket end away some ..

Hi!

My duckling has been at a standstill for 3 days. He’s alive and peeping but just stopped.
I’m a nervous wreck as well!
I pull a tiny bit of the shell off to get him started again.
I’ve had to do that many times and I kept doing a bit at a time until they took over.

Best of luck!

 

[Tennessee Great Granny]

Hi!

My duckling has been at a standstill for 3 days. He’s alive and peeping but just stopped.
I’m a nervous wreck as well!
I pull a tiny bit of the shell off to get him started again.
I’ve had to do that many times and I kept doing a bit at a time until they took over.

Best of luck!

I just love duck babies. You might be a nervous wreck but interference too soon can weaken a chick. Its smart you did a tiny bit at a time as long as there was no blood. I'm glad the baby took over and you have it now. I lost my first 2 ducks. I can't help but wonder if it was because I didn't know what I was doing. Hundreds of fowl hatches later I still have times I'm unsure and a nervous wreck. I have 7 beautiful healthy ducks plus turkeys and chickens and now Im hatching out geese for a flock of Sebastopols.Stopping after the newest turkey breed and the rest of the geese as far as species of birds. I only have a half acre and my back yard if full of runs and coops. I might get a piglet some time in the future. My son is freaking out.I opened the door to his room and mentioned he may be right -why do I need a piglet when I already have one. Bad momma...