Help, Not sure whether I should help zipper!

[bantymum]

Hello,
I purchased some "fertile" eggs from interstate.
I have 12 in the bator and 6 under a broody.
They are due tommorrow.
I dont think any will hatch from bator as My first attempt at candling showed nothing Normal, sorry im rushing as Im tired.
I checked the broody and as she got off nest i noticed one egg has a peep inside which has started to break shell and is chirping, this is exciting, should I leave her be or will mum help or how long shall i leave her to get out by herself??
i know its taboo to help but i dont want to lose my maybe only hatchling.

 

[claraserena]

How exciting!
I would wait. I'm new to this too but yesterday I learned a lot. I had 10 eggs under a broody due yesterday. ONe was pipped and peeping all night the night before last. Yesterday morning it was out (on its own). The Mom accidentally smothered it but that just happens sometimes. I looked under her later and saw a chick with a little shell, a lot of membrane. I picked it up and carefully removed the membrane (it was dry) and put it under a heat lamp. The chick came around--fluffed up, was running around but later I found it dead. Several hours later I noticed an egg (under the hen) that had pipped and was peeping--but the peeping was less and less. The shell was very thick and the membrane was drying. I lightly cracked the shell a little more to help and waited--very little peeping. So I carefully "helped"--the chick was barely alive and then died. I don't think it would have survived if I had left it but I don't know--it was real tired. I guess I'd be inclined to wait because it might have been better for my chick to die without being touched by me.
WE do have what appear to be two healthy ones under a heat lamp and one under the mom.
I wish you luck. Let us know how it goes.

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Hi! I'd leave it to finish hatching on its on --- they can take 24 hrs from first pip to hatch (but it can seem like days while you are waiting).
I *think* they are less likely to have problems sticking in the shell under Mama Hen.
Good luck!

Lisa

 

[bigzio]

bantymum, Let mom take care of buisness. She has proper humidity under her, so it will be fine.

12 to 24 hrs after pip is ok. Patience is best.

bigzio

 

[bantymum]

Thankyou,
Yes i shall wait, am I allowed to peep under her to see how all is going???
Id love to know how many I have.

 

[Picco]

Its ok to peek once in a while... just don't disturb the hen too much. If the hen is removed from the nest a lot the humidity of the nest area below her will drop and this might make it a lot harder for your chicks to hatch. Hens do a great job at hatching chicks so don't worry. It might take a while for the chicks to come out but NEVER help a chick out of the shell, in my experience it has always resulted in death. I have had chicks take two days to hatch, but usually it will take anywhere from a couple of hours to a day.

 

[bantymum]

Hi all,
this morning i checked nest and the peep was still stuck in shell and sounded rather agitated.
So I picked egg up to have a look. She was stuck in there so I broke egg carefully though probably not the right way as I have never done it before.
She came out in fetal position so I put her under mum who was very cranky at me.
I checked 10 hours later, this afternoon and she is doing well, she has some shell or membrane still on her back.
Will this come off or will mum help or will I help???
The other eggs dont look like hatching so I ve put them in the bator for now and so mum only has the chick under her so is really cranky at me.
I just wanted to make life more comfy for the little one especially as she had a rocky start to life.

 

[bigzio]

bantymum, How is the peep doing today?

In the future if you have a situation where you need to help when the membrane is to dry for the chick to escape, it's best to use an eye dropper with warm water to moisten the inside of the shell, then the chick can move and escape much easier.

bigzio

 

[bantymum]

Thankyou, ill remember that.
The chick is fantastic, very healthy and feeding and drinking well. I added some tonic to their water which has a high potency multivitamin. Its for aviary birds but i can see no reason why it wouldnt help my 2. anyhow all seems great.

Now my buff coloured bantam "fluffy" has started to sit firm as of yesterday which means eggs will be due on Easter Day.
Im sorry i havent posted until today, i couldnt top up my prepaid internet until today$$$
Thankyou Helen

 

[JudyMcKinn]

I think the Mom hen creates the humidity needed for the chick to hatch, if she is left to sit tight, but I think if you lift them, the humidity is lost, just like if you open the bator. I notice my broody hens lose (or pull out?) the feathers on their underside, and feel damp, which is how they create the humidity.
Usually if left completely alone, they can take care of things, but if bothered, felt under, lifted to see if something has hatched, etc, they are disturbed enough that they lose the humidity under them that is needed to hatch. Just my thoughts. Good luck.