Help Please! Abnormal (?) Membranes... hard hatching....

[Momma_Cluck]

For some reason, every batch of eggs we've ever hatched from our Gals have a very difficult time hatching past the pipping stage - due to VERY thick outer membranes...
They hold everything intact, and then the inner membrane dries and "shrink-wraps" the baby....

We have 30 in the Bator, 2 have hatched, but 8 more only got to "pip" stage by noon today--
it is now nearly 9 hours later, they are moving slightly, a few have stopped chirping, and all have dried membranes...

we started to help , but stopped, as some bleding started...
(I know many people are against helping at all-- and I do not want to start anything-- we just have always had t help a bit 'cuz of this membrane issue)

We already raised the humidity.... what else can/ should we do???

 

[TheBuff]

Get a new humidity device. any time the membranes dry it's low on humidity. run a minamum of 80% humidity. Water drops should forum on the window.

 

[Momma_Cluck]

We've filled the bottom of the 'bator with water in the channels--- the humidity doesn't get over 65%...
I just added a measuring glass of water in the center... it's tall enough that they can't get into it...



Also-- one that we took some of the shell off, is either a HUGE baby--and somethings not quite "right" with it..... or there are 2 in there, as it seems to have a head at both ends of the egg peeping?????

 

[barnwife]

I would have added more humidity also, even using hot water to mist them from a spray bottle.


I don't know what else to tell you...it really does sound liek a humidity issue...iss there a way you can tell where the veins are so you can avoid them when you help?

Usually when I help, I can see them

Is it possible that they are not pipping all three membranes?

It is a layer of plasma-goo membrane, a papery membrane, and a thicker white leathery membrane. The leqathery one has zero blood in it...bit it can sometimes pull the other membranes if you remove too much.

When the chick absorbs the blood, the inner two membranes shrink up a bit, the outer membrane gets more space between it and the shell.

If you help, chip away dime to nickel sized pieces every half hour after 4-6 hours with no progress.

Sorry for all the technical terms...I am not quite a vet yet lol