HELP!! Wrong end pip?!?! (Oh No! Complications!!!)

[Reurra]

Is this chick pipping the wrong end?!?!

What should i do?!?!

This is my first hatch and first pip!

 

[sumi]

What you can do it very carefully, with sterile needle or a pair of tweezers, open the pip hole just a fraction so the chick can breathe easy. Then crank up the humidity and leave it for at least 24 hours before doing anything more. You may need to help the little one hatch, depending on how it's positioned in there, so have a look at this assisted article so long so you'll know what to do if needed:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching

Good luck!

 

[Reurra]

Oh thank you for your reply!!!

Im scared to open the incubator because ive heard of shrink wrapped chicks. Should i be concerned this might happen? None of the other eggs have pipped.

 

[sumi]

As long as you open and close the incubator quick so you don't lose too much humidity it will be fine. If I need to work on an egg I remove it from the incubator quick and replace the lid to keep the humidity and heat in while I'm busy, even if it's only for a quick examination. If you open the incubator often and let the humidity drop too much you risk shrink wrapping the chicks if they've pipped.

Good luck with your little one. I have 3 wrong end pippers at the moment that I'm keeping an eye on. Never a dull moment when you're hatching

 

[Reurra]

Ok...Im really stupid.

In my careful caution trying to get the egg out of the bator quickly and gently, it rolled out of my hand and landed on the floor of the bator, and broke. The side that is pipping shattered and part of the shell broke away. I closed the bator and havent touched it since. I jsut left it where it landed.

The chick is peeping and chirping and wiggling. Im really scared to touch it now. I added extra water through the plug holes at the top and a straw. I dont dare open it now. The membrane is white and flexible.

Did I just kill my chick?

 

[sumi]

Oh crumbs. How much of the shell got damaged? Does the membrane look O.K? No blood? Can you post a pic maybe?

 

[Reurra]

There is a tiny spot of blood, but its dried up. He has since continued kicking and struggling. I can hear peeping noises from him, but its not overly loud, but it is frequent. I would say a 1/3 of the shell was broken and it seems really really thin. Crackers eggs have always been a bit weak, so Im really amazed he got this far. The side with the membrane showing is about 1/4 inch wide and about 3/4 inch long.

There is a crack running along outside end and appears part of the other side might be cracked as well. I ahve not messed with the egg to find out. You can see in the picture the white bit is part of the shell, under that is white membrane. I added more water and a wet rag as soon as it happened. Thats the last time the bator was opened. When i talk to him he starts wiggling more. It seems to have cracked right along the pip lines.

The membrane is broken at the site of the pip and he is breathing. Along the outside crack it appears the membrane broke but a tiny bit of clear fluid has since dried it and sealed the crack back up. no blood on the bottom of the bator or anywhere else other than that tiny little bit near the pip site. You cant see it in the picture.

He would ahve originally pipped between 2am and 6am. I checked the temps at 2am this morning and went back to bed, at 6am I got up and there was a pip. Its 1pm here now.

 

[sumi]

O.K. that doesn't sound too bad. It's not ideal, but... I think this baby will need some help getting out of the egg when it's ready, but leave him as long as his happy and talking to you. Give him time to absorb the blood and the yolk and in a few hour's time you can have a look. I think the best way to do that would be to take off a little of the shell and wet the membrane so you can see of there's visible blood vessels. But don't worry about that yet. His o.k. and he's breathing. So try to relax now and keep talking to him and keep an eye on the humidity.

 

[Reurra]

I really appreciate your help Sumi. I would probably be be a wreck by now without it!

Oh the anxiety!!

Im so kicking myself right now!!

But he was talking to me a few seconds ago, so i know he is alive for the time being. I keep talking to him and whistling to him. He responds with a good jerk now and again.

If I angle the light right, I can see tiny veins inside the egg. When i cant see those any more, that means he should be ready right? They are smaller than they were an hour ago. He sounds so scared in there!! My heart is breaking!!

Poor little bitty!

Im such a horrible Mommy!

 

[sumi]

No, you're not!!

The chick's fine and you're going to het him out of there and it's going to be O.K.

If you can see the veins that means it's not ready, but it sounds like he's absorbing them quick so that's good. Check Sally's assisted hatch article. She's got pics in there of what the membrane should look like when the chick's ready. Use those for comparison.

I'm going to go check on my half hatched duckling quick, but I'll be back in a bit. Just relax and keep talking to the little one. You're doing great!