"Helped hatch" chick - need advise

[tplummer]

I have helped before and still do from time to time. LIke they say, it is a personal decision. The ones I have helped in the past have done just fine. If nature still decides to cull them, it will happen. If they are to live, they will. I like to give them every chance. If mother nature still takes them, I can live with it. At least I tried.

 

[TK Poultry]

i hope you do well i helped hatch one once it was just a boat load of disappointment the poor thing died 3 days later hope yours does better but usually if they dont hatch they dont for a reason....but wat done is done i shoved mine with pedialite and he still died he was very grogy and i didnt stand forever in the bator and he was just a little off he had stuff under him and he was just ugh!! he really didnt open his eyes either.....but that is my wisdom give him some vitamins and some pedialite and stick it out

 

[lotzahenz]

Sometimes the bator is not the IDEAL place to hatch, if that is the reason and your chick is gunky, then hold it in your hands and allow warm water (test it on your wrist like for a baby bath) to run over him until the gunk is rinsed off. Just keep his head clear, and use paper towel to dry him well, then put him in the warm bator until he is dry. If his inability to stand is something else, he will be culled naturally, or you may need to do it later. I feel that since the incubator is not the most stable environment (a broody hen is more constant) there are certainly times when assistance is needed. If the membranes dried on him, it was not a fault of the chick, but the bator. Just MHO.

HenZ

 

[they'reHISchickens]

I just helped the last of my broody's eggs hatch: the peep was drying out in the process of zipping. I finally ended up removing the entire shell because mama was going to abandon the nest to take care of the others.

Here it is before I put it back under squatting mama.
2 hours later mama was moving around more and peep was only partially dry. I took it inside under a heat lamp and chirped to it. Chirping got as much response and warmth! Used some warm water to moisten dried clumped areas ( like one eye). In another hour it was livening up so I put it under mama for the night.

This morning it was sticking under mama closely but staying with her. By this evening, I am not sure which one it is. They all are similar colored EEs. Time will tell whether I will be able to tell it from the others by its behavior. Let's hope not! [and i sure hope it was a hen!]

Should I have helped? I think it was drying out and that was it's major problem. As a last-to-be-hatched maybe mama wasn't as buttoned down on it. It was her first batch.
BTW, no sign of yolk or blood as I removed shell.

 

[thebirdfarm]

I personally haved helped out a fair amount of chicks and they do just fine. I feel that most of the time when a chick can't get out it is because the egg shell has dried up just a bit too much. Also and maybe most would disagree but when I hatch I give the eggs one extra day and then I go through the remaining eggs basically force hatching anything that is still alive. I've had excellent success and am usually able to pick up an extra 3 or so chicks that don't typically hatch with a batch of about 50 eggs. Anyway as far as you chick is concerned when helping you may have created a little bleeding that has just scabbed or membrane could be attached still. I am not real sure what it is but I have had it on chicks before. I usually give them a bit to get their energy up and then try cleaning it off. Sometimes though I can't get it off so I just leave it and most of the time the chicks get up and going and they clean it off later. Every once in a while though they die but I would speculate there was something wrong with them. I would just let it go until the chick dies or takes off, giving a little extra time is sometimes all they need expecially after a fight of getting out that took so long.

 

[they'reHISchickens]

Update on assisted chick: I can't tell the diff between it and the others. That's a good thing! I do think in my case it was just too dried out to finish zipping and then needed extra warmth and time to recuperate.

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

That's GREAT news. You should be thrilled you helped save the little guy's life.

Thanks for the update. Pics would be nice as well.

 

[they'reHISchickens]

LOL Pleased? Yes. Thrilled? It's a chicken... I just hope it's a hen!

It's poor picture but will have better ones soon.