helping chicks hatch. (I NEED HELP ASAP!)

[lothefarmer]

i have a clutch that is five days late for their hatch date. one hatched today, and the other four eggs are totally boring. no pipping, peeping, nothing. i saw one that was cracking just a little bit, and i've read that if chicks are late, they could be growing weak... so i looked up how to help a chick hatch, and i made a tiny hole where the cracking seemed to be originating from (as if it were an attempted pip.) the mom started breaking the shell too. the chick looks great. totally normal. it's peeping now, occasionally, and it wiggles when it's disturbed, but it just isn't moving much. doesn't seem to be trying to get out. and i'm trying super hard not to let it bleed too much at once... but i think i made a mistake. i'm not sure what i'm doing, and i'm kind of freaking out. i bit off more than i could chew. will the mom take care of it, or should i do something? i need advice.

oh, and what about the other three eggs? i think i should leave them alone for now, but i'm not sure if im making the right choices.. i feel terrible.

 

[cmom]

Most often if a chick hasn't pipped on its own and you try to help it hatch they don't survive. If they have pipped and partially zipped then they have a chance. This has been from my experience.

 

[crawfordmama]

If they are five days late, could momma have gotten off the nest and their temps have been too low?

I wouldn't fuss with the chick you helped pip. It may not be ready. I would just sit tight (hard as it may be) and let them do what they will. I've had chicks pip internally and never hatch, and a few fully developed that also didn't hatch.

Don't feel bad about what you did. Your heart was in the right place.

 

[floridachickhatcher]

well i have helped a few of my chicks hatch one was pipped and going on day 23 so i said thats it im busting him out and when i did he was completely dry inside the shell he was a lazy chick now hes going on 3 weeks old or she i dont remember the sex lol and i made a pip hole bigger last night before i went to sleep for one of my eggs cause i was afraid it was too small to get air flow and later on today he made a pip line and broke out and now im waiting on the last BR to hatch he should hatch later on tonight cause i see his head moving all around trying to loosen up from a ball lol ^_^ and if your going to pip them do it in the round end into the air sac cause thats where their beak is going to come out anyway just whatever you do never break the membrane you have to let the chick do that

 

[lothefarmer]

it was hatched successfully. i helped it out halfway, and it slipped the other half of the shell off on its own. it's sleeping underneath mom now... i'll check on it before i go back to bed. thanks guys, your feedback really helped.

 

[lothefarmer]