helping chicks out of their shells

[rossco1]

would'nt mind hearing if others have to help out their chicks. every hatch i have a few chicks that tend to pip or partially zip on about day 19 then progress no further.on this occasion, just a small hatch of 18. 6 started early and while 10 of the remaining 12 hatched on their own, the early 6 did'nt. on day 21 i crack their shells all around for them and they're out in 30 mins or so. they may be very slightly shrink wrapped with a little shell stuck on them but perfectly healthy and in a week or two cannot tell which ones they were. when i leave them and dont help they sometimes die in their shells. i have 3 small 60 egg incubators and have this happen with each so its not the unit. temp is 99.5 constantly with humidity at 50% until day 18, then 65-70%. hatch rates are o.k. on this occasion 16 from 18. usually approx 35 from 40. its no problem for me to do this but if one pips on the blind side of the shell early and i dont see it i'll sometimes lose the chick. this time it was 6 but usually about 3 per hatch. any suggestions would be appreciated.



ross

 

[debilorrah]

I do everything I can to NOT have to help them, but my gut instincts are about 8/10, so I have a pretty good attenae. One of my ducks in my last hatch had pipped and zipped about 1/4 of the way and then turned and got stuck there. So I popped the top off and let him figure out how to back out of the egg. He came out fine. I never help a pipped until it has been at least 24 hours or I can tell it is shrink wrapped.

 

[Eliza]

HELP, I have a chick that pipped and zipped from the side of the egg. I can see him clearly, but I'm afraid to break the membrane as there are blood spots on it. HE could get out if he just popped out the side, but he's staying in there? The wrap is strating to shrink? Leave it or what, I'm afraid that if I interfere he will bleed out?

 

[#1chickee]

I have a chick a day or two over incubation period and is in the shell peeping. Leave it alone??? or does it need help??? I once had a chick stuck in the egg and I finally took it and wrapped it in a warm wet washcloth and layed it on a warm heating pad. Little by little I would help it get the shell away....it finally worked and the chick did fine. But this time, the chick is still in the egg...no cracks or anything.
Any suggestions???