how can I tell if the membrane has dried out ?

[ellenxd]

we are incubating two fertile silkie eggs and are st day 22, both pipped some time early this morning from midnight onwards and one hatched completely between 7-10am, the other egg has pipped and appears to have begun unzipping But it's membrane looks white, it has been moving it for a couple of hours now with no progress, should I try and moisten it (if so how) or should it be left for longer ? Thanks

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[TheKindaFarmGal]

If the membrane is white it is fine. The chick is soaking up the rest of the yolk and blood and when it turns clear will come out. It should only take a few more hours. If the membrane was yellow then you should moisten it, but white is normal.

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

And I forgot to say - welcome to BYC!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

we are incubating two fertile silkie eggs and are st day 22, both pipped some time early this morning from midnight onwards and one hatched completely between 7-10am, the other egg has pipped and appears to have begun unzipping But it's membrane looks white, it has been moving it for a couple of hours now with no progress, should I try and moisten it (if so how) or should it be left for longer ? Thanks

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The outter membrane should remain a papery white all the way through. That is a healthy membrane. You have much condinsation in the bator, so you won't likely be having to worry about drying membranes, as a matter of fact, you really don't want to see condensation building up like that. That's a bit too high. Here's some pics of what membranes should look like during pipping and zipping to help you out:

 

[ellenxd]

Thankyou for all your help, left everything as it was and the second hatched a few hours later

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

Congrats! Glad everything worked out.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Thankyou for all your help, left everything as it was and the second hatched a few hours later

Congrats!!!

 

[Halopino213]

I am glad I found this post. The chicks were hatching under a broody hen and then she abandond them.

I have one chick with an exposed yolk that is about and inch long. Suggestion?

And then I have this chick. This chick started hatching a few hours ago. This is as far as it is now. How does it look?

All I have is a heat lamp as all was going great with the first two chicks and mom was taking career everything.

 

[Halopino213]

Not sure if my other post went through.

I have chicks who are hatching with a hen.

First two chicks fine.

3rd chuck mom tried eat. It has some yolk that was not absorbed probably because hen pecked it out of egg. Suggestions?

4th chick is partially hatched. See attached picture. Membrane is white? Ok?

Hen won't sit on eggs anymore. Remaining eggs, partially hatched chick and chick with hold are now under heat lamp.

Now what?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Not sure if my other post went through.

I have chicks who are hatching with a hen.

First two chicks fine.

3rd chuck mom tried eat. It has some yolk that was not absorbed probably because hen pecked it out of egg. Suggestions?

4th chick is partially hatched. See attached picture. Membrane is white? Ok?

Hen won't sit on eggs anymore. Remaining eggs, partially hatched chick and chick with hold are now under heat lamp.

Now what?

Can't tell from the pic because of the heat lamp color. If the membrane turns a yellowish brown and leathery looking, it's dried out and needs moistening. If it is papery white and nice and dry, it's good. If the inner membrane starts looking brownish yellow and crusty and sticking to the chick, it needs to be moistened. Bacitracin/neosporin (w/o pain relief) or vaseline can be used in a THIN coat on the membrane to keep it from drying out.

As for the chick with the unabsorbed yolk. I had one and I put a damp paper towel in the bottom of a coffee mug and put the chick in there to keep it confined and lower the chance of the yolk rupturing. I put the cup under my brooder light to keep it warm and gave it time to absorb. I made sure I offered it water reguglarly too so it didn't dehydrate under the lamp. It took all day, but the yolk absorbed and it left a little ball of membrane at the navel that eventually dried up and fell off. If the yolk ruptures, the chick doesn't have good survival chances.