How late is too late?
- Thread starter wagoncab
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- Mar 17, 2014
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I would give it at least 2-3 more days. And make sure to maintain humidity or the could get stuck. They won't spoil that soon, even if one has died in the shell.
Usually at that point, if I KNOW one is alive but late, I will remove it just long enough to prick a small hole in the top of the shell where the air sac is to get a look inside. If the chick has become "shrink wrapped" and has internally pipped, you'll be providing fresh oxygen so it doesn't suffocate while it negotiates it's way out of the shell.
Removing the chick from the incubator to do what I did could actually cause it to "shrink wrap" even if it is perfectly fine and just taking it's time. So know that if you do remove it to do that, there's no going back and you'll most likely have to assist it in hatching. And by that I mean applying a dab of warm water with a q-tip to the membrane around where it has pipped so that it will be wet enough for the chick to break through itself. I would leave the one that's not moving alone.
Let us know how it goes!
Usually at that point, if I KNOW one is alive but late, I will remove it just long enough to prick a small hole in the top of the shell where the air sac is to get a look inside. If the chick has become "shrink wrapped" and has internally pipped, you'll be providing fresh oxygen so it doesn't suffocate while it negotiates it's way out of the shell.
Removing the chick from the incubator to do what I did could actually cause it to "shrink wrap" even if it is perfectly fine and just taking it's time. So know that if you do remove it to do that, there's no going back and you'll most likely have to assist it in hatching. And by that I mean applying a dab of warm water with a q-tip to the membrane around where it has pipped so that it will be wet enough for the chick to break through itself. I would leave the one that's not moving alone.
Let us know how it goes!
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- #3
- Mar 17, 2014
- 238
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Sorry for the delayed reply. I had to come home from campus and it took a bit. Anyway, the size doesn't really matter as long as you can see in there, but I would assume the smaller the hole, the less the chance the membrane has to dry and get the chick stuck. Though like I mentioned, when I do this I take a qtip and wet the membrane with warm water after I'm done looking and returning it to the incubator. Just make 100% sure you only poke the hole in the area where the air cell is. Otherwise the chick could bleed and die if it's blood vessels haven't finished constricting and breaking away. So I would candle it first, and mark the air cell with a pencil so you know to stay within the circle when making your hole.
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- #5
It's now day 23 and the egg is still an egg. I did another float test and it is still rocking. I tried to candle it but this is a very dark brown egg and it is very hard to see anything except a very well develpoed air cell.I am just not sure if I saw movement pushing at the membrane. So back into the incubator it goes. I did toss the othe egg. No sign of movement in yhe float test and air cell was very small so I figure it died a while ago.
- Mar 17, 2014
- 238
- 15
- 98
At this point I would be afraid that the one in the live egg is stuck to be honest. I've heard of them sometimes going to day 24, but not often and I've never had that happen myself. I know many don't condone assisting, but I might recommend that at this point. Or at least poking a hole in the shell so it doesn't suffocate until you figure out if it is indeed stuck or not. I lost a few guineas once waiting too long. I've never lost one from poking a hole into the shell. Sometimes it made it to where I *had* to help them, but it never killed them. Do you hear any chirping? if so, are they just slight clam peeps or are they frequent? Frequent calls can be a sign of struggling to break out.
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- #7
Another float test this morning and there was still movement so I decided it was time to do the deed and open it up. I was halfway expecting an exploding egg for some reason. What I found was a moving chick that was surrounded by totally dried out membranes.
I removed as much egg and membranes as I could while still leaving the chick in the egg. I moved his head so he could breathe.
This chick had no chance at all. Very deformed/ The beak was in 2 different places. It did not line up at all. It looked like there were no eyes. The legs did not look right either. It died within a couple of minutes of me putting it back into the incubator.
So what I wound up with was 9 out of 12 eggs. I can't complain.
Thanks for all the advice.
I removed as much egg and membranes as I could while still leaving the chick in the egg. I moved his head so he could breathe.
This chick had no chance at all. Very deformed/ The beak was in 2 different places. It did not line up at all. It looked like there were no eyes. The legs did not look right either. It died within a couple of minutes of me putting it back into the incubator.
So what I wound up with was 9 out of 12 eggs. I can't complain.
Thanks for all the advice.
- Mar 17, 2014
- 238
- 15
- 98
Oh I'm sorry to hear that
. Unfortunately, it sounds like it was trapped in the egg too long. I had that happen the first time I had the issue when I was hatching lavender guinea eggs. I lost 5 to that
It's just all part of it. Enjoy those new little peepers though!!! I bet they're adorable
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- #9
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