I need help!!! Turkey chick still alive in egg.

[Teresaann24]

Ok i had 4 turkey eggs 2 hatched yesterday and 2 were left. Neiter of the other 2 had pips and no movement. I checked my dead eggs like always opening up from the air sac in a small whole checking for any life the 1st one i did this was dead. The 2nd one I did this too I saw movement I wetted and ringed out a peice of paper towl and put it over the open hole I made. Now what i see is a nice breathing fully developed turkey chick inside with a missshapped air cell running down the side from the top of the egg.


Now what do i do? Do I help or do i wait and see if the little guy can get out himself? He has not even piped the egg and they were due yesterday and all the other hatched or were piped and this one is not.

 

[Lov'emSouthernEggs]

I'm so sorry to hear about your turkey. What an awful decision this is to make.

I had two chicken eggs that did this. I ended up helping them out. They are now 2+ weeks old and seem to be doing really well. I made the decision by saying "If I leave it alone and it dies...then I will feel like I didn't do everything I could. If I help and it is dead or dies then I know that I helped. If I help and it lives...well then all is good." Also, there might be something wrong with it...part of hatching is survival.

I used tweesers. I worked slowly and I let them come out of the bottom of the egg on their own. I removed enough of the egg that they could stretch out. That way if there was anymore yolk or if things hadn't dried enough it still could.

This is a hard question and unfortunatly there isn't an answer. Like all mothers...follow your gut. If it screams leave it alone...do that. If it screams do something...then do it.

Good luck!

 

[cherig22]

This is a hard question and unfortunatly there isn't an answer. Like all mothers...follow your gut. If it screams leave it alone...do that. If it screams do something...then do it.

Yep. If it was me, I would keep it moist like you are, and watch. More than likely after another 12 hrs or so, I would help. Little at a time, and then leave it alone and let baby try for himself. It's hard, but I saved one, and have lost one.

Cheri​

 

[miss_jayne]

i agree with the two members above. keep it moist and let it do as much as it can for itself. if it isn't tough enough to get out, then it most likely isn't tough enough to survive.

only help as a last resort. go slow and only help as much as necessary to aid, not do it for them.

prayers going out over you little poult!

 

[MissPrissy]

I just finished a turkey hatch this morning.

Get a good wad of papertowels well wetted with very warm water. Wrap the egg loosely in it. Wait until this afternoon late and check to see if it has pipped its inner membrane. Keep it loosely swaddled in the warm wet toweling. Keep checking every few hours and help as needed. If the membranes are dry dampen them. If the chick is stuck help in tiny bits.

Proceed with caution. Use common sense.

Good luck.

 

[Teresaann24]

Thanks everyone for your advice I am keeping it damp it is still alive and I have not tried to help anymore I am waiting....

However I have 2 very healthy babies! They are super cute and I love the way they peep they sound like they are whistling!!!

 

[miss_jayne]

it's hard to be waiting on them for sure. you can do it! maybe go do something 'dirty' like pulling weeds! then you wouldn't be able to help. and it'll pass the time.

 

[Teresaann24]

I am getting ready to go out and let my chickens free range for awhile so that will keep me busy keeping an eye on them for the rest of the afternoon so I hope I hope!! That its atleadt piped the air sac by tonight.