May 2020 Hatch-A-Long

[LeslieRowley]

Our chicks were due the 22nd/23rd and ended up hatching 20 out of 24 that made it to lockdown. 3 eggs still in the incubator but not looking the best. 9 ameraucanas, 6 cochin mixes, 2 delaware, and 3 olive eggers

 

[sdm111]

If it zipped on it's own it should be safe to help. They typically don't start to zip until all of the blood and yolk is absorbed but if you're concerned you can start at the air cell to make sure the chick is ready. I've never had any issues with helping chicks if they get stuck when zipping.

This is incorrect. They do start to zip while still having blood veins on the inner membrane. That's why timing is key. After the veins dry up but before the chick dies

 

[Tbjenkins2007]

If it zipped on it's own it should be safe to help. They typically don't start to zip until all of the blood and yolk is absorbed but if you're concerned you can start at the air cell to make sure the chick is ready. I've never had any issues with helping chicks if they get stuck when zipping.

Thank you. Yea I can see it’s beak and it’s chirping. It literally looked cemented in. Maybe a warm moist washcloth and a warm dry towel?

 

[Tbjenkins2007]

This is incorrect. They do start to zip while still having blood veins on the inner membrane. That's why timing is key. After the veins dry up but before the chick dies

Sorry I just saw this reply. It’s been in there breathing and chirping , I can see it’s beak it looks completely stuck

 

[Perris]

the new members of my flock, conveniently lined up if mostly facing the wrong way!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

This is incorrect. They do start to zip while still having blood veins on the inner membrane. That's why timing is key. After the veins dry up but before the chick dies

They pip externally with full blood vessels but they rarely start to zip. If they did start zipping and still had full blood vessels you would see bleeding during the zip and when they hatch with the yolk sac not being completely absorbed it's usually due to another set of issues, too high of temperature, too high of humidity during incubation, and sometimes infection. I've hatched hundreds of chicks and those that have known me, know that I'm not very hands off, lol, so I promise I have plenty of experience in these things. It's a very low likelihood of stepping in too early once the chicks are zipping. But as I mentioned, going in through the air cell is a good precaution just to be safe when you're unsure. Hope I explained that better...

 

[AnnaWolf]

All of them

And Bandit

 

[CluckNDoodle]

View attachment 2157507
All of them
View attachment 2157509
And Bandit

Oh my goodness, bandit is so cute!!

 

[Tbjenkins2007]

They pip externally with full blood vessels but they rarely start to zip. If they did start zipping and still had full blood vessels you would see bleeding during the zip and when they hatch with the yolk sac not being completely absorbed it's usually due to another set of issues, too high of temperature, too high of humidity during incubation, and sometimes infection. I've hatched hundreds of chicks and those that have known me, know that I'm not very hands off, lol, so I promise I have plenty of experience in these things. It's a very low likelihood of stepping in too early once the chicks are zipping. But as I mentioned, going in through the air cell is a good precaution just to be safe when you're unsure. Hope I explained that better...

So it already had broke through the outer shell. And then it seems to have been cemented inside the shell. I’m trying to ungoo the baby so it can move out of the shell. It’s like a mix of shrink wrap and yolk glue. We shall see how this goes, I am hands off I haven’t helped a baby like this but watching it breath and chirp but stuck seems mean

 

[FortCluck]

.

So it already had broke through the outer shell. And then it seems to have been cemented inside the shell. I’m trying to ungoo the baby so it can move out of the shell. It’s like a mix of shrink wrap and yolk glue. We shall see how this goes, I am hands off I haven’t helped a baby like this but watching it breath and chirp but stuck seems mean

try using triple antibiotic ointment to get it unstuck. It lubes up the stuck part and it comes off easily.