My chick pipped the wrong end of the egg

[chicksooner]

My last egg in this hatch has pipped the wrong end. It has pipped completely thru and is moving from what I can see. Do they need help when they do this backwards or do they usually make it on their own.

 

[Ridgerunner]

That chick has a much better chance if you leave it alone than if you try to help.

The reason a lot of chicks die when they pip at the wrong end is that they drown because they did not internal pip into the air sac. But if yours has external pipped and is breathing air, it is past that danger.

That chick has to absorb the egg yolk, dry up blood vessels it no longer needs and absorb that blood, and do who knows how many other things before it zips. If you try to help it before it finishes all that, you take a real risk in killing it.

I strongly advise you to leave it alone.

 

[chicksooner]

Thanks. I was worried it would not be able to move to zip. Would rather not help. Waiting at this point.

 

[dolly85]

I had one pip at the wrong end in my hatch last week and after 36 hours it had made no progress. At that point I helped it zip the shell but did not break the membrane. I put it back in the incubator and he finished on his own within a few hours. Watch it close for progress. If it makes none in a day then I would help.

 

[chicksooner]

I finally helped it a little bit ago. It had been working so hard for so long. I took off shell and moistened membrane and then left it for a bit. Made no progress with that so I peeled back the membrane and it pushed its way out in my hand. No blood and no yolk so I guess it was ready. It is hanging out in the bator with a buddy and getting his legs working. Seems perfect other than starting life outside the egg from the wrong end. Thanks.

 

[dolly85]

Congratulations! Everyone seems to think touching hatching eggs and helping a chick is "taboo". I've never killed or injured a chick helping with a hatch or had it result in a sick, dead, or weak chick. Its a matter of knowing when to help and how long to let those guys struggle. I find it senseless to let a perfectly healthy chick die when a little help will allow it to thrive!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Congratulations!  Everyone seems to think touching hatching eggs and helping a chick is "taboo".  I've never killed or injured a chick helping with a hatch or had it result in a sick, dead, or weak chick.  Its a matter of knowing when to help and how long to let those guys struggle.  I find it senseless to let a perfectly healthy chick die when a little help will allow it to thrive! 

I have. Often they die a day or two later.

 

[chicksooner]

Thank you both for your opinions. I am grateful to the byc family that helped me through this. We shall see what tomorrow brings for the little backward stinker.

 

[chicksooner]

Here is a pic of my backwards upside down baby.

 

[mhaddon]

Awww! I wonder why it is taboo? Do you think a mother hen in nature would help them out or do they just let them die? Very curious as I've never looked into it myself