I hatched out 1/2 a dozen bantam mixes yesterday and the day before. They are all a day old now and fluffy lil peepers eating and drinking today. I noticed an egg had pipped, but nothing more last night, and it was weakly peeping. I noticed the membrane had dried almost solid and decided to interfere with nature and help the lil guy out. I know most people say dont help, but I couldnt watch him die, he came this far already.
I had a bowl of hot water, a wash cloth and my small hands to do the work it took to get her out safely. I picked off the hard shell so it was a soft mass in my hand, and was rubbing the hot/warm water all around the hard dry spot of membrane. I soaked the cloth in warm water too and wrapped it around the soft egg. I kept wetting the cloth with hot water so the baby didnt get cold being out of the incubator.
I then got the membrane pliable enough to roll it out off the baby, and exposed a little of what was leftover from not being absorbed, then stopped, covered him back up with the cloth and let him soak for about an hour sittig under a warm light. I didnt want to tear anything so made sure everything came off with little or no force.
I tore a small vein during this and stopped and waited too, but he stayed alive
I let him sit until everything that hadnt absorbed before, had time to do so in the moist heat of the cloth.
I got all the goo, and membrane away from the chick and set him under the lamp to heat for the night.
I woke this morning, and found him alive and looking great, he is drying nice and fluffy, but he cant stand
he is peeping louder, but can only kind of roll around.
I tried to hold him up, but his legs seem to be either very weak, or possibly unable to bend at the knee? They stick out the front of him/her under her neck a bit, I'll have to upload a photo.
I think maybe helping him hatch was a bad idea, especialy if nature knew he was messed up a bit and couldnt get around to poop and eat??
Can someone tell me what I should do? Can I try to maybe splint his legs so they are upright?? I dont know now, I'm awfuly sad ... hopefully time will strengthen him enough??
I had a bowl of hot water, a wash cloth and my small hands to do the work it took to get her out safely. I picked off the hard shell so it was a soft mass in my hand, and was rubbing the hot/warm water all around the hard dry spot of membrane. I soaked the cloth in warm water too and wrapped it around the soft egg. I kept wetting the cloth with hot water so the baby didnt get cold being out of the incubator.
I then got the membrane pliable enough to roll it out off the baby, and exposed a little of what was leftover from not being absorbed, then stopped, covered him back up with the cloth and let him soak for about an hour sittig under a warm light. I didnt want to tear anything so made sure everything came off with little or no force.
I tore a small vein during this and stopped and waited too, but he stayed alive
I got all the goo, and membrane away from the chick and set him under the lamp to heat for the night.
I woke this morning, and found him alive and looking great, he is drying nice and fluffy, but he cant stand
I tried to hold him up, but his legs seem to be either very weak, or possibly unable to bend at the knee? They stick out the front of him/her under her neck a bit, I'll have to upload a photo.
I think maybe helping him hatch was a bad idea, especialy if nature knew he was messed up a bit and couldnt get around to poop and eat??
Can someone tell me what I should do? Can I try to maybe splint his legs so they are upright?? I dont know now, I'm awfuly sad ... hopefully time will strengthen him enough??
