Need help! Baby chicks in distress (I think )

[JuneBugRanch]

My sneaky Japanese bantam hen had a secret nest I found thi morning. When I walked in the coop I heard cheeping!! I can't believe it. 3 are fine, one was dead and the other 2 the big girls got ahold of. They cracked the shells in the air pocket. I quickly got mama and babies to safe place in coop away from big girls.

The 2 I am worried about are still alive and membrane intact inside the shells. I can't ind any info if not using incubator. These have a mama chicken who seems to be a good mom so far.

Should I help them out of the sack or leave them be. There is a hole the size of a quarter on each egg at the big end. I'm afraid they will dry up?

I'm in Oklahoma and I only let them go broody in spring. 105 tomorrow and I'm worried sick about chicks that are alive. Should I bring them inside ? Also what to do about helping the ones still in the egg??

Large outdoor run plenty of shade for my chickens just wasn't plannin on having chicks!!!
Any advise is appreciated.

 

[JuneBugRanch]

I solved 1 problem... The heat. I moved mama hen & 3 chicks & 2 eggs to my climate controlled office. It's set at 80 so mama is comfy and she can keep them warm.

I need help with problem 2!
The 2 eggs are broken open on top (not by zipping but by other chikens) and I can see the chicks in the sack. Do I open the membrane and help them out? I'm afraid it's going to dry out. Do I just leave them and hope? Advise please! :/

 

[MaineGigi]

I don't have lots of experience, just a couple eggs that I helped hatch because they couldn't do it on their own at day 24! Are the chicks peeping inside the eggs or moving? My uneducated gumess would be to moisten the membrane so it doesn't dry out and wait for expert advice. I would think its a bit iffy because if there are still active veins then removing them could kill them I think. Wish I could help! Will keep my fingers crossed!
~Cathy aka Gigi

 

[real_redhead]

No advice but good luck.. bump!

 

[JuneBugRanch]

Thank you Gigi. My prob is I dont know what day it is. The other 3 hatched ok so I would assume any day. Mama was tricky hiding the nest! I wasn't suspicious because I saw her in the outdoor run with the others. It's amazing 3 hatched. Lol

I will moisten them tonight and look further for veins. So you think if they are just moving around inside the membrane no peeping ... Oh I don't know we will see what morning brings if I can't find expert advise on taking them out of the membrane.

Thanks again Gigi

 

[Roxannemc]

I dont know much either but Gigi was right i think as i have read others had this problem with the membrane showing ,I think it will dry out if not dampened somehow and shrinkwrap the chick .
As far as removing the shell if you dont know the timeline thats a tough call. If it were me i think i would wait and see if starts to pip itself .

 

[MaineGigi]

I think if they were peeping and you can hear them close to where the air cell would have been, I think you could remove them safely. If they are peeping then they were ready when so rudely openend up! I think you could do it very carefully.
~Cathy aka Gigi

 

[MaineGigi]

I think you could also put cellophane over the missing area of egg to keep it moist and wait for them to hatch out on their own.
~Cathy

 

[JuneBugRanch]

This morning when I checked on them it looks like Mama hen picked away a lot more of the shell and there were feathers showing out I the membrane. They were also rolled to the other side of the big box they are in. It's obvious to me that she wants them out of her way. They both look 1/2 dead with part of their yolk still attached. I have them inside in a bathroom with a headlamp. They are alive but not doing well. I hate letting nature take its course. I don't know what else to do.

 

[mstricer]

Did you take them out of their shell? The heat would not have been a factor. My hen hatched eggs last year during a heat surge. Even during the last few.days she would left up to cool the eggs. She did great after they hatched. You probably should not have moved her she would have hatched them in the coop. In the safe place that is.