need help now! hatching problem!

[tgrlily]

Quote:
If the membrane is damp, just add moisture to the box you're hatching in for now. If you chip, try to just chip the egg, not tear the membrane. A tiny bit of blood is normal. Too much & it will bleed out. If there is blood, I'd stop. You can also set it right on a damp paper towel & loosly drape it around the egg for added humidity. You don't want to drown the chick either. If you have a thermometer, put it in with the egg & chicks to monitor the temperature. You want it to be near 98 to 100 for hatching.

 

[hvnsnt3388]

I chipped the shell back a little over halfway. I have put warm damp washclothe areound the egg, placed t under the heat lamp and will give it time to do its own thing. It really seemed to appreciate the little help, so crossing fingers that I didn't do a bad thing and it gives it the extra incentive to finish.

 

[tgrlily]

Quote:
Keeping my fingers crossed for your chick to hatch!

 

[hvnsnt3388]

So far so good. It has slipped from the egg and membrane. Its still somewhat attached near the vent with a little blood showing. I have it under a heat lamp and am checking every 30 minutes. Its peeping and trying to raise its head. I think its gonna be ok!

The other chick is now trying to get its legs...eyes are still staying shut alot but seems to be doing much better. I made sugar water and am using a spoon just dipped in the water and putting small drops on the end of its beak. It take the water pretty readily.

The one that just hatched is confusing me. One wing has all white feathers...the other wing has half white half barred. I think the pied laid an egg in the IB nest!

 

[trudigale]

Yeah!!!! So glad things are looking good! It is so hard knowing whether to help or not to help --- to lose one because we help is horrible --- yet to lose one because we do not help is also horrible ---- what to do

Hope your day can calm down a bit now and you can just enjoy watching your babies perk up and get active!
Trudi

 

[hvnsnt3388]

I think I may have rushed the gate a little. The area where there was blood is dried up and not damp with blood anymore....but it just seems so lethargic. The other hatchling seemed to be active within 30 minutes. Its been a hour or so now. Should I try giving a little sugar water to this one also. Its the only pied I have had hatch this season. I sure would like to see it make it
I know its been soooo hard to try not to intervene. I've been up almost all night trying to not freak out too bad. Thanks for the advice!

 

[ColbyNTX]

I know the hen was crushing the babies but with no incubator I would have chanced her hatching them. Trying to hatch under a heat lamp is next to impossible! The heat sucks up all the humidity almost giving the chick no chance. Since she doesn't seem to be a good mother, I would get some silky hens for next year to hatch them. Is this her first hatch? You would have been better off using like a 10 gallon aquirum with wet sponges and a heat source on the outside. Cover the top with cardboard and regulate the temp by uncovering part of the top and spritsing more water for humidity.

 

[hvnsnt3388]

An incubator is definitely in our future for any more hatchings!

No, its not her first clutch. She had a 9 hatch clutch last season. She is a great mother, but this was the first clutch penned up. She had been free ranging prior to march of this year. She also nested in a not so desirable location. Oon top of a brooder cage. She wasn't able to make a good indention in the ground becauase th brooder cage is plywood top. I think that's where part of the problem came into play. We have also had a serious problem with ants. There were no ants on any of the deceased. So i dont think thats what happened to them.

I hated to take the eggs but i felt like if i didnt, no babies would have made it.
Iam keeping my fingers crossed that at least these 3 will make it. The one that hatched this morning around 4 isdoing great! The saved baby from yesterday seems to be turning around. This last hatchling, its gonna be hit and miss. Its acting like the chick from yesterday. Other than sugar water, is there anything else anyone can think of that may help it out?

 

[hvnsnt3388]

Update**

So far so good!! We've had a rough two days but the weakest of the 3 is finally standing and walking. Its pecking at food and drinking on its own. Im still supplementing with a peanut butter vitamin slush but it looks and acts so much better. I know we are not out of the woods totally yet but.....things are looking up. I have learned a few valuable lessons from this and am thankful that the mistakes I made didn't cost the lives of these 3.
now, anyway to determine gender at this age?
how about color? They parents are dark pied male, india blue split pied and possibly another hen may have laid an egg in the nest....its all yellow, dark streak down back, Boon white wing, one half whit and dark wing, halo from eyes to back of neck (dark) and a few dark spots on back of neck. Pictures are hard to upload with dialup....I will take pictures on my phone and maybe be able to get them uplaoded later.

Thanks again for the help!!