Need Help Now!

[kimntep]

I candled then did the water test and I definitely have one baby left and Mary has not gotten back on the nest in 4 hours or so. I have a heating pad on low with a damp cloth all wrapped around this egg in a basket. What else do I do???

 

[yinepu]

how many days has it been and what kind of bird is it?

 

[kimntep]

I believe today is day 23 for this particular egg. The others began hatching late Thursday evening to last night and mama has abandoned the leftover 4 eggs for the past several hours, only taking care of the hatchlings. The broody is a BO, but this egg is from a young RSL.

 

[yinepu]

if it hasn't internally pipped yet you can do one of 2 things..
keep it warm and keep the humidity up (minimum of 65%) like in an incubator (I'm assuming you don't have one or else you would have put him in there already).. to keep the humidity up I would completely wrap the egg loosely with moist cloths
OR make a small hole into the air cell and see if the chick is ok.. if it is you can cover the hole with moist paper towels or cloths and wait for it to hatch on its own.. if it's having a problem you can assist the hatch

 

[kimntep]

Quote:
How do I put a hole in the egg? And the air cell is on the big end, right?

 

[yinepu]

candle the egg to see right where the air cell is.. it SHOULD be at the large end.. but candle to be sure

you can use the point of a sharp knife.. a nail file point.. a large needle.. ice pick.. awl.. anything with a point on it where you can wear away bits of the shell a little at a time to make a hole..
I use an exacto knife

 

[kimntep]

Ok..then what? Am I looking for anything specific? I KNOW there was movement during the water test, but I heard nothing.

Quote:

 

[kimntep]

Someone pls help! Should I try to put this one egg back under her???

 

[Dewsetter]

I would be tempted to take a chance and put it back under her in the hope it may hatch still. I have opened an egg that wasn't ready to hatch (4 days after the rest of the eggs hatched) and the chick died. It's a horrible thing to live with and I would rather it had taken it's chances. What ever you decide to do good luck.

 

[yinepu]

first.. you need to see if the chick is alive.. did you make a hole in the shell?.. or did you put it back in the nest?