No!!!!!!!!!!! Not again...

[volchick]

I posted earlier about an egg that I had under my broody that she picked almost all the shell off leaving the membrane. Well, the last egg to hatch pipped today. When I left to pick up my dd at school there was a dime sized hole in the egg so I left it under mama thinking everything would be okay. Just got home to find that mama had picked off half the shell and she and the four chicks were fighting to eat the bloody membrane. Before I could even do anything they got the entire shell of and were fighting over it. I managed to get baby out and under the lamp I had set up for the other one and put the other one (which is doing fine - up and wobbling around) with the mama and chicks. Got the blood and shell and membranes out of the crate so they would calm down and went back to see how the new one was. I got all the shavings off it to assess the situation and it looks like its organs are laying on the outside... This is my first (and the broody's first) hatch so I don't know what to do. It's hopeless, right?

 

[FenDruadin]

Probably it's the yolk sac on the outside. Not great, but don't despair completely. Wrap it in something moist--a paper towel or such--with its head out, and let it sit where it is warm (98-100 degrees) and won't be disturbed. It is normal for the yolk to not be absorbed right before the hatch--the process of pipping and zipping causes the yolk to begin being absorbed. It may still be okay--just give it time and quiet to recover, and plenty of moisture so the yolk doesn't dry out. Good luck!

 

[volchick]

Gotcha! I didn't know when the yolk sac was absorbed. Got a wet paper towel around it now. It's laying in one of my hat boxes with the light over and temp is close to 100 on the meat thermometer. Why would the mama do that, is that normal??? Could it be because she was just over the whole hatching business (first egg hatched Thursday night or Friday morning)? I'm ready to eat her now...

 

[FenDruadin]

I don't know--I've never hatched under a broody--although I had some ducks that tried to go broody and at around 20 days (ducks go 28), they began destroying the eggs--dead ducklings all over the pen--it was awful. I think she's either inexperienced, or, like you said, just DONE. Sorry that's happening--that stinks. Sounds like you've got it under control though.

 

[volchick]

By the way, thanks for the advise! I really thought it was goner, although I know it still may die... How long does it take for the yolk to absorb? I really hope if this one makes it that it's a girl. It's mom is a red star (or so we were told) and dad is an Ameraucana (or so we were told). So if a girl we've got an ee... if a boy... dinner...

 

[FenDruadin]

It can take hours and hours. I don't know more than that--maybe someone else will chip in. I've never had one hatch with the yolk unabsorbed, I've just read it here and seen what a duck looks like when it dies before hatching with the yolk still unabsorbed. And I know it takes hours and hours in the shell to absorb, so I'm assuming the same is true out of the shell. Sorry I'm not more help! I'm rooting for the little GIRL.

 

[volchick]

Well after googling and looking at the few pictures I found I'm thinking (s)he's not going to make it. It looks much worse than the pictures I found. I'm leaving it alone for now 'cause my 6 yo is really upset about it... I read the thread about culling new chicks and I really don't look forward to that...