NOT FOR THE SQUEAMISH - Need Advice with Potential Assisted Hatch

[IvanK]

Hi! I've hatched a lot of eggs in my life and had to assist only once in the past 3 years...and it was successful. I basically just had to zip and pull away dried brown membrane. This time its different and I have no experience to base my actions/decisions on.
Currently, it's hatch time. It's been 36 hours since the egg in question pipped. The chick made a solid dime sized hole to start ...enough for the beak to stick through. So it's breathing. But 36 hours hours later and no progress...so I acted a little.
The membrane around the hole was brown and dry so I quickly took the egg out and started to carefully assist. Lots of life inside at this point...the chick seem vigorous. Now I started to zip the shell a little but noticed no membrane was coming off with or even visible underneath...its all adhered to the chicks body further down. This is where I stopped because I can still see veins in the membrane and there seems like there's a lot of fluid underneath it - even as its stuck against the chick. The chick's head is clear of it so its breathing easily. My concern is that maybe just maybe its still absorbing the blood and yolk? The situation isn't great and either way an assist is going to be needed...I just want to hear opinions on the fluid that I see and if I should give it more time...if I were to act, my next step would be to start peeling away the membrane that's shrink wrapped to the chick. Is fluid still normal at this stage/should I help more or is fluid a sign that things still need to absorb? To be clear, there's not a ton, but there is noticeable moisture content under the membrane....hard to explain but if you've seen this before, you'll know what I mean. Advice will be super appreciated. Thanks!

 

[MGG]

Hi! I've hatched a lot of eggs in my life and had to assist only once in the past 3 years...and it was successful. I basically just had to zip and pull away dried brown membrane. This time its different and I have no experience to base my actions/decisions on.
Currently, it's hatch time. It's been 36 hours since the egg in question pipped. The chick made a solid dime sized hole to start ...enough for the beak to stick through. So it's breathing. But 36 hours hours later and no progress...so I acted a little.
The membrane around the hole was brown and dry so I quickly took the egg out and started to carefully assist. Lots of life inside at this point...the chick seem vigorous. Now I started to zip the shell a little but noticed no membrane was coming off with or even visible underneath...its all adhered to the chicks body further down. This is where I stopped because I can still see veins in the membrane and there seems like there's a lot of fluid underneath it - even as its stuck against the chick. The chick's head is clear of it so its breathing easily. My concern is that maybe just maybe its still absorbing the blood and yolk? The situation isn't great and either way an assist is going to be needed...I just want to hear opinions on the fluid that I see and if I should give it more time...if I were to act, my next step would be to start peeling away the membrane that's shrink wrapped to the chick. Is fluid still normal at this stage/should I help more or is fluid a sign that things still need to absorb? To be clear, there's not a ton, but there is noticeable moisture content under the membrane....hard to explain but if you've seen this before, you'll know what I mean. Advice will be super appreciated. Thanks!

Yeah, this one will definitely need assistance. I'm not sure about the liquid, is it a certain color? I would wait until the fluid is gone to safely assist further. When you assist, do not remove the inner clear membrane against the chick. Only the outer one. The inside one tears very easily and will take any lower veins with it. I would maybe if anything prop the big end of the egg up a bit, that might help the fluid stay away from the beak and eyes, and it might encourage absorption.

 

[IvanK]

Yeah, this one will definitely need assistance. I'm not sure about the liquid, is it a certain color? I would wait until the fluid is gone to safely assist further. When you assist, do not remove the inner clear membrane against the chick. Only the outer one. The inside one tears very easily and will take any lower veins with it. I would maybe if anything prop the big end of the egg up a bit, that might help the fluid stay away from the beak and eyes, and it might encourage absorption.

Thanks for helping. I've just taken a photo and attached it to this post. The chick appears wet BUT it is not...it's lacquered with the inner membrane I guess. You can see some vascular stuff to the bottom right and under that there is some fluid. I notice one eye is glued shut as well. I think this little one made too big of a hole too soon causing the insides to dry. Also, the image doesn't show it but I just removed the very top portion of the shell (back when I did the assist/zip)...the chick is still very much inside. His/her head is moving around but it seems like the body is stuck. It's the veins and fluid that are holding me back. I have a feeling that I should give it until morning before trying to help any further? Worth noting is that never at any point did I see liquid blood. Thanks.

 

[MGG]

Thanks for helping. I've just taken a photo and attached it to this post. The chick appears wet BUT it is not...it's lacquered with the inner membrane I guess. You can see some vascular stuff to the bottom right and under that there is some fluid. I notice one eye is glued shut as well. I think this little one made too big of a hole too soon causing the insides to dry. Also, the image doesn't show it but I just removed the very top portion of the shell (back when I did the assist/zip)...the chick is still very much inside. His/her head is moving around but it seems like the body is stuck. It's the veins and fluid that are holding me back. I have a feeling that I should give it until morning before trying to help any further? Worth noting is that never at any point did I see liquid blood. Thanks.

View attachment 2105133

It doesn't look too bad to me. The membrane looks fine. Rub some coconut oil on the membrane. It definitely needs to do a lot more absorbing. I would moisten the eye with some warm water on a q-tip and try to loosen it a bit so it doesn't become permanently damaged.

 

[IvanK]

It doesn't look too bad to me. The membrane looks fine. Rub some coconut oil on the membrane. It definitely needs to do a lot more absorbing. I would moisten the eye with some warm water on a q-tip and try to loosen it a bit so it doesn't become permanently damaged.

Ok good so you can tell by what you see that it needs more time. That's what I thought and I'm so glad I stopped...wow...it'll be 40+ hours by the time its is hatched. I'll put some oil on the membrane like you said. I've also had the humidity set a little higher to try and keep things loose. I'll post something new to this thread if I find myself at a loss again. I really appreciate your advice. Thanks.

 

[MGG]

Ok good so you can tell by what you see that it needs more time. That's what I thought and I'm so glad I stopped...wow...it'll be 40+ hours by the time its is hatched. I'll put some oil on the membrane like you said. I've also had the humidity set a little higher to try and keep things loose. I'll post something new to this thread if I find myself at a loss again. I really appreciate your advice. Thanks.

Glad I could help. It's great that you're helping the little one. Keep up the good work. Sounds perfect.

 

[Uff Da]

Read this: Step-by-step guide to assisted hatching