Oh dear

[Sylv]

Three peachicks got themselves out of their shells very nicely. The 4th I had to help and then treat its splayed legs but they went back to normal in a couple of days. However this evening the poor little thing died. The other 3 look OK. With chicken eggs it is fairly well known that if they have to be helped out of their shells all is not well and it is probably not worth bothering but I was told peachicks should be helped if necessary. Now I am not so sure. Does anyone have any views on this?

 

[KsKingBee]

Well, there is helping and then there is helping. If it is simply just getting a bit shrink-wrapped because you keep opening the door too much and you have to help release the chick that is no biggie. But if you are pipping for it and removing a chick that could not hatch on its own then that is going to be a really iffy operation and most likely a chick that will not have much of a chance and not a fully healthy bird if it makes it.

I try to resist anything more than helping a shrink-wrapped chick, but I don't always take my own advice.