Peeping egg won't hatch!

[georgia2]

WE have a bantam hen who went broody. We put 1 of her eggs and 2 full size under her . Monday morning we discovered one of the larger eggs starting to hatch. It still had not completely come out by Wednesday so I chipped little by little until she could free herself. The inside of the egg looked strange to me because it had like a brownish color to one side and the membrane was solid and hard like she couldn't crack it. She is doing fine now but the other 2 eggs have peeps from the inside but neither have begun cracking the shell. I know you aren't supposed to help a chick to hatch because they need to go through the hatching process so their bodies will be strong but I don't know if I need to help these guys out. I don't know how long they have been incubating because we forgot to mark it. The mom is starting to loose broodiness to take care of the chick that has already hatched. Any advice??

 

[RoyalPayne]

This is hard, but, if it were my chicks, I'd crack the eggs, small hole? round end of the eggs. I've never heard tell of chicks peeping and not be ready to come out. Since the one eggs membrane was hard, I'd assume the other is also. Candled yet? There are signs in an almost ready egg. Keep us informed, however you decide.

 

[Happy Camper]

Tough one cause I am lacking info... well , I have hatched eggs at home with a homemade incubator... I had once to "help" cause the chick had been trying to free himself for hours and was loosing energy...

The membrane was already dry and stuck to its body so I just wet it a little with a q tip and help very little with tiny tweezers... There are some videos that could help you do it the right way in you tube for example... you have to be extremely careful and patient cause you risk a lot when you jump in, but sometimes that's the only way to go if you are committed to the chicks. Meaning if you cause any damage or the chick is born weak, (before) you jump in , it would be important to be very committed with whatever happens afterward.

If you just want to make sure you get a healthy chick, just let it be... only a very strong - meant to be one, will make it alone...

Ultimately, your call... best wishes.

 

[georgia2]

Thanks guys! I have read some articles I found here and on line and think I need to intervene. THe first ones membrane was totally dried out and stuck to the feathers. There is NO sign of them cracking the egg or making a hole. So now I have to decide how to proceed. How to make the hole, how long to take in getting it all the way off, to moisten the membrane and leave for a while? I don't know. To start tonight and moisten and then wait to see if it can do the rest? Will study up some more then go to it!! Will let you know!!
thanks again!!!

 

[Terri O]

Good luck! Just get it open a littel and then moisten with a paper towel...let the chick do most of the work itself. Terri O

 

[georgia2]

Well I went to work last night and put a little crack in each egg. The standard size egg was rotten so got thrown away REAL FAST ! The bantam egg had faint and infrequent peeps. I chipped a little piece off, then another to expose the membrane solid and rubbery. I did like instructions said and moistened it with a moist washcloth. It seemed as though it couldn't move at all so I put a tiny hole in he membrane where it seemed the beak was to help it get moving. After I had moistened it several times I saw blood. I cried and we put it back in with mum! Early this morning we checked on it and found that the membrane was dried and stuck to the chick encasing it and there was no blood so I figured it was dried blood and when I moistened it it became red again. So now I could see it still wasn't coming out and needed our help or it would die. I pulled the dried stuck membrane off the top part and began chipping the shell in tiny pieces. This freed it enough to give it relief and it seemed to sigh! I felt brave now and started slowly cracking more and more. AS almost all of the shell and membrane was gone I SAW BLOOD !!! I was in upset but knew it was too late to go back and removed the remainder. It still had a tiny cord stuck to the shell and a tiny amount of blood. WE put it back in with mom and checked on it every 15 minutes or so. It perked up and began moving and peeping! She seems to be doing fine now and is getting under mom and coming out and moving around and pecking at the food. AS of right now both chicks are doing well. Hope it continues. THanks to all for the advice!

 

[Happy Camper]

Wow!!! Good for you and the chicks!!! I know it takes so much courage and you go through an emotional rollercoatser when you do this... Only people that have done this can really understand that even when one jumps in, one is still very aware and worried about repercutions, consequences and committed with the well being of the chicks...

I am so happy for you and the chicks

... Just watch them carefully cause if they have still some parts attached from the membrane or sac, others can peck on them and harm them... Congrats!!!!

 

[RoyalPayne]

So, how has it gone? I wondered, after I gave up on one of my blue banti eggs only to discover a half formed little one. Sad.