Pipped for 24hrs, No Zip

[Reyvaughn]

I am worried about one egg w/ a large pip hole (hole is big enough for it's head to fit through). It's been like that for over 24hrs and it is not zipping. It's breathing and I can see it moving, but it is just not coming out. I have had other chicks pip and zip in the amount of time it took it to pip it's large hole. I don't want to help it out if I don't have to. Should I be worried? What should I do?

 

[Me & Jack]

If it were me I would peel back a bit of shell to see if the blood vessels had reabsorbed. If so, I would definitely help that baby out.

 

[Mahonri]

If you've opened the bator at all since it first pipped, it may be stuck.... (It's why we say, "Don't open the bator")

I had one for our New Year's Day Hatch that didn't start zipping until almost 20 hours after it first pipped. It eventually hatched on it's own and is BEAUTIFUL.

If you did open the bator, you may need to help it a bit as described above. get a WARM wet paper towel to dab the membrane. If you see blood vessels, wrap it in the WARM wet paper towel (leaving the pip area free) AND stick it back into the bator. Check back about ever 4-6 hours. You may have to take a tiny bit of shell off at a time until the head is free and then stick it back in so that the yolk can absorb completely.

Good luck.

 

[Reyvaughn]

I opened the bator to get the other 9 chicks out. They kept pecking at it, since the hole is so big. The humidity hasn't dropped below 60% since hatching began. I know, don't open the bator, but the other chicks were causing to many issues. Because of them, I have a chick that got trampled and rolled after hatching and I am sure it's not going to make it.

It is through the membrane. And you can see the membrane is still moist. It's still moving around and you can see it breathing yet. It just doesn't want to come out. We are nearing the 36hr mark. It isn't even trying to break through.

 

[Mahonri]

Guess it's time to start helping... VERY SLOWLY.

 

[Reyvaughn]

I helped it out. It wasn't going to come out on it's own. It wasn't shrink wrapped, but it was stuck to the shell on it's leg. It's abdomen is full. It pooed in the shell and couldn't go again. There was no blood vessel and the yolk was absorbed. I'll get pics a in a few. I am not sure it it's going to make it. It's pretty weak.

 

[Reyvaughn]

I left the stuck on shell for right now. I couldn't keep the towel warm enough to clean it off and I didn't want it out of the incubator for to long.

ETA: It's trying to get it's legs up under it's self but it can't. Hope it starts pooing soon so it can relieve some of the stomach size. I should have busted it out last night like I was going to. Now I feel horrible...

 

[Reyvaughn]

The chick's abdomen is much smaller this morning but it still can't get up on it's feet. I'm worried now that not getting up on his feet may have caused it some harm. Seems most of the abdomen size was caused by fluid, not so much by poop. It is pooping and I am keeping an eye on it for pasty butt. I'll bet pictures of it again later on. It has a buddy now. I had another one hatch overnight. Looks like I may only get 11 of the 24 eggs I originally set. And 2 of them have problems...

 

[Reyvaughn]

The chick on the right with it's back towards us is the chick I had to help out.
I woke up to an incubator not holding heat. It went down to 88 degrees. It's at 97 now, and it's turned almost all the way up. I had to take this chick and another one (to the left of 36hr Chick) out and put them in with the ones that hatched yesterday.

36hr Chick's belly is totally down. I have been giving it and the yellow chick at the bottom of the picture Poly-vi-sol to help with their weak legs. 36hr Chick can't walk yet, but sits on it's hocks. It does have a slight spraddle leg issue, but it isn't nearly as bad as many of the other chicks i have seen with it. I was told he/she may have Mushy Chick. I hope not... I didn't get many Mille Fleur eggs, and this chick was one of them.

 

[Sphinx]

It sounds like it wouldn't have made it out on it's own.

If it does have a slight case of spraddle leg, you'll want to start treating it IMMEDIATELY. I didn't notice my chick had it til she was 3 days old, and I think it was too late. I've kept her leg hobbled ever since, but she's almost 2 weeks old now, and there's zero improvement.