Pipped wrong end, when do I help.

[Shenanigans80]

I have a chick that pipped last night at the skinny end of the egg, I noticed this morning the membrane around it is starting to turn brown. How long to I wait to go in and help this baby? I can see its beak moving and it is still breathing. Thanks in advance!

 

[davemonkey]

If no progress has been made after 12 hours of initial pip, it's time to investigate. Note that I said "investigate", not "hatch". If the chick is relatively quiet, it may still be resting and not ready to hatch. If it is chirping like a wild bird that just drank 20 cups of coffee, then it's wanting help.

I'm going to post a link to some great instructions...be back in a jiffy...

 

[davemonkey]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101

This is posted in the "Learning Center" under the heading about hatching eggs, etc... I have used this both times when I hatched in an incubator and it is a priceless gem. Scroll down to the portion on pipping the wrong end and what to do.

 

[davemonkey]

Sorry for the machine-gun posting...but I also wanted to add this: I have had at least 10 chicks pip the wrong end of the shell, and all of them lived to tell about it, HALF of them didn't need any help. Those that I did help, I went SLOWWWWWW, removing just a bit of shell, inspecting the membrane, seeing that blood was still present, waiting another 2 hours, then back to checking it.... The process goes on for hours, and the slower the better. Remember, that chick has lived safely inside that shell for 3 weeks. As long as it can breath (and it can now) it is fine. Be patient.

 

[Shenanigans80]

Thank you! My biggest concern was the browning of the exposed membrane. I have done lots of reading as I am still pretty new to hatching. I can see it breathing and moving its beak, so I know for now its okay. I did chip away a little bit of the shell and noticed blood vessels so I left it alone. I also used a wet q tip and moistened the membrane.

 

[davemonkey]

Sounds like you are doing it right. Check on it every couple hours or so. My bet is that by this evening, you'll have a hatched chick (but don't rush if it doesn't).

 

[Shenanigans80]

I hope so, then I wont have to worry about it as much. It pipped last night, so keeping fingers crossed! I keep going in and peeking in on it, there are 4 hatched babies in the incubator now with it so maybe they can talk him/her out!

 

[Shenanigans80]

We have a chick!

It hatched just about an hour ago. I was going to post a picture but it is still in the incubator.

 

[Tumbleweed Farm]

We have a chick!

It hatched just about an hour ago. I was going to post a picture but it is still in the incubator.

Congratulations! Every chick I have had that pipped in the wrong end made it out ok with no assistance. It is worrisome though. Glad your baby safely hatched!