Preparing myself to try to hatch a double-yolker - advice?

[LA~Poulet]

I know normally advice would have been not to try to hatch double-yolkers, but I was sent three out of a dozen in eggs I ordered, so I wanted to chance it instead of tossing the possibly viable eggs.

2 don't appear to be developing, but one definitely is, and actually looks like there might be two embryos inside.

Can someone help me learn more about what to watch out for, and when to perhaps try intervention at hatch time? I know it has been done in the past on here, I don't want to intervene if it is unnecessary but would like to help out if one (or both) chicks need it to survive.

 

[Kennyog]

I never try to hatch them.They will rarely ever hatch out right.Sorry i didn't have better advice for you.Good luck though.

 

[Pick-a-LilyFarm]

A hen could probably hatch a double yolker, so why can't you. The only advice I would like to give, is if after at least 12 hours of pipping and if there is no zipping, I would start peeling away at the egg in a zip pattern like the chick would normally do. Make sure that you have a brooder set up(all toasty warm and ready to go), crock pot w/water (set to warm), wash cloths (soaking in the crockpot), and tweezers available before you start to zip. Grab a washcloth out of the crockpot, and wring it, but make sure it is nice and moist and not too hot, then place the egg in it and bring to the brooder under the warmth of the light (would be nice to have everything close and handy), then take the tweezers, and start picking away at the pip area in a zip pattern. If the egg is chirping and not bleeding continue. If it starts to bleed, it is not ready and stop and put back in the bator along with the washcloth. Wait an hour and try again. If no bleeding, continue until the babies slide right out. If the membrane is dry, use q-tips, cotton balls, or even your fingers, and use the water from your crockpot to dab the membrane...it will soften and release from the chick or from the chicks feathers. This is what I did with two eggs just the other day after 24 hours of no zipping. My chicks were ready to be born, but just couldn't zip for some reason. I am so glad that I decided to go ahead and help them. I can't tell them apart from the other chicks now. My first pip was the last to be hatched only because I intervened...Good Luck...I hope all goes well with your hatch!!

 

[LA~Poulet]

Thank you, Carol. I wondered if there are two but only one pip, should I try to help the one on the other end, if it seems to be alive?