Should I assist my chick hatch?

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Personally I don't because although harsh if they don't hatch by themselves they are often not strong enough to make it through.
 
bromflock said:
Personally I don't because although harsh if they don't hatch by themselves they are often not strong enough to make it through.
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It all depends the circumstances of the need for assistance. I have only lost one assist and he/she made it over a week, but had digestive issues going on. My best egg layer was an assist that woud have never made it out on her own due to the malepositioned position she was in. Just as strong and healthy as the rest. Many times chicks have problems hatching, not because they are weak or "shouldn't" hatch, but because our inept attempts at incubation putting them in "unnatural" incubation/hatching conditions.

Assisting eggs that are 4 or 5 days late, I personally feel, carries a large probablity of helping weak chicks that will either die or need to be culled at a later date. Assisting a hatchling before it's ready to hatch is most likely going to result in the chick dying.

I believe that people have valid reasons for not helping, however, in my experience, assisting has had positive effects on my flock as opposed to the opposite.
 
I agree with Amy. She and I have had many discussions re: assisting. IMO, there are lots of valid reasons for assisting a hatch. Particularly, malpositions which may present as chick pipping at wrong end or below the air cell, chick not being able to get head in right position for the pip, with head stuck between legs, or stuck under a wing (while normal pip position DOES put head under a wing, sometimes, they get stuck there and can't position the beak properly for a pip). Then, there's the sticky or shrink wrapped chick. All of these situations can result in a chick that is otherwise perfectly healthy not being able to complete the hatch. ALL of my assists have been with chicks that I am confident would have died, if I did not assist. And almost all have gone on to be very healthy chicks. 24 hours after the assist, I can not tell which chicks were the assisted ones. IMO, a chick requiring assist is most often related to the size of the chick in relation to it's "egg shell" container, or poor hatching conditions. While we do our best to provide optimum humidity and temp throughout the incubation and hatching period, we are dealing with a natural process that we have "mechanized", and it is subject to human and machine failure.
 
Thank you for all the responses.
Also, my first chick that hatched has a huge swollen butt and the back of its neck is huge and swollen as well. Is that something to be concerned about? This is so new to me. Sorry for all of the questions.
 
Pictures would be helpful so the experienced ppl can get a good idea of what your describing, I'm new as well, sorry I can't help but wish you the best of luck!
 
Thank you all for everything. I face a new problem today. I have a new hatcher with something protruding from its bloody (literally bloody- not cursing) vent.
400
 
Looks like an umbilical hernia to me. I think you're seeing the umbilicus. Can you dab a bit of betadine on it? keep it dry. Or use some bacitracin or some triple antibiotic. Don't let the other chicks peck at it. It should resolve on it's own.
 
Hope it turns out alright! Good luck! Where can you find betadine locally? Im about to have some eggs hatch as well as receive some few days old, want to have it on hand. Walmart? Tractor supply? pharmacy store?
 

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