Should I help the chicks-pic posted

[sewchick]

Here's what happened. Our power went out for 5 hours on Tuesday night. The temp in the incubator went down to 75. The chicks are one day before hatch. Now to the problem. Yesterday two chicks died while breaking the shells. This morning I have two more that have been working for a number of hours already and haven't got very far. Should I help them? I think the reason they are having such a hard time is because they are weak from the power outage and maybe they got chilled. What would you do if you already had two dead at pip stage. Would you help the others? Thanks.

 

[saladin]

It really is your call.

Personally, I don't help chicks out. If they are that weak (regardless the reason) I don't want them on the place; I'll just end up culling them later.

 

[Chickens n' more]

I would help. Two weeks ago, I lost a chick after several hours of pipping. One hatched out on its own overnight that night. The other two had been pipping all night so I helped them. They are fine. It is totally your call. I did lose the one I helped out of my batch before.

 

[vpeterson]

what about your humidity? did it go down too? My humidity dropped in the 50s overnight and now I have a chick who has been struggling all night. The membrane looks white and possibly dried out and I am wondering if I should intervene?

 

[waibel zoo]

If the membrane is dry, then wet it with a q-tip or a small paint brush. Just a little though. Don't get theiir nostrils wet. They can drown. I give them 24 hours from pip. Now I have had them pip, but they just broke the shell, not pop a piece off. I have popped the pieces off and made sure there was a whole in the outer membrane, so they could get air. Give them at least 24 hours from pip. Their struggling is what pulls the yolk into their bodies. Make sure your temps are better and humididty is 60-65%. Good luck.

 

[sewchick]

I lost another one and one made it. I have just the one so far out of 16 eggs. They are black copper marans. Only a few more to go. Some were not fertile.

. If I can just get three I would be extremely happy. I have one out in the barn that is 2 months old and doing very well. The only one that hatched out of 6 eggs in that batch. I had to buy a mutt chick so it would not be lonely. Funny thing is the mutt chick looks like the bcm.

Close to 100.00 for 22 eggs. Only 2 bcm's so far. That is rather expensive for eggs....don't ya think!?

 

[worldwidechick]

It seems like the BC marans eggs are extra hard for the chicks to get out of. We help ours out because I am sure it's a humidity problem, not because the chicks are weak overall. The ones that hatch first seem to do the best, the last two or three often need help. That is a lot for eggs, but we have paid it lately too. Hope the chicks are really good ones.

 

[sewchick]

5 black copper marans hatched.

Two we helped out of shell. I still have 3 in the bator and I don't think there is anything in them. I will let the bator go until tomorrow night. I am extremely happy with the 5 I have. I have 6 total one is 2 months old from the previous hatch. I think that is a good hatch considering the power went out for hours. I got one mutt chick that hatched and a couple more in the bator that isn't doing anything. 5 total eggs left maybe something will hatch. Not real hopeful though. Thank you for all your help. It really did help. I will post a picture tomorrow. Wish I knew how to sex them....

 

[cocosandy]

Ive had lots of problems with silky/showgirl babies and humidity too...
they can pip but the membrane is thick so they fight and fight but I can see that they are breathing in the membrane and drying it out. I lay a warm moist paper towel over the egg being careful not to cover where they are breathing from, but now a few times Ive torn the membrane for them...and the babies are strong! Its just that the membrane is thick and even with the humidity high in the incubator, they are breathing inside....I had one where the membrane dried on its back and head and I had to soak it off with moist paper towel! Poor guy! He is fine and Im glad I helped him.
Under the broody hen there was one with a little pip hole and a beak sticking out....the membrane was hard and the poor thing died trying to get further out.
I cant figure why the membranes are so thick on these eggs. But it seems to be from this rooster and his bantam silky and showgirl chicks.
I wont help till its desperate, but if the thing gets its leg out overnight and is kicking with one leg and peeping through this hard opening in the membrane, well, Im gonna give that membrane a little tear and let the chick do the rest!

 

[sewchick]

This is what I got out of a total of 20 eggs.
5 black copper marans
and
2 Giant Blue Cochins-anyways that's what they are supposed to be. One is white the other is gray.

I really feel lucky to have the black coppers. I thought I would not have any that would hatch. I like the other two as well.