Should I help the hatch?

[eviemethugh]

I just joined but all of the wonderful information here has helped us through so much!! This is our second time hatching eggs and the first time we went to sleep to nothing and woke up to babies, it was easy!! Today is day 21 and 2 of the eggs pipped last night and one of them almost totally zipped over night. The two of them are chirping and rocking but it's been more than 20 hours since pip and it hasn't finished zipping but has been trying to push out all day today. However I can also see it hasn't absorbed the whole yolk. The membrane looks good (not stuck) and we haven't touched the incubator since Monday.

There is also a Wilkie egg with a pip in it that I am itching to help get out!!! Since it's such a small egg should I help? The other eggs are large and very thick shells so I am thinking they may not hatch until tomorrow. Maybe it was a mistake to put 3 different breeds in when we are figuring all of this out?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[CascadiaRiver]

I say wait another few hours, then maybe take something like tweezers or a pin and make a slight 'pip' in the shell but not too large and make sure the chick is ok ^^ Just be carefull~

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I just joined but all of the wonderful information here has helped us through so much!! This is our second time hatching eggs and the first time we went to sleep to nothing and woke up to babies, it was easy!! Today is day 21 and 2 of the eggs pipped last night and one of them almost totally zipped over night. The two of them are chirping and rocking but it's been more than 20 hours since pip and it hasn't finished zipping but has been trying to push out all day today. However I can also see it hasn't absorbed the whole yolk. The membrane looks good (not stuck) and we haven't touched the incubator since Monday.

There is also a Wilkie egg with a pip in it that I am itching to help get out!!! Since it's such a small egg should I help? The other eggs are large and very thick shells so I am thinking they may not hatch until tomorrow. Maybe it was a mistake to put 3 different breeds in when we are figuring all of this out?

Thanks in advance for your help!

If you see any yolk, leave it be. Better in than out w/unabsorbed yolk. Sometimes it takes over 20 hours to hatch. As long as the membranes look good and there is action and movement, it's best to give them more time. As for others give them 24 hours after your last hatch before you get too worried. Do you have a mobile device you can use beside your bator? If so, play this:

It will help motivate the pippers and zippers.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I'll answer your question with a question of my own. If you were facing a Cesarean delivery would you chose some one to operate who had never delivered a baby by Cesarean section before? If not wait.

 

[kuchchicks]

Unless of course there was no one else to operate and the baby were going to die if the C-section was not done... I think sometimes being new we get a little worried because we don't realize how long it actually takes for these eggs to hatch. I do believe that for the most part these little guys are able to hatch on there own with Nature behind the wheel. BUT with that said (and having worked as a labor and delivery nurse as well as a paramedic who has delivered babies in less than ideal situations) I also think there is a time and a place to intervene. Been there, done that. Just know that by getting involved you could actually cause what you are trying to prevent. I think that you need to really educate yourself on the HOW and the WHEN before you actually do. Also keep in mind though that every OBGyn who does perform C-sections at one time performed their first! And everyone of us that has ever helped a chick hatch did it for the first time once too! In the words of one of the wisest women I have ever met (my midwife - LOVE you Sue Hudson!!), "trust your gut!"

 

[eviemethugh]

Thanks everyone! The Silkie flew out of its shell in about 30 minutes from starting to zip. The other two the membrane started to turn white so we did have to intervene. The first one was easy, I just helped a tiny bit and it hatched on its own. The second one we realized its wing down was glued to its poor little head. So I had to work on it a bunch. We wrapped it in a warm wet cloth and put it in the bator in between short egg and membrane removal sessions. I hope it makes it! I think that for our particular climate I might have to try something different to keep the humidity stable since the Silkie was fine but then the other two weren't. We have a few more that hopefully get rocking tonight! Thanks again for the opinions!!

 

[kuchchicks]

What is your humidity at?

 

[eviemethugh]

It stayed above 65% but I was using a dropper to add water without opening the lid. Will a sponge maintain the humidity better? I kept both of the red caps off the holes, but maybe I need to leave one on?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

It stayed above 65% but I was using a dropper to add water without opening the lid. Will a sponge maintain the humidity better? I kept both of the red caps off the holes, but maybe I need to leave one on?

I use sponges and it hold my humidity well at lockdown, (and I use 75%). I also have BOTH vents open.

 

[kuchchicks]

I had my humidity at 75%. It was the best hatch I ever had. But surprisingly the only way i could get my humidity up there and stay up there was to fill all 4 channels and then add a sponge as well. I had mine set up ahead of time with IV tubing. When my humidity started to fall I would just add a little water (kind of like you with the dropper).