Should I help this chick hatch or it is ok?

[evers310]

Hi there!

Told you I wasn't going to get any sleep tonight!!

I took those 3 and worked with them a bit but theyre still in about half of their shells. They had all pipped but made no progress since then. One of the shell flakes fell off of one of them and it was totally white and hard underneath! I checked the other one and sure enough, same thing. I have GOT to fix this humidity problem before any eggs go back in that incubator.. thats for sure. All 3 are doing just fine. I've just left them to rest and work the rest of the way out themselves. They're peeping every now and then and seem to be just fine now!

All these problems and the humidity is reading closer to 90%.. you know i was thinking... do you think all of this is happening because they had been outside under their mother all this time where it is ultra humid here and then my taking them in and putting them in an incubator is what could have caused all of this? such a change for them?

I can't imagine how awful this hatch would have turned out and how many babies I would have lost if it werent for this forum. I know I keep saying that but you guys just dont realize how appreciative I really am.

Ive officially been up over 24 hours now with these eggs!! Talk about dedication!!!

 

[yinepu]

too high of humidity during incubation would have caused your chicks to drown.. so that's not the issue with the hard dry membranes..

I still suspect that your hygrometer is off..

so make yourself a strong pot of coffee (or grab that red bull) and keep an eye on the rest.. lol.. at least you will have live chicks when all is said and done!
So how many eggs are left?

 

[yinepu]

Quote:
I just had a thought.. (yeah.. i know.. scary stuff)... what was the humidity when you FIRST put them in the incubator?

 

[evers310]

Omigoodness! What happened??!?!?!

This baby was doing just fine and then just all of a sudden did this really big KICK and his shell went flying behind him but it was full of blood! I have no idea why? Was it because he just pushed it off so hard that it ripped something off?

it's doing ok but thats a lot of blood for a chick! I cleaned him up because it was all over him too and it doesnt look like its bleeding anymore but I took a picture to show you.. you can also see his belly.. will he be ok??

Direct link: (bigger picture) https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/3O6wThX5t7UgjI0A9RHbFy8QMGDYzLwkk8b7-uEsLhA?feat=directlink

 

[evers310]

I think it was at like 40 or something.. I cant remember for sure though I was just concentrating on getting it up to 60 at that point.. :-/

I have another question for you: I can still hear peeping and I still see a few eggs rocking in the incubator... but because of my apparent dry membrane problem.. should they not hatch later today, would it be a good thing to try to crack the egg a bit and see if the chick is in trouble? Or will it be too late at that point? This is when I really wish I had xray vision!! I hate the thought that maybe they cant pip out because of the membrane issue :-( and they will just die in there :-(

How much longer can they stay alive inside their egg once others have hatched from the same clutch of eggs?

 

[evers310]

Wow! 8 babies hatched out so far today! 23 still in the incubator!

 

[ContessaKris]

Oh my goodness. This thread is better than TV! Just like a mini chicken soap opera!

Crossing all my fingers for you that all the chicks hatch okay. What an ordeal! You're a brave one.

 

[classicsredone]

I don't know what the issue is, but I'm having trouble with hard white membranes, too. My humidity was steady at around 40, and is at 70 now. I know the hygrometer is reading correctly.

I'm glad your little guys are doing well!

 

[yinepu]

Quote:
yeah.. sounds like he still had a few small veins that hadn't quite dried up yet.. normally as the chick zips it's movement causes the veins to stop the blood flow.. this little guy didn't get them all turned off yet.. but since the majority were he should be fine so long as no bacteria enters his navel.. what you're seeing on his belly is basically his belly button.. where the yolk sack used to be.. in a perfect hatch that little spot closes completely before the chick leaves the egg... so keep an eye on him.. if he dies several days from now you'll know it was a bacteria issue

 

[yinepu]

Quote:
that MAY have been a bit lower than what it was under the hen... so that would have been the cause of your initial issues.. as a test once (when I lived in humid delaware) I put a hygrometer with a probe under a broody hen.. the humidity was about 90% outside .. under the hen it was 85.. she managed to hatch most of her eggs though.. I have no idea how she did it,... but nature can be funny like that

Do you know if all the eggs were set at the same time?

if the eggs are rocking it's the chick moving into position to hatch.. so they SHOULD be fine.. it would be great if we knew what day of incubation they are on.. but since we don't it's a judgement call on your part. if it was me I would give them until tonight.. or even until tomorrow morning.. I'm not there with you though.. so the final decision would have to be all yours

I have taken late eggs and poked a small hole into the air cell to see if the chick was still alive.. but be warned.. IF you go that route.. and the chick is alive... considering the problems this hatch has had.. you will need to make sure each of those eggs are wrapped with wet paper towels.. your humidity is very high and then you may still have to assist.. IF they have not internally pipped things get very touchy with an assisted hatch.. you would ONLY be able to remove shell.. keep the membrane moist and let the chick hatch on its own since the blood will still be flowing and the yolk will not be absorbed.. it CAN be done.. but it would be a more delicate process than what you have just done.. so if it was me I would wait a bit and see if any of those peeping eggs pip on their own