Congrats on the healthy hatchling.
We have had chickens for about five years so we are not anywhere near experts. We had a sitter the second year and hatched a few. One pipped but did not make it out. Experts say that helping them out is a last resort, but when is it necessary? In our experience, the one that did not make it out was shrink wrapped by the dried out membrane. If the chic has not made it out 12 hours after pipping, the membrane will dry out, shrivel up, and prevent the chic from getting out. Sometimes, like last year, the egg may get damaged while being sat on. We keep an eye on the eggs. It one has not made it out in 12 hours, we check for life, remove more shell, and then use a warm, wet paper towel to moisten the membrane. You can tell my it's color. Clear means it is good. If it is turning hazy or white, it is drying out.
If we have to moisten the membrane and still waiting, we will check it again and break more shell. It is true that it may be a weaker chic, but at this point it is dead anyway so why not give it a chance. If you must help it out, chip away the small end careful not to cut into the membrane. The membrane is full of large veins. Cutting a vein will cause the chic to bleed out. After removing entire small half of the egg shell, continue to moisten the membrane. At this point, you can keep an eye on it. Momma hen will have a responsibility to do her thing. If you feel the need to finish the hatching, slowly and carefully cut the membrane avoiding the veins. We generally do this to ensure it will make it out. After removing half the shell and cutting through the membrane, we then remove shell from the bottom half. only about another forth is all that is necessary. By this point, Momma hen will peck at it and get it moving around so it can finish it's journey.
Last year, we had an egg get damaged 2 weeks into the sitting. We just took the end of a shell that we used for scrambled eggs that morning and stuck it over the end. WE were not sure it this would hold the moisture in. It started pipping about a week later. Being that it had two holes in it, we checked it every hour. As soon as the pip hole got large enough to see in it, we started with adding moisture and removing the end cap that we had added earlier. We did not give it as much time to hatch since the 12 hour timer for drying out was shortened by the accidental air vent in the end. It was drying out too fast to let nature run its course so I did remove shell and cut through membrane. Today, Izzy is a healthy hen that just needed a little bit of help.
Damaged egg
Still there and chirping
No pic of end cap, but removed it and moistened
Clear membrane, see all the veins?
Izzy running around. Izzy is short for Is he gonna survive but is female
We have had chickens for about five years so we are not anywhere near experts. We had a sitter the second year and hatched a few. One pipped but did not make it out. Experts say that helping them out is a last resort, but when is it necessary? In our experience, the one that did not make it out was shrink wrapped by the dried out membrane. If the chic has not made it out 12 hours after pipping, the membrane will dry out, shrivel up, and prevent the chic from getting out. Sometimes, like last year, the egg may get damaged while being sat on. We keep an eye on the eggs. It one has not made it out in 12 hours, we check for life, remove more shell, and then use a warm, wet paper towel to moisten the membrane. You can tell my it's color. Clear means it is good. If it is turning hazy or white, it is drying out.
If we have to moisten the membrane and still waiting, we will check it again and break more shell. It is true that it may be a weaker chic, but at this point it is dead anyway so why not give it a chance. If you must help it out, chip away the small end careful not to cut into the membrane. The membrane is full of large veins. Cutting a vein will cause the chic to bleed out. After removing entire small half of the egg shell, continue to moisten the membrane. At this point, you can keep an eye on it. Momma hen will have a responsibility to do her thing. If you feel the need to finish the hatching, slowly and carefully cut the membrane avoiding the veins. We generally do this to ensure it will make it out. After removing half the shell and cutting through the membrane, we then remove shell from the bottom half. only about another forth is all that is necessary. By this point, Momma hen will peck at it and get it moving around so it can finish it's journey.
Last year, we had an egg get damaged 2 weeks into the sitting. We just took the end of a shell that we used for scrambled eggs that morning and stuck it over the end. WE were not sure it this would hold the moisture in. It started pipping about a week later. Being that it had two holes in it, we checked it every hour. As soon as the pip hole got large enough to see in it, we started with adding moisture and removing the end cap that we had added earlier. We did not give it as much time to hatch since the 12 hour timer for drying out was shortened by the accidental air vent in the end. It was drying out too fast to let nature run its course so I did remove shell and cut through membrane. Today, Izzy is a healthy hen that just needed a little bit of help.
Damaged egg
Still there and chirping
No pic of end cap, but removed it and moistened
Clear membrane, see all the veins?
Izzy running around. Izzy is short for Is he gonna survive but is female
. should i plug the holes? should i place a hand held little fan inside? please some one help me
