Silkies have trouble hatching

[ManiCraft]

We bought 6 silkie eggs for our broody hen.

24 days later, some chirped in the morning. We checked on them in the evening, but there was nothing. Turns out, 4 out of the 6 died. The remaining two now have a hole drilled in their air sacs, what would be the next step?

We moisturize the membranes every 20 minutes, and keep them under a warm lamp.
The left one has already breached the membrane, the right one has not.

 

[MegsEggsx]

I have no experience, but to me, they look like they are shrink wrapping. Are they in an incubator? You need to be keeping the humidity levels high and stable. This is probably why the rest are dead. Be ready to assist them hatch.

 

[MegsEggsx]

Oh, wait are they under a broody?

@aart
@Callender Girl
@Eggcessive

I think these chicks need help. I literally have no experience though.

 

[aart]

We moisturize the membranes every 20 minutes,

With what?
Use oil/ointment, not water.
Coconut oil is best, IMO, but neosporin or something similar will work too.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

 

[Eggcessive]

It would be good to know if you are using a proper incubator or a broody hen. What is the temp and humidity in the incubator? I am not an expert on incubation, but I can find some info for you.

 

[Kiki]

Broody has been sitting on the eggs or you have had them in an incubator?

What made you open the shell?

 

[aart]

@ManiCraft ...any news?

 

[ManiCraft]

I didn't know they needed coconut oil, and they were under a broody hen, but we kept them under a powerful lamp once the eggs were open. We opened the eggs to give them oxygen, and these were alive.

Since then, a day later, the right one died in the egg, but we succesfully assisted the left one in hatching. Its abdomen has closed, but it didn't open its eyes or stand up yet.

 

[ManiCraft]

Update: the chick looks healthy, it opened its eyes and laid upright. It hasnt dried yet.