Stuck Chicks....

[Madviolin]

Has anybody helped a stuck chick out of an egg?? I have never had a problem i was just wondering...

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Has anybody helped a stuck chick out of an egg?? I have never had a problem i was just wondering...

Yes, I have. One of my now 9 week old chicks was a very malepositioned chick that I helped. She is now a healthy pullet. Same hatch I also had a turken that was having problems and was shrink wrapped. I aidded him as well. Unfortunetly there was more wrong there as he had digestive problems and died a little over a week old.
There's a great reference on assisted hatching here on BYC if you ever need it: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching .

 

[Madviolin]

Thanks! All the books seem to say "Don't do it the chick will die anyway!!" but i wanted to hear what other people had to say...

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Thanks! All the books seem to say "Don't do it the chick will die anyway!!" but i wanted to hear what other people had to say...

A lot of people go under the theory if they can't get out themselves, there's something wrong and they will either not be strong or good enough or they will just die anyway. Assisting should only be done when the hatcher is sure not helping is not an option and it shouldn't be done because someone is too impatient for the chick to get themselves out. When you help too soon or because you can't wait, chances are you are going to compromise the life of the chick because it isn't ready to hatch. It takes a long time for them to do the job. But I feel if there is something wrong, if the chick has been trying 18-24 hours and seems weak, if I think it has a chance of dieing, I'm going to help. Yes, there's always a chance it may still die after helping, but I'm not one to not try to help if I think something is really wrong.

 

[Purpletie3]

I have assisted 4 chicks hatch so far. I have one alive and doing well. One was a mess and we had to put it down. I think the other two may have survived but one ate cedar chips (my first chick only to hatch out of 15; my fault)...the other one passed. But, my little Rhodebar rooster is doing great! Hanging with the silkies...he's a month now.

I would def assist again. Most of it I think is my Operator error. I would not assist until everyone is done hatching day 22 and there are no open pips...my first assist was the first to pip and chirp for 24 hours and I assisted and may have ruined the humidity in there~bc no one else hatched.

Def review the assisted hatching thread in here. It really covers the bases! Best of luck!

 

[RedneckRedhead]

I have helped about 10 eggs hatch, 4 have lived. I feel it is worth helping them to give them a chance.

 

[RoosterDon]

What does shrink wrapped mean?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

What does shrink wrapped mean?

Shrink wrapped is when they don't have enough moisture/humidity at hatch and the membrane dries around the chick, literally "shrink wrapping" them in. It also occurs when too much moisture has left the egg during incubation. This is why the best way to control your humidity is by monitoring the growth of the air cell during the incubation.