As an update on my eggs and chicks:
The four eggs in the incubator were all alive and due to hatch, but again, two were backwards in their shells and drowned even though I did my best to help them out and clean their mouth and noses. It was really sad. The one that was upright I assisted some as well and was doing really well. I gave her (Jean) to Goldie who was already on Rip, but he was too weak. I was really sick and having terrible asthma so I couldn't go out. My Mom went out and moved them for me, putting them into the crate where they would be safe. However, when she went to check on them she found poor little Jean was nearly dead from having been too weak to get back under her mother when her mother shifted. Mom brought Jean in and gave her some TLC by cuddling her close and holding her over a heat-pad. She ended up strengthening completely up and is now doing well back with her mother and Rip.
I'm going to be candling my eggs soon, which are in the incubator, but right now I'm just trying to keep them at the proper temperature and turn them often enough because I want to avoid any more backwards chicks drowning on me. : (
I really want to know what causes chicks to be upside-down in their shell. Is it because I didn't turn them often enough? Is it genetic? Was the shell too small? Did I open the top of the egg a day too early? I would love any suggestions or answers, because I really don't want it to happen again. I've rarely had any chicks hatch naturally in my incubator and now over 50% are upside-down and drowning. It makes me wonder how hatcheries can make any money if this is normal. I must be doing something wrong.
Malpositions
Step by Step Guide to ASSISTED Hatching - BackYard Chickens Community click HERE
Oh NO!It PIPPED the WRONG END!
MALPOSITIONS
It is common to lose about 1-2% of the chicks due to deformities and malpositions. Deformities occur during embryo development, while malpositions occur the last week of incubation. Malpositioned embryos are unable to pip the eggshell and escape due to improper positioning within the egg. The chicks can have difficulty positioning for pipping, absorbing the yolk sac, or changing from embryo to chick breathing air. The majority of malpositioned embryos that have died in the shell probably resulted from exhaustion and/or lack of oxygen. One GOOD thing to remember is that SOME malpositions are Lethal and some are not! Occasionally, malpositioned chicks will hatch unassisted but the hatch does need to be monitored closely to ensure that the chick is not becoming stressed, or stuck. Often as a result of the position in the shell they have been unable to absorb all of the yolk. Please refer to Navel SECTION BELOW.
Common reasons of Malpositions are:
Eggs are set with small end up.
Advancing breeder hen age and shell quality problems.
Egg turning frequency and angle are not adequate.
Inadequate % humidity loss of eggs in the setter.
Inadequate air cell development, improper temperature and humidity regulation, and insufficient ventilation in the incubator or hatcher.
Imbalanced feeds, elevated levels of mycotoxins, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
Lower than recommended temperatures in the last stage of incubation.
Normal hatching position and the six recognised malpositions Images:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/1608/investigating-hatchery-practice-examining-the-hatch-debris
ASSISTING MALPOSITIONED CHICKS
The external pip of a malpositioned chick is actually both an internal and external pip, these are also the hardest to deal with because they are made directly into a fully active membrane and not into the safety of the air cell. Be extremely careful not to puncture the membranes directly under the shell as this is likely to cause a bleed.
PLEASE READ THIS ARTICLE IN ITS ENTIRETY
BEFORE YOU ATTEMPT THIS ASSIST!
The decision to intervene and how fast to progress with assistance is not simple and there are NO RULES except… SLOW SLOW SLOW HOURS HOURS HOURS and MORE HOURS!
A chicks chances are slim with these kinds of malpositions so recognize that your trying to give it a chance to live! I have lost a few malpositions and saved a few! EXPERIENCE WITH ASSISTING is VERY HELPFUL! Assistance should take place in stages. Stopping after each stage of assistance gives the chick a chance to complete the hatching by itself.
Assisting Chicks that have ALREADY pipped the wrong end
or have pipped in an air pocket within the egg (seen while candling, or hearing their chirps). If the chick has made a successful external pip at the wrong end or somewhere in between, you can monitor them and see if they can hatch out themselves, if no progress in say 10-12 hrs begin a slow assist, keep reading. If the pip is not successful you will need to create one, chip a tiny bit of shell away from the center of the crack. Make sure there is a slice through the outer membrane so air can get in. TINY means less than 1/4”. If the pip has fluid running out of it create a viewing hole to check if its still viable.
ASSISTING~ If the chick does not progress, membrane looks brown or seems exhausted after (give or take 8 hrs), begin assist by slowly chipping outer shell as to create a viewing hole to see whats going on in there. CAUTION ~ SLOW as the view hole in the case of a malpositioned chick is actually the external and internal pip in ALL cases. They are difficult! More so than the standard view hole, as they are made into a fully active membrane area and NOT into the safety of the air cell. The membranes directly under the shell should not be punctured accidentally as this is likely to cause a major bleed.
Assisting CHICkS that you SUSPECT Malposition w/o pips
THIS is by FAR THE WORST SENARIO and SO HARD to Distinguish between Not ready to hatch and malpositioned! If you suspect you have a malpositioned chick (the egg is overdue for hatching) and HAS GONE PAST day 21 and the hatch of everyone else…. you can open air sac, (DO NOT OPEN BELOW AIR CELL LINE!) follow the instructions above on opening the air cell CREATING an EXTERNAL PIP. BUT FIRST Study the common malpositions as pictured in this article so you are familiar with its anatomy!….
Normal hatching position and the six recognised malpositions:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/1608/investigating-hatchery-practice-examining-the-hatch-debris
After carefully removing air cell end, wet a finger and feel and look for the beak through the membrane. IF there is A LOT of fluid under the membrane you may have a wet/mushy chick or one that simply isn’t ready yet, place them back in the incubator and wait! DO NOT OPEN THE INNER MEMBRANE! If a lot of fluid is NOT present, look for its big round eye, or beak, or even wing to help you find its head. JUST LOOK AND FEEL THROUGH THE MEMBRANE AT THIS POINT DO NOT OPEN IT!
If you find its beak/eye/wing take your tweezers and create a small hole in the inner membrane AVOIDING ANY BLOOD VESSELS! Depending on position you may need a larger hole, just AVOID vessels as much as possible. You may need to gently lift/pull the head from under the wing and by gently extending it may be sufficient to allow the chick to complete hatching. (If you do hit a vessel quickly using a dry clean paper towel or gauze hold for a few seconds and bleeding will stop.) After this stage the chick will look as though he is gasping, place in incubator & let it rest at this point. Let the chick rest until the blood vessels recede, follow instructions for assisted hatch above from this point on. WAIT WAIT WAIT! Oh and WAIT SOME MORE! AGAIN. this is the HARDEST position to get a chick to live, but at least your giving it a chance at life!
IF YOU DON’T FIND its beak/eye/wing from the air cell end or see a yellow/orange sack DO NOT break the membrane! I HATE HAVING TO DO THIS STEP AND depending on egg cost I WONT EVEN TRY AN ASSIST! It is Hard understand and find how a chick is positioned! IF YOU CANT FIND ITS BEAK, you can make a guess as to where you think it is after refering to that link and its pictures on malpositions, and carefully chip ONLY OUTER EGG Shell away at the guess area. (Example: If you see the butt or yolk sack when you took the air cell end off, you have the bottom of the chick, you will refer to the link with malposition pictures and take a guess at how the chick is situated at the other end or SIDE of the egg) The membrane will often be brown where the beak is trying to break through. If your lucky and find its beak, create an air hole there so the chick can breathe and if you didn’t find it DO NOT open the membrane, refer back to the position ANATOMY pics and try another spot and keep trying! As LONG as your only taking the Shell off and not causing blood loss and NOT disrupting and inner membrane your ok! ITS HARD to figure out a position and I am finding alot of times their head is tucked in the middle of the egg between butt and feet! After you found its beak establish clear beak for breathing, let the chick rest until the blood vessels recede, follow instructions for assisted hatch above from this point on. WAIT WAIT WAIT! Oh and WAIT SOME MORE!
SHIPPED EGGS & Malpositions!SADDLE SHAPED AIR CELLS are very COMMON with shipped eggs!
Saddle shaped is when one or both sides have a large "dip" in the air cell. For the best way to incubate shipped eggs please refer to the Shipped Egg Section in… https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/incubating-w-friends-helpful-notes-links-informational-post-links
Quote:
A lot of times with saddle shaped cells the chick doesn’t position correct for hatching and their feet can easily get stuck behind their head and “smoosh” the chick so they can’t move, it can also force the yolk sack and everything more north in the shell.... First lets Look at this position.....
Note the top of the egg (air cell end) and how far down one side of the egg this air cell goes. Some times the chicks CAN do the internal pip but cannot hit that outer membrane/shell. This is why you should pencil mark the air cells and keep a close watch on them at hatch, especially if they seem "later" that the rest by about 6-12 hrs. I will begin an assist by candle and tapping to make sure I have that internal pip, HOWEVER in this case you cant see the internal pip too well because of the angle, so I always tap to see if I hear them. IF you DO hear a chirp or see an internal pip then follow the Assist steps first in this article. If not I check again in another 6 hours and repeat...
-Kathy
Quote:
Common reasons of Malpositions are:
Eggs are set with small end up.
Advancing breeder hen age and shell quality problems.
Egg turning frequency and angle are not adequate.
Inadequate % humidity loss of eggs in the setter.
Inadequate air cell development, improper temperature and humidity regulation, and insufficient ventilation in the incubator or hatcher.
Imbalanced feeds, elevated levels of mycotoxins, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
Lower than recommended temperatures in the last stage of incubation.
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