To help or not to help?

[dsqard]

I helped one out on my one and only hatch. I know a lot of people will not help out a chick that is stuck and when I have more experience with hatching I might not help in certain circumstances but in this circumstance I am very glad I helped. The chick was ready to hatch, the outer membrane had just gotten too dry for the chick to be able to move around enough to finish zipping. The chick is now five weeks old and doing great. No health problems at all. If the egg was clean and yolk fully absorbed dwegg, I think you did the right thing!

 

[dwegg]

I actually helped two out this morning about 6:30am both came out of the egg on their own after I took off the top end of the shell. They a both drying in the bator now and looking fine learning to walk around.
I took 8 babies out and put them in the brooder (fish tank) next to the bator..so cute! And I have those two still drying in the bator with two others still trying to get out. I will leave them till this afternoon then I will help if needed...I don't know why my last 4 eggs are having trouble...all the others were easy, fast and clean?
Those two I helped this morning were also very clean hatches....? The humidity is way up? Keeping an eye on this last two.

Well if they hatch..that will be 12 out of 15 shipped eggs...and those were lost at the post office cause it was shut down the week the ice and snow storm hit Atlanta...amazing little fighters!

Here are my 8 fluffy butts (the other two in the bator are doing great and nearly ready to be moved to brooder. I am so glad I helped those two. But I am glad that I gave them time to be 'ready' to come out)...

 

[Roscoe Red]

Hi, I'm new to the forum and hatching . I just went threw a simular situation. This was my very first hatch and post. I went into lockdown after 18 days and at the end of the 19th day I had my first egg pip. I went threw a agongizing 30 hrs with very little progress. I went to bed at midnight and decided if there was no progress I was going to intervene in the morning but woke up at 3 am and it finally started to zip and was out within a hour. After reading 100's of posts on this topic threw the 1300 pages I'm glad I waited. But every situation is different and I'm always glad to hear of a good final outcome. I think may saving grace was we piped a day early . Great forum and I'm thankful for all I've learned from everyones experiences.

 

[dwegg]

so i have 5 Black Copper Marrans (4 feathered legged) and 5 Blue Ameraucana...2 eggs still hatching...

 

[midget_farms]

I had 1 shrink wrapped - I left it alone for a full day but in the end had to help it out. It lost most of the feathers around its head too. BUT - its doing very well & despite being an ugly duckling (or chicken in this case) she is doing just as good as all the rest.

 

[dwegg]

Ok so I just helped my last chick out of it's shell and it totally kicked off it's shell in my hands once I took more than half the shell off. It came out totally clean and is already standing. This last one pipped Friday morning then nothing so I went for it and it was so ready to be out but just couldn't? Don't know why?

So I ended up helping out my last 4 chicks...three came out totally clean and strong and there was blood with the other but even it is doing good now and walking around...still a little weak though but it has only been two hours for that one.

I am so happy that I intervened with these four as they are all going to make it....

 

[gryeyes]

For this current hatch (Chinese New Year) I assisted a chick which had zipped all the way 'round the shell, but then stuck due to the dried membrane along every bit of the zip. I carefully chipped away at the eggshell and it ALL came off, so I had a little membrane-wrapped, lumpy, wiggly, package of chick in my hand. Had my dampened Q-Tip ready and wet it all down, tugged at the open flap, and voila! it pulled free with NO adhesions to the chick!

Chick was left to recoup in the 'bator overnight and was added to its hatchmates this morning.

And I have another "late" egg which has pipped, which I'm going to help if I have to do so. So far, 14 of 18 eggs have hatched - all shipped eggs!

 

[dwegg]

Quote:
That is awesome Gryeyes...way to go... i just couldn't live with myself if I stood by and watched them die. It was so amazing to know that I helped them live... and way to go on those shipped eggs...who said that shipped eggs suck? can't wait to put them in the brooder and watch them all fluff up..way to go!