To help or not to help?

[hmt007]

Hello!! I bought a broody silkie mom with a week old baby about 3 weeks ago. The breeder gave me some other silkie fertile eggs to put under her to see if they would hatch ( nice experience for my kids). I honestly did not think that they would hatch and today I went into the garage where they are and heard a pip from under her....one egg had a hole in it with a beak sticking out! Then I picked up another egg and heard something making noise from inside.

I have no idea what to do (and also feel like I should have researched this before now). Do I help any out? I have been reading not to, but then read that sometimes they need help. I am not sure when the one with the hole actually broke through.... Thank you for your help!!

 

[fairymelina7]

do not help them, buy trying to help the chick get out of the shell you may pull it out too early. before the chick has had time to absorb the yolk and other thing inside the egg which would cause the hick to die. just let silkie mom take care of it, since she has successfully hatched and raised one baby i am sure that she is a good mom. just make sure to keep a eye on them to make sure nothing goes wrong,(such as an egg or chick falling from the nest)

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Congrats. If they aren't in trouble, you definitely shouldn't help. After they pip they can take another 24 hours before they start zipping. However, if you are really concerned take a look at this article in the learning center about assisted hatching: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching. Hope this helps.

 

[hmt007]

just went out to check and the chick that had the hole had made its way almost 3/4 around the egg but wasn't moving....I peeled back some of the egg and it had died. I am so mad at myself....I should have intervened and helped the baby out.....

 

[AmyLynn2374]

just went out to check and the chick that had the hole had made its way almost 3/4 around the egg but wasn't moving....I peeled back some of the egg and it had died. I am so mad at myself....I should have intervened and helped the baby out.....

Don't beat yourself up. That is one of the hardest decisions to make because you can do as much damage helping as not helping. It might have died even if you had helped. You never know. Sorry to hear that.

 

[PD-Riverman]

If you really want to help, stop looking under her----just tilting her to one side allows the moisture needed for the eggs to hatch----to escape, every time you do this lessons your chance of a good hatch rate.

 

[bobbi-j]

Yep - step away from the broody! Leave her alone at least until tomorrow evening. Oftentimes when we "help", we are actually doing more harm than good. The mama knows what she's doing. Not every egg hatches and not every chick lives. That's the hard part about incubating, whether artificially or with a broody. Did you ever watch the Lion King? Remember the song "Circle of Life"? Some circles are smaller than others. And you know what? That's not a bad thing for your kids to learn, either. Kids are much more resilient than we give them credit for. If you can deal with it in a matter of fact way, then they will too. Will they cry? Maybe. We can't shield them forever. Yes, I do have kids. Well, I did. They're all grown up now, but I think they're fairly well adjusted even though they did experience death of pets and farm animals. I think it helped them to deal with the deaths of various family members a little better, too. Now, go have a cup of hot cocoa, go to bed, and let the broody finish her job. Oh, and you probably should post some pictures of the chicks that do survive!