Tought chick dead, broke egg at aircell - chick still alive

[GA2J]

Hi, hope you guys can help. My hen was laying on 3 eggs and the one hatched 2 days ago. Today she decided to get of the other two - she pretty much abandoned them. I did a water candle test and both looked pretty much dead - no movement. Candled them with a flash light as well but saw no movement again. I then made a hole at the aircell side of one egg and almost got a heart attack when I realised the chick is still allive! I broke of a piece of a kitchen egg shell, washed it in saltwater and cover the hole with it. Any advice on something that might work better?
I have some eggs (about day 6) in the incubator and I put this guy with them. The humidity is only at 50%. Will the other eggs be ok if I push up the humidity?
I presume that this egg was much younger than the one that hatched 2 days ago, as there is still a lot of fluid around the chick. I think one of my other hens layed the egg after the broody hen started sitting on hers, hence a younger chick. If I should guess I would say about day 19 today. If I’m right this chick should be in lock down now, and I have moved it a lot by now. Hope it will be ok.

Please if anybody can give some advice I’ll appreciate it.

 

[chickens really]

@WVduckchick

 

[WVduckchick]

Can you get us a picture of the opening you made? You can apply some Vaseline, or neo ointment, or coconut oil to any exposed membranes to help keep them moist.

I wouldn't bother increasing the humidity, 50% will still work, especially if the one in question still has some moisture to lose.

Have you incubated successfully at that humidity before, because for many of us, that is pretty high for incubating?

Good luck! And please don't feel alone. Many of us have opened eggs that we thought were quitters, and found live ones! So it does happen.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Can you get us a picture of the opening you made? You can apply some Vaseline, or neo ointment, or coconut oil to any exposed membranes to help keep them moist.

I wouldn't bother increasing the humidity, 50% will still work, especially if the one in question still has some moisture to lose.

Have you incubated successfully at that humidity before, because for many of us, that is pretty high for incubating?

Good luck! And please don't feel alone. Many of us have opened eggs that we thought were quitters, and found live ones! So it does happen.

x2 on what WVduckchick mentioned above.

 

[GA2J]

Can you get us a picture of the opening you made? You can apply some Vaseline, or neo ointment, or coconut oil to any exposed membranes to help keep them moist.

I wouldn't bother increasing the humidity, 50% will still work, especially if the one in question still has some moisture to lose.

Have you incubated successfully at that humidity before, because for many of us, that is pretty high for incubating?

Good luck! And please don't feel alone. Many of us have opened eggs that we thought were quitters, and found live ones! So it does happen.

Can you get us a picture of the opening you made? You can apply some Vaseline, or neo ointment, or coconut oil to any exposed membranes to help keep them moist.

I wouldn't bother increasing the humidity, 50% will still work, especially if the one in question still has some moisture to lose.

Have you incubated successfully at that humidity before, because for many of us, that is pretty high for incubating?

Good luck! And please don't feel alone. Many of us have opened eggs that we thought were quitters, and found live ones! So it does happen.

Thank you for the reply. Yes I just hatched some chicks. I live in South Africa and it is rainy season now. Very difficult to get the humidity down. I use a home made incubator.

Thanks for the tips. I attached some photos. Do you think I should keep the other egg shell on?

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Thank you for the reply. Yes I just hatched some chicks. I live in South Africa and it is rainy season now. Very difficult to get the humidity down. I use a home made incubator.

Thanks for the tips. I attached some photos. Do you think I should keep the other egg shell on?

You are covering the end with another egg shell? I'm just wanting to make certain I understand.

 

[WVduckchick]

Thank you for the reply. Yes I just hatched some chicks. I live in South Africa and it is rainy season now. Very difficult to get the humidity down. I use a home made incubator.

Thanks for the tips. I attached some photos. Do you think I should keep the other egg shell on?

The substitute shell looks great, I'm just worried about when it does try to hatch, what will happen? You could try a piece of clear kitchen wrap (Saran wrap, or the like) just over the hole, and tape it on. Can you see inside there, if it actually pierced/pipped the membrane or not?

I'm not saying I recommend this, but if it were me, I would remove all of the shell from the air cell area (only where it isn't touching the inner membrane, and only the shell), moisten up the entire membrane and put it back in the incubator and wait. Observe for the blood vessels to recede before proceeding any further. I don't really expect the chick to survive, but any chance is still a chance.

 

[GA2J]

The substitute shell looks great, I'm just worried about when it does try to hatch, what will happen? You could try a piece of clear kitchen wrap (Saran wrap, or the like) just over the hole, and tape it on. Can you see inside there, if it actually pierced/pipped the membrane or not?

I'm not saying I recommend this, but if it were me, I would remove all of the shell from the air cell area (only where it isn't touching the inner membrane, and only the shell), moisten up the entire membrane and put it back in the incubator and wait. Observe for the blood vessels to recede before proceeding any further. I don't really expect the chick to survive, but any chance is still a chance.

Yes I covered it with a normal kitchen eggshell. I moistened the membrane and also the inside of the substitute shell. It creates a nice seal. I really hope this little guy survives - I will feel horrible if I am responsible for his death. Thanks for your replies

 

[GA2J]

Yes,

You are covering the end with another egg shell? I'm just wanting to make certain I understand.

covered it with another shell. Washed it and lubricated it with coconut oil.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Yes,

covered it with another shell. Washed it and lubricated it with coconut oil.

I have never done this. In theory this should work as a regular shell. I'm not sure about the coconut oil, if that's what you're meaning.

I believe @WVduckchick meant that for you to moisten the membrane covering the chick so that membrane doesn't dry down and shrink wrap the chick. At the time you took the pic above, the membrane appears to look good.