Trouble w tough membrane / How long can they live stuck after zipping?

[rsepiphyte]

I wish you the best of luck and a successful hatching of these chicks. I find it so hard not to help. I have worked with Amazons and Macaws and even went so far as to feed a chick that was still in the egg. It had pipped and seemed to be stuck, i did this for three days and eventually the little guy worked his way out . Wishing you luck! Ruth

 

[Melissa Rose]

Quote:
I was told that marans membranes can be a little hard to get out of. Also if the humidity is too low during incubation it can lead to tough membranes as well

 

[hmlongino]

Okay. Thank you for the encouragement, as there is no way on earth these guys could have made it out.

First of all, I wet a towel with hot water and draped it over half of the bator. I could reach under the towel and look through the top window to see what I was doing. The humidity actually went UP! I need to remember that trick for emergencies.

Although the humidity was plenty high during lockdown, if they are zipped for that long, that membrane just dries out. I got to experience a truly "sticky chick". This poor guy was so stuck, I had to pull him out of the bator, wrap him in a warm towel, and work on getting him unglued. It was pitiful. He's back in the bator warming up, but I think there was probably a reason that he couldn't get out quickly. His feet just look a little shrivly to me. I don't know if he is developmentally normal or not... we shall see.

I left the other one in the bator but just barely lifted the lid (under the hot towel trick) and helped get the top off of him. That membrane was tough... there is no way he could have made it, either. He is perfectly fine, but still stuck in the bottom half of the egg. I will just wait and see if he can get out on his own, but I suspect he's stuck to the membrane there, too. I don't want to mess around in there too long, so if he's not out by this evening I will try again.

One may not make it, but he wouldn't have any way. Humidity went UP instead of down, and the help was definitely required. I'm feeling pretty good.

Thank you again for all of your advice! I have heard "Don't help!" so much that I was just going with it... but my heart said it was just wrong after zipping!

 

[bikerchic]

Great job!!

 

[kvmommy]

I'm glad you did it...I think its worth the try or you'll feel regret. Sometimes people (myself) are little overeager in helping, but in this case it is truly justified.

 

[stoopid]

To tell you the truth, I had never heard of "lockdown" before I joined BYC. I am one of those that has to always touch them, and really haven't had any of these problems.
Beginners luck, I guess.

 

[suzeqf]

I had to help my little guy out because he was too big for his egg and he pipped the day before and the next morning the egg was still the same and the membrane was very dried out and he wasn't moving he's 1/2 banty 1/2 reg size chicken so i had zip for him and he still didnt' have the strength to get out but now he's 3 1/2 weeks old and healthy as a ox

 

[hmlongino]

The one that I left half in got himself out and is strong as can be!

The other, like I said, may have issues, but he would have a better chance now than before. Hopefully, he just had a rough 2 days and he'll straighten out. I hate it when there are issues with chicks that "aren't right"!

I feel great! 4 more pipped... tonight is officially makes day 21, so hopefully we'll have a lot more action!

And... I learned an awesome trick-- like I said, my humidity actually went up to 92% when I put the towel over it and cracked the lid to get them!

 

[kvmommy]

Ok...tell me again exactly how did you put the towel over it? Was it sopping wet? did you drape it over yourself and incubator? I need exact instructions or I can screw it up!! lol

 

[hmlongino]

I seriously think I'm gonna make a video... it just worked really well. I couldn't have done much in there, i mean, I didn't open the top all the way, but it was just enough to reach in and do what I need to do.

I took a towel and ran it under hot water until it was soaking. Then, I squeezed it out, but not thoroughly. I balled it up to keep the heat in and took it to the bator... and spread it over half of it, so it draped down over one side like a table cloth. It draped over part of the two adjoining sides, as well.

Then, quickly so it would still be hot, I reached my hand under the towel that hung down and looked through the window on top to see what I was doing. I pulled out the egg, closed the lid-- all with the towel still in place. Then, I had a nice warm wet towel to wrap the egg in while I worked.

That may have sounded crazy... I'll try to video, even if it's on an empty bator!