Two babies stuck?!?

[TAMMACLEAN]

I put 30 silkie eggs in my incubator. Candled around 10 days ended up with 18 eggs. Between last night around 11:30pm and now I've had 12 hatch and 4 died along the way. Now I have 2 eggs that have pipped and you can see the little beaks and hear them peeping. My question is do I help a little or just let mother nature take its course. They have been pipped since this morning but only been able to see the beaks for a couple of hours. Personally I think it's a good hatch rate for my second hatching. And the incubator is homemade too.

 

[jallny]

you should let them get out on there own.

 

[shardean]

I put 30 silkie eggs in my incubator. Candled around 10 days ended up with 18 eggs. Between last night around 11:30pm and now I've had 12 hatch and 4 died along the way. Now I have 2 eggs that have pipped and you can see the little beaks and hear them peeping. My question is do I help a little or just let mother nature take its course. They have been pipped since this morning but only been able to see the beaks for a couple of hours. Personally I think it's a good hatch rate for my second hatching. And the incubator is homemade too.

It's a hard call...we helped our chick when she was in that situation...and I believe that is why she is alive today! But since you are now just seeing their beaks maybe give them a little more time..just keep watching! What breed is the chick in your picture?

 

[seahoob]

Make sure that you are maintaining high humidity so that they are able to move around their shells. I had this happen to me on my last hatch. I had set six eggs and four managed without any assistance but two struggled. After discussing the situation with an experienced hatcher I finally stepped in and gave a helping hand. One survived. It turns out the humidity was not sufficient enough and that their feathers started to dry and stick to shell membrane. With that said, the little peeps would rather die then ripe their feathers off. At the same time, they must do the majority of the work themselves and actually lift the head up for being folder under their wing of they will have not will to live later on. That is what happened to me. I started by assisting with cracking and removing the top part of the shell (with the shell sitting upright in a egg carton for support) and allowing the chick to lift it's own head out and emerge for the shell. One did this and the other did not. After about 12 hours I fully assisted the remaining chick from the shell. Unfortunately, it die three days later and never had the will to live. So that's my 2 cents.....hope everything works out.

 

[TAMMACLEAN]

I did step in and helped them. Mostly I just peeled the shell off but not them membrane. I also wrapped them in damp paper towels. I put them in a little bowl so the others wouldn't pick at them. When I woke up the next morning and one was out of the bowl and the other was out of its shell but still in the bowl. So far they are doing well. One of them seems to have a little eye issue where it keeps them closed a lot. It does open them so I know it can see but we are happy it's alive.

 

[shardean]

I did step in and helped them. Mostly I just peeled the shell off but not them membrane. I also wrapped them in damp paper towels. I put them in a little bowl so the others wouldn't pick at them. When I woke up the next morning and one was out of the bowl and the other was out of its shell but still in the bowl. So far they are doing well. One of them seems to have a little eye issue where it keeps them closed a lot. It does open them so I know it can see but we are happy it's alive.

glad they made it! what breed is the picture of the young hen you use for your photo?

 

[TAMMACLEAN]

glad they made it! what breed is the picture of the young hen you use for your photo?

Thanks! My kids are glad too. We may have to take extra care with one but everyone looks good. Actually thats 2 birds in my picture. I think the one in the back is a Partridge Cochin and the one in the front is a Parttridge Hamburg. Not sure on the front one but she is very pretty now.

 

[shardean]

Thanks! My kids are glad too. We may have to take extra care with one but everyone looks good. Actually thats 2 birds in my picture. I think the one in the back is a Partridge Cochin and the one in the front is a Parttridge Hamburg. Not sure on the front one but she is very pretty now.

Thanks...the reason I ask is that I have a 6 week old chick that looks like the front one..at least the coloring does. And don't know what her parentage is because our chickens are free range and there is a mix of breeds. She has feathers on her legs so I'm thinking she is a cochin...cuz the only hen we had with feathers was a buff cochin..the coyotes got her a week ago...such a bummer! I'm only gussing because of the feathers on the legs that, that's what she is...but her marking seem to be partridge...and that is judging from your pictures! Enjoy your 15 babies!