Update on my hatch....

[Juliechickens]

Good morning, well, today is day 21. Two of the chicks were born yesterday and are doing great. The one that was stuck last night and all day long yesterday since yesterday morning is stilllllll stuck and not coming out of it's shell. The shell is completely cracked all the way around but the chick just sits there looking out and peeping occasionally. It's been that way since yesterday morning. I'm still uncertain what to do.
The chick that was the smallest egg yesterday that was the first to pip through it's egg is no longer moving or peeping. It never made any progress yesterday after it's initial break through on the egg and I think it has since died. I don't know how to tell.

How long before I try and help the little guy with the completely broken egg? Julie

Sorry I'm not so chipper this morning,,,I'm exausted from the stress of the hatch I think. I'm just worried about the little guy that won't come out of it's broken egg.

The 2 chicks that hatched are alive and doing just fabulous. Will try and take pics today.

Thanks for all your help and advice yall have given me. Keep it coming please!

Julie

 

[hinkjc]

Julie, if that chick has gone all the way around it's shell, it is likely it is stuck. I won't tell you to help or not because it comes with consequences. That is up to you if you want to go there. Some don't complete hatch for a reason - defect of some sort or perhaps improper humidity. Some that are helped make it and some don't or need to be put down. It is really up to you and your judgement on what you can handle. If it were me and I considered my hatch complete, I would probably help it out since he's gone so far already.

Jody

 

[Juliechickens]

Jody, thank you for your reply,,,I've been waiting for someone to tell me what to do. Exactly step by step,,,how do I try and help???? The chick is definately stuck and I'd rather try and help then do nothing. Please please tell me how do I help??? Thanks so much!!!!! Waiting to hear,,,,Julie

 

[BeckyLa]

I had that happen a couple of weeks ago. What I did was to lightly spray warm water on the egg and into the area already piped. For me the membrane was dry and though she pipped she could not get out because of the membrane. So after letting the water set just a minute or two I gently pulled off pieces of the shell beginning with the area around it's head. Very slowly, a little at a time, always checking for blood. If it begins bleeding there is nothing more that can be done. However, look at the inside of the eggs already hatched and you'll see there is naturally a small amount of blood. So at the first sight of blood I would give another light spray of warm water and put the egg back into the warm bator. I did this several times over a period of an hour. This way I could see if it was bleeding enough to drip below or if it was just the small normal amount. Since mine was not dripping, I continued. Finally I had the entire shell around it's head off, gave it another quick spray and left it alone in the bator. With the membrane softened, she came out on her own and is very healthy and growing today. However, I had 4 others pip and die before I realized what was going on and gave this one a try. The very worst thing that can happen is that it will die which it will do anyway if you don't try to help. Good luck!

 

[GoPups]

Julie, I don't really have any advice, but I thought about your peeps all last night! Good luck!

 

[hinkjc]

Like Becky said, nice and slow work your way around the shell just like the chick would. Any sign of blood, stop. Moisten as you go to loosen the membrane that is dry or stuck fast to the chick. Make sure to use warm water, as they chill easy and that will weaken them. Good luck. Let us know how it goes.

Jody

 

[Juliechickens]

THANK YOU GUYS! It's DONE! We have SUCCESS!! Chick is back in incubator warming up, drying, and looking strong. Peeping and acting normal. That was the most nerve wrecking thing to do ever! My hands shook so badly that it's a wonder I got the job done successfully. It wasn't that hard for him to break free once I moistend the crack all around the egg. There was NO blood and all parts of the shell came off easily except for the part around his head which i removed carefully and slowly. He is doing just fine now and I thank you all for all your help and advice! If it were not for this website,,,I would have not interveined but I knew in my heart he was stuck for sure after 24 hours staying inside his cracked egg with his beak and foot sticking out.
The membrane was stuck to him like shrinkwrap until I moistened it. So sad! He seemed to almost enjoy the whole process and was very ready to come out of that egg. I'm just glad I did this before he gave up. He kept calling to me but I kept turning away thinking he would do it on his own. After 24 hours,,,I had to try! He is precious and I named him Robin because she was the first email I read this morning with instructions on how to set him free of his egg. I keep calling it a "HE" but it could very likely be a "SHE" baby too.
I will take pictures later on. Thank you all so much for all your help and comfort!
Julie

--I'm free I'm free,,,,thanks mom!

 

[skeeter9]

Congratulations on successfully assisting in the "birth" of your chick, Robin!!!!

Don't you just love all of the great people who are willing to help out on this forum? Just think how much harder this would have been if you didn't have them to turn to.

I've got a few more days until my hen will be hatching her eggs - I'll probably be on here asking all kinds of questions when the time comes!!!!

Enjoy your new peeps!!!

 

[mudhen]

Juliechickens , hooray! I was reading this post unable to help since I've never been in that situation. So glad it worked out!!

That's one lucky peep to have such a good mom!

 

[Juliechickens]

Hi all,,,,just a quick update. I have 4 so far that have hatched and doing well. My power went out yesterday for about an hour. After 30 minutes I had to bring all my incubators over to my mother's house to re-heat. I had no idea how long power would be out and temp was dropping. Hatched chicks are doing fine,,,I put hand warmers in the brooder for them to sit on during the power outage and they seemed to enjoy it just fine. The kind of hand warmers that warm up when you open the package. Just perfect for that situation...I'm so glad I happen to have some!
No more pipping on the other eggs....I hope the ones in the hatch incubator is okay. I'm not so sure though after having to travel with them yesterday...they moved a bit while driving. The others though in the other incubators are doing great,,,the little giant incubator holds heat well. Very nerve wrecking!!
Will keep posting as things go...thanks for your thoughts, Julie