Urgent advice needed hatching chick

[Emilychick]

On a happier cuter note these 2 little ones from the same hatch are doing really well

 

[Debbie292d]

I lost 2 perfectly formed chicks because I waited too long before helping. One pipped but he had his head stuck to the shell and couldn't zip.
If a chick, when pipping, hits a blood vessel or the yolk sack, the blood cloth or the loose yolk drying near the pip hole can make a chick's head stuck to the shell and lock the chick in that position.

I have a particular hen I've finally found out which one it is, that will occasionally have eggs with air cells on the side. I've never heard of that being the hen's fault, but funny every one that hatches like that was hers. I've had to learn those usually need assistance (a couple prior were able to hatch themselves.)

In this last batch, I knew I had three of them. I had 30+ others hatched or in the process, so basically had to ignore those three until the pipped ones were out. I grabbed them when I could. Two were dead, never pipped. It appeared they died a few days or a week prior. The third wasn't pipped either but was moving. I took it to the kitchen and tried to determine where its head was. I figured it out, broke in, and it darn near jumped out right there. I ran it back to the incubator, and it was out in seconds. It had that gooy junk on it but wasn't stuck in the least. No blood or yolk was left. It was obviously overdue, and thank God it lived long enough for me to get it out. I am not trying to argue a bit but just more patience is all I think most of us need as so many folks jump to assist, then wind up with chicks with issues. I'm one of them. When I started out, I thought if they were a day late I had to help regardless. Doh! I soon learned what splayed legs were and how to fix them.

 

[Debbie292d]

On a happier cuter note these 2 little ones from the same hatch are doing really well

Oh my, how adorable! What breed are these?

 

[Debbie292d]

Thank you for such a kind reply. It hasn't come out of the shell yet, still breathing. My son and I are sat watching like hawks hoping the little one makes it out and is ok

It's probably either absorbing the yolk or just resting or both. They rest a lot when they are trying to hatch. The little buggers work their butts off to get out of there!

 

[Emilychick]

Oh my, how adorable! What breed are these?

They were a mix of silkie & polish. The dark is a silkie the light is polish I believe as dark has 5 toes, light has 4!

 

[Debbie292d]

I think you are right and I assisted too early. We are just reaching the 24hr mark since pip. There was only one part I could see where the chick was stuck to the very hard goo clump which was stuck to the shell, this is the area where it first pipped. I've released that part but the rest of the shell and membrane seemed to come off easily and not shrink wrapped so I put egg back in incubator. I can see the beak but the head is not out, if I try to unravel the head to check if its stuck I think I'm going to do more damage than leaving it and giving it some time seen as the beak is free and chick is breathing. The chick is not wriggling around desperately trying to get free but not being able to so I'm not convinced it's stuck, although could not be trying to get out as is exhausted?

That's the important part, the beak is free and it can breathe.

These ones of mine with air cells on the side that I have to help have a bad habit of putting a wing over their face and smother themselves. I'd give it time as it's just resting. It'll fight its way out within the hour most likely.

 

[Debbie292d]

This chick managed to zip a good chunk although took far longer than any others from this hatch so I presume its head can't be stuck for this reason? I'm no expert though so please do correct me if I'm wrong!

You're not wrong. That looks normal to me! Sometimes some get out in minutes, others take the full day to manage to arrive in our world.

 

[Emilychick]

Sorry this looks gruesome my son just shouted me to tell me it's legs come out and I've ran over to see it looking like this, there's green coloured fluid at the leg end & the beak end looks really wet and veiny, outer shell is off on this part but looks stuck to membrane?

 

[Debbie292d]

Sorry this looks gruesome my son just shouted me to tell me it's legs come out and I've ran over to see it looking like this, there's green coloured fluid at the leg end & the beak end looks really wet and veiny, outer shell is off on this part but looks stuck to membrane?

No blood though, right? That's a little more juicy than I'm used to seeing but should be all right.

Be sure it's beak is clear so it can breathe.

 

[Emilychick]

No blood though, right? That's a little more juicy than I'm used to seeing but should be all right.

No blood from what I can see no that's the membrane that appears tk be stuck to the chick. Kicking its one leg out alot but beak hasn't moved