URGENT! Please help!

[LaynaDon95]

My broody hen has been sitting for quite some time now. Her eggs are due to hatch on Tuesday. Earlier this morning another hen got on her nest while she was eating and cracked an egg. I found a beautifully developed chick dead in the nesting box. Well, I just found ANOTHER hen in her nest and she cracked an egg as well. This chick is still alive, but his shell is almost totally smashed. I wrapped him in a warm paper towel, then in plastic wrap, and put him in the incubator. Can anyone help me help this chick? The fluid in his egg is very low as it has leaked quite a lot, but he's still moving around. I know he will probably die, but does anyone have any tips for to help him? Poor little guy.

 

[kizanne]

I'd take the plastic wrap off he needs to breath. you can tape the crack if it is small.


I would also move my broody and her eggs into a dog crate with food and water if possible to keep the other hens out.

Or steal the eggs and put them in lock down in your hatcher.

I had a moma earlier this year who accidently stepped on two chicks as they lay there drying out. Once they made it to their feet she was a great moma but she killed two before they made it mobile. I took the rest of the eggs hatched them gave them back. She took them fine and raised them great for a few weeks.

 

[LaynaDon95]

I'd take the plastic wrap off he needs to breath. you can tape the crack if it is small.

Isn't he too young to breath? If all were going well he's be tucked inside a nice complete egg. I definitely can't tape it. Like I said, it's almost totally shattered. But tape would do the same as plastic wrap, wouldn't it? I have used plastic wrap for a chick that hatched too early. I tucked him back inside (He wasn't fully formed) and wrapped him up, basically like I did this guy, but left a breathing hole. And he mostly finished forming and absorbing his yolk. But he was old enough he should be breathing. This guy isn't. Maybe I should just make a little hole for air to get through?

 

[kizanne]

I'll admit I have no experience here. My only thought is that eggs exchange air naturally and of course the internal pip is to get air. It sounds like you have more experience so you might have a handle on it. Maybe some of the experts will stop by.

On a crazier note. if you have some large egg in the fridge you could open one 2/3 of the way and use it like a tea cup with him inside the tea cup end and plastic over the other end. But I'm just trying to think out of the box as I don't like to give up. Obviously you need to do whatever you feel will work best. I know you are trying. I'll say a prayer for you.

 

[LaynaDon95]

I'll admit I have no experience here. My only thought is that eggs exchange air naturally and of course the internal pip is to get air. It sounds like you have more experience so you might have a handle on it. Maybe some of the experts will stop by.

On a crazier note. if you have some large egg in the fridge you could open one 2/3 of the way and use it like a tea cup with him inside the tea cup end and plastic over the other end. But I'm just trying to think out of the box as I don't like to give up. Obviously you need to do whatever you feel will work best. I know you are trying. I'll say a prayer for you.

That's not a bad idea at all. Thank you so much. I really appreciate you. I hate that this little guy is having to go through this. If he's even still alive, that is.

 

[LaynaDon95]

I think he's dead. I just candled him and there was no movement.

 

[srtiels]

I am new to this forum, AND I am only familiar with Cockatiels...BUT I do have an Assist hatch article on my website. There may be some helpful info in it, and at the bottom is pix's that might be helpful.
http://justcockatiels.weebly.com/assist-hatches.html

If the shell has been broken, if the chick had already turned to do the internal and external first pip, then there should be no problem with it being able to breathe air. Was there alot of bleeding? If not then the chick may have already started to absorb the blood into the body. Right after that it will absorb the yolk. I would just wrap the chick into what remaining shell there is. This is more to act as a restraint until it can fully absorb the yolk into it's body.

If there was alot of blood loss the chick might need something such as Brewers Yeast or B-complex diluted in a little water and carefully fed a drop or two.

 

[LaynaDon95]

I am new to this forum, AND I am only familiar with Cockatiels...BUT I do have an Assist hatch article on my website. There may be some helpful info in it, and at the bottom is pix's that might be helpful.
http://justcockatiels.weebly.com/assist-hatches.html

If the shell has been broken, if the chick had already turned to do the internal and external first pip, then there should be no problem with it being able to breathe air. Was there alot of bleeding? If not then the chick may have already started to absorb the blood into the body. Right after that it will absorb the yolk. I would just wrap the chick into what remaining shell there is. This is more to act as a restraint until it can fully absorb the yolk into it's body.

If there was alot of blood loss the chick might need something such as Brewers Yeast or B-complex diluted in a little water and carefully fed a drop or two.

I've assisted hatches before, but they were on day 21 or over. This guy will not be fully formed. He's not ready to be out of his shell. He's not due until Tuesday. And plus, I think he's dead.

There was not much bleeding, but the fluid (yolk mostly, I think) almost all drained out.

 

[kizanne]

I"m sorry Layna. Have you decided if you are going to do anything to prevent the chickens from doing this to other eggs or was that the only two she was sitting on?

 

[LaynaDon95]

I"m sorry Layna. Have you decided if you are going to do anything to prevent the chickens from doing this to other eggs or was that the only two she was sitting on?

Oh yes. I have 2 broody girls right now and both have been moves to a separate chicken tractor to keep other naughty girls out of their nests. The one who's had 2 of her babies squished today started with 11 eggs and now has 9, the other has her original 6 still. Hopefully they will both hatch out plenty of healthy babies. Neither of them showed any opposition to being moved and just carried right on sitting on heir eggs.