What went wrong?

[als77]

If it is a true zip, then I would assist as four hours is quite long for a zip and may indicate issues such as malpositioning or being stuck/shrink-wrapped - that judgement is up to you though.

Yes, I'm convinced it is zipping. I janked it out, pealed away some of the shell and put it back. Humidity is rather high in the incubator, so hopefully will not dry out (if it doesn't progress soon, I'll do a proper assist). I only removed part of the outer shell, not any of the membrane, so you can see how much it has done by itself

 

[Offshoreorca]

Yes, I'm convinced it is zipping. I janked it out, pealed away some of the shell and put it back. Humidity is rather high in the incubator, so hopefully will not dry out (if it doesn't progress soon, I'll do a proper assist). I only removed part of the outer shell, not any of the membrane, so you can see how much it has done by itself View attachment 2532111

That does look like zipping much more in the other photo. You can assist with hatching, but don’t rush and stop if there is any active blood vessels. Chick likely got stuck and it looked like the membrane has dried a lot - perhaps it’s shrink wrapped. If so, it will likely need a full assist.

 

[als77]

That does look like zipping much more in the other photo. You can assist with hatching, but don’t rush and stop if there is any active blood vessels. Chick likely got stuck and it looked like the membrane has dried a lot - perhaps it’s shrink wrapped. If so, it will likely need a full assist.

Pulled it out again and, yeah, the membrane was very tough (not that I have anything to compare with) so I did a full assist. The umbillical cord was bloody, so I put the chick in some wet paper towel and back in the bator. Couldn't see any yolk, but I did see some green stuff (which, from what I have read here, just means that (s)he has deficated). My conclusion is that it was fully ready for popping, but just couldn't because of the unfortunate pip-start

 

[spartacus_63]

You did good. It will likely make it and soon be indistinguishable from it's siblings. If it doesn't make it, it would not have made it had you not assisted.

 

[Offshoreorca]

Pulled it out again and, yeah, the membrane was very tough (not that I have anything to compare with) so I did a full assist. The umbillical cord was bloody, so I put the chick in some wet paper towel and back in the bator. Couldn't see any yolk, but I did see some green stuff (which, from what I have read here, just means that (s)he has deficated). My conclusion is that it was fully ready for popping, but just couldn't because of the unfortunate pip-start
View attachment 2532146

I agree. You made the right decision. It was clearer in the second photo that it was struggling and you most certainly would have lost it if you hadn't helped the little one out. Make sure to watch the others for any sign of drying out and try to maintain good humidity in the incubator. Only go into it when needed until most have hatched (for assists and if something looks off).

 

[als77]

Thanks guys. Yes, it was soo exhausted. And, just to mock it; while I was assisting I saw one pip and that one went straigt to pop during 10 minutes or so (hadn't it got the memo of absorbing the yolk after pipping?). It is still tired, but is moving around and isn't bleeding (I took it out of the paper towel after a few minutes - no bleeding).

I went into this with the attitude of NO OPENING UNTIL THEY ALL HAVE HATCHED, but... (I pry the lid open and jerk those out since humidity is very high now since they started hatching). I have two more trying (one pip and one zip), so might have more questions coming up lol

And sorry for highjacking this thread

 

[gimmie birdies]

Just to be clear, not in this case, but when assisting. After a pip (small hole in egg) wait 12 hrs or longer for it to Zip (bigger hole in egg). Sometimes it is resting and still absorbing egg contents.

 

[Offshoreorca]

Just to be clear, not in this case, but when assisting. After a pip (small hole in egg) wait 12 hrs or longer for it to Zip (bigger hole in egg). Sometimes it is resting and still absorbing egg contents.

All good points. I did mention this to @als77 much earlier in the thread as I wasn't sure from the first photos if it was actually zipping or not (the last photo makes it more evident that the membrane was dry and tough). It is never a good thing to rush assistance unless you are certain of what the problems are and willing to take a calculated risk - so many people have killed chicks that probably would have survived if they wouldn't have intervened. That's why the suggestion for inexperienced hatchers is to be hands off for the hatch

 

[spartacus_63]

Just to be clear, not in this case, but when assisting. After a pip (small hole in egg) wait 12 hrs or longer for it to Zip (bigger hole in egg). Sometimes it is resting and still absorbing egg contents.

This is a good base line, but when I consider assisting in a hatch, it is based on several things; pip location, where it is at in the hatch time line, temperatures during the hatch, age of the flock the egg came from, etc.
Rarely will I assist a chick that is early in the hatch timeline with a normally located pip until after 12 hrs, but when it is late in the hatch and I get an irregularly located pip, I will assist sooner.
Chicks can absorb, or at least partially absorb the yoke outside of the shell. This is not ideal and the humidity should be high, but I have watched it, more than once, with the chick to go on to be healthy and thrive. It doesn't always work, but most times, when I decide to assist, the chick would not have survived the hatch on it's own.

 

[gimmie birdies]

Some people want to assist at first pip.