When hatching goes bad - Yellow membrane.

[themenagerie]

I was hoping you experts out there could shed some light on this situation, so I understand it better. I know there are "hands off" hatchers and "hands on" ones.. and I most likely made a mistake with this chick, but it would be good to know for future chicks.

One of my OE's pipped and started to zip almost instantly yesterday, on day 20. For reference... the temp has been consistently 100, humidity low to mid 60's, 4 other eggs hatched out at this point with no issues. I attempted a dry hatch this time with humidity for first 18 days between 30-35, never going below 25. Ok..back to the chick... At first, he was going at it pretty vigorously, then stopped and made no progress for about 14 hours. This morning when I got up I realized that the membrane was really yellow and he wasn't attempting to hatch so I "helped" a wee bit..just peeled back a bit of the shell, and he hatched himself. The membrane was really yellow, and almost looked "meconium" stained, those of you who know what i mean...know what I mean lol...it was greenish/yellowish in some spots. He appears to have not absorbed everything he should... looks like this...though not as large and round, and much closer to his body.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/18849_dscf0085.jpg


Any hope for this little one, or should I look up chick euthanasia options?


FWIW..he was pretty vigorous at first, but now seems tired and sleepy.

Thanks for your advice.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I was hoping you experts out there could shed some light on this situation, so I understand it better. I know there are "hands off" hatchers and "hands on" ones.. and I most likely made a mistake with this chick, but it would be good to know for future chicks.

One of my OE's pipped and started to zip almost instantly yesterday, on day 20. For reference... the temp has been consistently 100, humidity low to mid 60's, 4 other eggs hatched out at this point with no issues. I attempted a dry hatch this time with humidity for first 18 days between 30-35, never going below 25. Ok..back to the chick... At first, he was going at it pretty vigorously, then stopped and made no progress for about 14 hours. This morning when I got up I realized that the membrane was really yellow and he wasn't attempting to hatch so I "helped" a wee bit..just peeled back a bit of the shell, and he hatched himself. The membrane was really yellow, and almost looked "meconium" stained, those of you who know what i mean...know what I mean lol...it was greenish/yellowish in some spots. He appears to have not absorbed everything he should... looks like this...though not as large and round, and much closer to his body.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/18849_dscf0085.jpg


Any hope for this little one, or should I look up chick euthanasia options?


FWIW..he was pretty vigorous at first, but now seems tired and sleepy.

Thanks for your advice.

First, the chick in the pic has unabsorbed yolk. Which as long as the chick does not rupture the yolk and is given time to absorb it, the chance of survival is good-if that's all he has going on. This was my problem chicld from my last hatch:

I put a damp paper towel in the bottom of a coffee cup, slipped her in it and slipped the cup in the brooder under the light. It took most of the day for her to absorb the yolk and by bedtime she had a very small ball (I think was membrane ball up) up next to her butt. I let her join the rest. In a couple days on inspecting her the dried up ball fell right off. She/he is happy healthy and a month old now. It was a spitz and I had 12 hatch, so I can't even tell which one it was...lol

The membrane turns that yellowish brown when it starts drying out and turns to glue. I am not a hands off hatcher. I open my bator many times during hatch (with no ill effects to pippers/zippers,) but I myself would not be comfortable opening the bator with active hatchers if my humidity was not in the 70-75% range. I think people blame "opening the bator" on a lot of deaths that isn't really because of that, but that's my opinion. I know with 70-75% I can open the bator do what I want and have not had adverse consequences.

When you see this, I feel it's neccessary to help because there's a good chance that the chick will be glued by the membrane and not be able to hatch. However, the best way to help is to pull the egg out moisten the membrane, if you need to make the hole a bit bigger to get to the inner membrane, do so. Warm water on a cottonball or q-tip on the membrane where it is stuck to the chick, and only where it is stuck/glued and after softening it up good with water gently pull the membrane back away from the chick. Once you know the membrane is nice and moistened and not glueing him in, wrap the egg in a wet paper towel, not covering the pip, and put him back in the bator so he can attempt to finish when he's ready.

There's my opinion.

 

[themenagerie]

Thanks AmyLynn. He/She didn't make it. I think there was probably something else going on in addition to the yolk sack.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Thanks AmyLynn. He/She didn't make it. I think there was probably something else going on in addition to the yolk sack.

Oh.

I'm sorry.

 

[sarah125]

Oh.    I'm sorry. 

Hi i wanted to know if you ir anyone else could help me? My duckling pipped at the wrong end but he wasnt able to break the lining inside, he cracked the shell a bit but hasnt actually made a hole. I took of a bit of the outer shell and didnt break the membrane but his pips seem weaker and the membrane seems yellowish and i see some small veins, i want to make a small hole in the membrane so he can breath and have more time to relax and breakout. Andy advice?

 

[RubyNala97]

Hi i wanted to know if you ir anyone else could help me? My duckling pipped at the wrong end but he wasnt able to break the lining inside, he cracked the shell a bit but hasnt actually made a hole. I took of a bit of the outer shell and didnt break the membrane but his pips seem weaker and the membrane seems yellowish and i see some small veins, i want to make a small hole in the membrane so he can breath and have more time to relax and breakout. Andy advice?

Did the duck hatch yet? If you hear him peeping then he did in fact break the membrane. They almost always break through the membrane if they pip the egg.

 

[sarah125]

Did the duck hatch yet? If you hear him peeping then he did in fact break the membrane. They almost always break through the membrane if they pip the egg.

He seems to have turned around to the correct side where the air sack is at. But he did break the membrane a little on the other end, and no he hasnt hatched, he just seems to be chilling in his shell

 

[RubyNala97]

He seems to have turned around to the correct side where the air sack is at. But he did break the membrane a little on the other end, and no he hasnt hatched, he just seems to be chilling in his shell

Oh ok. I read one of your posts on the hands on thread. But here's my question, his bill is now in the air cell at the fat end? But did he make a pip in the fat end yet?

 

[sarah125]

Oh ok. I read one of your posts on the hands on thread. But here's my question, his bill is now in the air cell at the fat end? But did he make a pip in the fat end yet?

No not yet, he is taking forever

 

[peeperT]

HELP!
I have a chick who pipped bout 18 hrs ago. I had a week-old chick in the "birthing box" also, and I found him pecking the wee-one! (about 12 hrs ago). I took the lil Cannibal out, and the wee-one is still alive. his/her hole is a tiny bit bigger--but dang?? how long should I wait? i'm pretty new to this....