When to help!!! Some have hatched, some not

[Laura78]

So last night I 5 of my chicken eggs pipped about the same time. This morning 3 have hatched and dried out, but 2 are still in the eggs. I know they're still alive right now cause I've seen the eggs rolling around a little when the 3 hatched are sleeping. So, my question is, when do I start to help them out?

 

[TerriLaChicks]

I always wait a full day before helping. Maybe some others will pop in with better information for you.

 

[delsi64]

I am sure you will get a lot of different repsonses. I am new to this so take it for what it's worth. I just had a hatch of 4 out of 40. Disappointing to say the least so I am no way near an expert. I am going to keep trying, but this is what happened to me. One of the 4 had pipped through and was rolling around. She made quite a big hole and then stopped for over 24 hour. It was much bigger than the little pip you usually see. i was afraid that it would dry out so I tried to help it because I didn't see any blood. When I helped it out it was so stuck that he couldn't move his head. I kept spraying with warm water and wiping it off and now it is doing just fine. However I also heard another one peeping and decided that I would wait on that one because the it hadn't pipped. I waited over 24 hours and this morning I decided to open it up and see if I could help but it was dead. It was fully formed. It had poked through the membrane but didn't make it out. He looked so sad. Granted some people will say that you make you flock weaker if you help out and that is probably true but for me as a beginner I am just trying to get a flock. I just wanted something.

 

[TerriLaChicks]

If you look at the top of this thread, there is a sticky titled
"Read-me's on Hatching"
There is one article there about whether or not to intervene & when.
I have & I will again if necessary. I have 2 chicks who would not have made it if I had not intervened & helped them hatch, & they are both healthy.

 

[Wynette]

I do not help. A momma hen would not help. If they cannot hatch on their own, there is most likely a reason. Even if you do help and the chick makes it, believe it or not, you are promoting "weak hatching" in their genetic makeup. JMO; you obviously need to do what you are comfortable with.