when to help?-Support needed. 1st hatch.

[buckeye lady]

day 21-2 eggs pipped last night. They are both peeping. They are picking at shell but not making any progress toward a zip. How long do I wait before I help them out?

 

[mudderhen]

I would wait at least 24 hours. Make sure your humidity is up so they can turn and zip and not get stuck in the shell. It's hard not to want to help, but even though they have pipped, thay are still absorbing the yolk sac, and if you try to help, you will kill them. Just keep the humidity up and sit on your hands as they say. Good luck and happy hatching!

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Your at the hardest part of the prosses, siting on your hands.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Wait at least 12-16 hours. If the membrane looks white, and rubbery, then take a q tip and wet it.

 

[Buster]

I read a lot about people helping chicks out of the shell here, but I've never had one that I helped live past 3 days.

I gave up on it- if they don't hatch, they weren't meant to. It sounds harsh but it's hard to cull or watch them slowly die after you help them.

 

[futurefarmer08]

Oh I feel your pain!!!

I had one that pipped and I left it alone over night and then approaching 24 hrs it still had not made any progress. I tried adding moisture...no progress. I had to go to work and I could not handle the suspense. So I gently peeled away some of the egg. I say gently because yes if the egg goes inward it can damage the chick. Still wasn't able to break through. Came back an hour later. Still peeping heart breakingly. Eventually helped out of shell. It was so scarry. I have read not to touch them or help them. I broke the cardinal rule and helped it and now it was throwing itself around the incubator. It was breaking my heart. (don't worry story ends well) But work is work and I had to go. I figured it would either live or die. 8 hrs later I returned home. I prepared myself to find a dead chick. I went in the room. It was quiet. I looked in the incubator and found 2 healthy fluffy calm chicks waiting for me. (A friend had decided to hatch in my absence)
SWEET!!

The result is that they will be 1 month old tommorrow and you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. So give it full 24 from the time you heard the first peep and then what have you got to lose? I say give it a little help. Hope it works out for you.

 

[buckeye lady]

They are both workimg on a zip!!!!!!!! I am warming up the Brooder!!!

 

[buckeye lady]

1 out. Small shriveled yolk sac stuck to its butt. Is this normal?
Very active, very noisy Peep.!

 

[willowcol]

It should either finish absorbing it or it will dry and fall off should be fine.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Quote:
Really? I had to help all 4 of my buff silkies hatch. They had vaults and only pipped the shell, and couldnt zip. Now they are almost 5 months old and doing great.

ETA: they were from shipped eggs.