Zip lasting 24 hours? **PICS**

[hnbubz]

I have a chick, my first one that pipped, who has been halfway zipped since yesterday morning. He is trying to push out, but do to the fact that he didn't go all the way around, he can't. I have 10 chicks hatched out now and they keep rolling him around. I have to go to school soon, but I was thinking that if he still isn't hatched by the time I get back I'lll help him? I hate just watching him like this. He chirps strong, and I can see him moving in the egg. What do you guys think I should do?

 

[Ridgerunner]

It's kind of hard without being there to look and without having experienced your recent history with them, but if the chick has started to zip and then stopped, I'd help it, especially late in the hatch. It sound like it is stuck. I'm thinking more sticky chick than shrink-wrapped since it started to zip, but it is hard to be sure.

If you see any fresh blood when you start to help, stop.

 

[hnbubz]

I'm so nervous now. I'm at school now and I won't be home till around 4... I really hope he's okay when I get home. I wish I would've helped him this morning, I just wasn't sure what to do. :/

 

[Ridgerunner]

Don't be too hard on yourself. I really have trouble determining when is the right time to help even when I'm looking at them. And if you try to help too early, you can kill them. It is not an easy decision and don't always get it right.

 

[FarmGirl01]

Hopefully he'll be out by the time you get home. I agree with Ridgerunner about helping. Its late in the hatch and might be stuck. Let us know how it goes.

 

[Minniechickmama]

First, it take A LOT of energy and strength for a chick to get out in the first place. He could be poop from making the zip.
Second, make sure you have plenty of humidity to keep the membrane moist around the chick, if it dries onto its fluff, it may not be able to get out on its own.
Third, if it is that far along and hasn't progressed, provided you aren't putting any other eggs that haven't hatched yet in jeopardy, I would help it.
I know my fan on my Sportsman blows so hard it dries the chicks before they can get out of the egg a lot of the time, so I have to go in and help it get the membrane unstuck so it can get out.

However, all that being said, if you have a weak chick who can't get out of the egg just because it is too weak, it may not be worth the worry.
I know that sounds harsh. But think about it this way, if it can't get out of the egg, nature has taken care of a weak link. I have learned to not help them unless I know it is because they got too dry during the hatching process. I want the strong ones to survive and be healthy birds.
Good luck. I hope they little fluffball is out of the shell and running around with the rest of them when you get home.

 

[hnbubz]

Thanks for everyones help!! He was stuck, poor guy My fan dried him out while he was in the egg, and I can't turn it off without turning off the entire bator.
Here are some pics of the chicks that have hatched



The one all the way to the right in the middle picture that looks un-fluffed is the guy I helped

 

[DangerChickenHouse]

Great pictures! THanks for sharing! I am waiting on my first EVER hatch now. It's nice to see and read about everyone else.

 

[Squawkbox]

Same here! Mine go into lockdown monday!!

How did you help the chick? Just rip the shell off??

Great pictures! THanks for sharing! I am waiting on my first EVER hatch now. It's nice to see and read about everyone else.

 

[hnbubz]

Good luck to both of you!! I've had to help 3 out in this hatch :/ I've been having trouble keeping humidity up so they keep drying up in the shell and getting completely stuck, so I put the shower on really hot to make it humid and I slowly open the egg.