Assisting hatch with broody hen

[lavenderforluck]

Should you ever assist in chick hatching under broody hen? One of our Cochins went broody and we ordered 6 black copper maran eggs for her to sit on - they kindly sent 7 in case any broke in transit. Hatch day arrived and now 24 hours later we have 3 fluffy little chicks with mama hen. Two additional pipped about 12 hours ago and the shell has fallen/broken off but the membrane is very thick and still surrounding them. Is this typically of BCM eggs? We will only intervene if necessary - but do want to assist if it’s as simply as warm water on stuck membrane. Hoping to see if anyone else has seen this with dark eggs when hatching. I can try and get pictures but we’re trying to limit lifting mama hen off the hatching eggs. It’s warm and humid here and the hatching eggs/chicks are under mama hen.

Essentially we’re trying to figure out if it’s normal for the shell to break away but leave the membrane around the chick for a few hours during hatch as it isn’t what we’ve seen before.

 

[sourland]

I'd be tempted to gradually assist. Stopping immediately at the sign of any blood/blood vessels. It's possible that if the Cochin is especially heavily feather footed she has inadvertently crushed the pipped eggs.

 

[lavenderforluck]

I'd be tempted to gradually assist. Stopping immediately at the sign of any blood/blood vessels. It's possible that if the Cochin is especially heavily feather footed she has inadvertently crushed the pipped eggs.

Thank you! Would you then remove them or place them back under the hen after removing the membrane. We don’t have an incubator unfortunately but could try to get one.

 

[Aapomp831]

Thank you! Would you then remove them or place them back under the hen after removing the membrane. We don’t have an incubator unfortunately but could try to get one.

Once hatched you wouldn’t need an incubator, just a brooder. I’m not sure about the membrane, but I wouldn’t assist unless it looks like the chick is really in distress; and if you do wear gloves bc mama is gonna come after you.

 

[lavenderforluck]

We went in to check and two chicks appear to have pipped, partially zipped and then died in shell - heartbroken about that. I’m worried that my checking caused our big Cochin mama to step on them possibly. Took a quick picture of the last chick having issues, appears to have the yolk sak externally but is alive (attached pictures). We put it quickly back under mama to give it a chance. I think we will have 4 or 5 healthy chicks out of 7. It’s our first time with a broody mama hen.

 

[lavenderforluck]

We went in to check and two chicks appear to have pipped, partially zipped and then died in shell - heartbroken about that. I’m worried that my checking caused our big Cochin mama to step on them possibly. Took a quick picture of the last chick having issues, appears to have the yolk sak externally but is alive (attached pictures). We put it quickly back under mama to give it a chance. I think we will have 4 or 5 healthy chicks out of 7. It’s our first time with a broody mama hen.

To clarify we did not assist with this chick, just checked on her as it appeared the shell and membrane were stuck to her but we’re leaving it because it seems attached to the yolk. If there’s any advice there please let me know, if not I’ll just leave her under mama.

 

[Chicalina]

let mama hen do her thing. They instinctively know what to do, whether that is leaving the chick alone or helping it out.

sometimes things go wrong with a hatch and it is nature's way of culling the weak or imperfectly formed.

enjoy your new baby chicks!!