Half hatched chicks, advice required

[Yvonne49]

Mama hen decided after almost 72 hours of sitting on her newly hatched chicks, she’d had enough. She successfully hatched 5. Problem is, there were two that were half hatched when she got off the eggs. I have popped them in the incubator, but am unsure if they are shrink wrapped. I don’t have any coconut oil - only olive. Should I do anything to help them? Please see photos.

 

[GodLovesU]

From what I can see, the first doesn’t look shrink-wrapped. The other one I can’t tell. What do you have the humidity at? How many other eggs are in the incubator? Is mama caring for the other babies?

 

[Yardmom]

I have used olive oil on a shrink wrapped hatchling. Sorry, I can't tell from the picture if help is needed.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Mama hen decided after almost 72 hours of sitting on her newly hatched chicks, she’d had enough. She successfully hatched 5.

Before they hatch the chicks should absorb the yolk. They can live off of that yolk for about 72 hours, often more. That's why they can be mailed, they don't need to eat or drink for that long. But eventually that reserve is used up and they need to eat and drink. They can communicate to the hen they are getting hungry and thirsty so she can take them to food and drink. The hen had not "had enough". She switched from incubating mode to raising chicks mode when she needed to.

If a hen has some unhatched eggs when it is time to take the already hatched chicks off of the nest she has to decide if she will let them die of hunger or thirst or take care of them. Most hens choose the hatched chicks. It is the wise choice.

Problem is, there were two that were half hatched when she got off the eggs. I have popped them in the incubator, but am unsure if they are shrink wrapped. I don’t have any coconut oil - only olive. Should I do anything to help them? Please see photos.

I cannot tell if those are shrink-wrapped or not from the photos. Do you know how long they have been pipped? Are they still alive? Can you see any movement? To me one of the hardest decisions to make is when to help a partially hatched egg.

Before the egg hatches the chick needs to absorb the yolk, dry up blood vessels in the membrane that surrounds it and absorb that blood, and do a few other things. Some do a lot of that before they even pip and don't take a long to hatch after they pip. Some wait until after pip to do most of that, these get us nervous because they can take so long. You cannot tell by looking how far along they are.

I personally don't use oil on these eggs. When I decide to help I carefully break off tiny pieces of shell, trying to leave the membrane intact. I'm not always successful. If I see any blood or a blood vessel I stop, it has not yet absorbed the blood. If I don't see any blood I break open the shell and membrane and take the chick out.

 

[Sic]

On the first one, it doesn't look shrink wrapped, if the chick is alive and membrane is a little dry, you can wrap a small piece of wet paper towel on the bottom half of the egg to keep it moist, on and off every 30 minutes or so, if the chick isn't too weak to zip, it should hatch on its own. If you need to assist, read the articles here on assisted hatch. I've done assisted hatch, but I'm not one to give advice on how to do since every situation is slightly unique..