I should have intervened

[KYBoi]

Hi all,
I am presently hatching my first batch of chicks in an incubator. Usually I let my hens do the work but for various reasons was unable to this time. I read a ton of posts on here discouraging intervention in the hatching process. I resisted the urge to help this chick and have unfortunately lost it. I apologize for the graphic picture but wanted to post my experience in case it helps someone else.

The humidity in the incubator has been a consistent 70% during the hatch. Today is Day 21 (10pm) and the first chick hatched at 5am. This little one in the first few photos below pipped around 7:00 am and began the process of zipping around the egg but then stopped. Thinking it was just resting I left it all day and moments ago discovered that it was no longer alive. It appears to be glued to the shell or perhaps is what people call shrink wrapped.

I took tweezers and chipped back the shell around the air cell to see what the issue was. This, of course, was after I’d already comfirmed it was not breathing or moving. I could see it’s little beak and it was firmly attached to the shell. I’m not sure how it became attached with such high humidity.

Now I have another that pipped earlier today and I’m concerned that it can’t get out either. I see it’s beak through the hole and it’s clearly still alive, but has made no progress or attempts at progress since the initial hole.

By the way, the reason those eggs are in the carton is because they were shipped and had detached and/or saddled air sacs.

I find it odd that the hatched chicks still look wet after being out since this morning, but thats probably due to the high humidity. I’m just reluctant to reduce it given the issue with the one that died.

 

[chuckachucka]

I'm sorry you lost one but it does happen, sadly. The dead chick does appear to have got stuck. Once they start zipping around the egg it is unusual for them to have trouble unless the incubator conditions are not correct, but it is possible it was just too weak and died of natural causes.

They rest for hours after the first external pip but once they start to break the shell in earnest it is relatively quick from there. It is much safer to try to help them at this stage, since it is likely they have already fully absorbed the yolk.
I always wait 6-12 hours after first external pip before considering intervening. What happened with the other chick who had pipped and stopped?

It is normal that the hatched chicks take a long time to dry off in high humidity.

 

[MontanaChickDoc]

They may not be wet either, but dried goo that is mimicking dampness. But it can take hours to dry, too. I wouldn’t worry about those. I also would not bother the pipped one for at least 12 hours.

 

[Flockandfowl46]

First it looks like this chick ruptured it's own yolk...second if the next chick looks like it's chewing it's beak and making swallowing motions it's still absorbing the yolk if it's not then you can carefully assist by checking out the great thread on here about assisted hatching first...sorry about your loss hun don't think you could have helped this one and good luck on the rest of your hatch

 

[KYBoi]

Good morning everyone,
Thanks for the replies. I just got up and checked on the other and the hole is bigger but it’s still not really getting anywhere. I wondered if it was because I had it upright but I’ve seen several people on here have success with that method and shipped eggs. It is lively and chirps when I go in there. It’s now been almost 24 hours since the pip so I’m probably going to help after my coffee. I’ll definitely keep you posted. I’m also going to candle the remaining eggs to check for any signs of life. Oh, and I’ve studied the intervention forum on here religiously. I’m just going to attempt to assist it around the air sac and put it back in the incubator so it can try the rest on its own. I’ve got my tweezers sanitizing right now. I’ll update photos too.

 

[KYBoi]

And I think your right. They don’t appear to be wet as much as just having goo on them. In fact, one still has a piece of egg shell stuck to its head.

 

[KYBoi]

I helped as much as I was comfortable and put it back in the bator. Hopefully I did it in time. It’s chirping but not as much as it was.

The one pic with the less egg removed is what the chick managed on its own and the other two are what I did. I used a warm damp paper towel to keep the egg moist and moisten the inner membrane that is still in tact. I suppose only time will tell.

 

[oregonkat]

This little one should be out by now! Is everything OK? Hatching upright should be just fine. I hatched 5 out of 6 badly saddled eggs this way.

 

[KYBoi]

This little one should be out by now! Is everything OK? Hatching upright should be just fine. I hatched 5 out of 6 badly saddled eggs this way.

Yes, and no. It kicked itself out but couldn’t without me first dampening the the membrane that was stuck to its feathers. Because it was in the egg so long it now has a crooked neck and can’t walk. It tries but flips on its back. I found a good thread on here that shows how to prop it up right with it’s legs dangling through a box and secured with half of a toilet paper roll. I’m going to try that and every two hours dip it’s beak into some sugar water with some vitamins. It’s definitely a fighter so I’m going to give it the best chance I can. I just moistened it real well with a warm wet rag to get the sticky off and now it’s back in the bator to warm up.

 

[PirateGirl]

Yes, and no. It kicked itself out but couldn’t without me first dampening the the membrane that was stuck to its feathers. Because it was in the egg so long it now has a crooked neck and can’t walk. It tries but flips on its back. I found a good thread on here that shows how to prop it up right with it’s legs dangling through a box and secured with half of a toilet paper roll. I’m going to try that and every two hours dip it’s beak into some sugar water with some vitamins. It’s definitely a fighter so I’m going to give it the best chance I can. I just moistened it real well with a warm wet rag to get the sticky off and now it’s back in the bator to warm up.

As you said, he may be stuck like that from being in the egg so long, but maybe it's the other way around and he is stuck like that for some other reason and that's why he was unable to break out on his own He is definitely a fighter and you did a great job assisting, now we wait. Good luck!