[earlybird]

hi i have had a chicken sitting on eggs shes a young hybrid, shes been on 7 eggs 2 hatched two days ago and shes now stopped sitting on the other eggs and taken her chicks away from the nest now. on checking the remaining eggs of the five they feel heavy and no sloshing but cant hear any piping or cheeping in four of them but the fifth i can hear what i am sure is piping, little taps.  tried putting her in a confined place with remaining eggs and 2 chicks to see if she would start sitting again for a bit longer, but shes not interested, this egg is now cooling off do i give it a helping hand to see if it will fininsh hatching and give it a chance or should i leave well alone, and if i do start to help it where do i start. thanks

[lesleysprite]

Hi, I am not experienced  and I don't know if its likely a chick will hatch so long after the others, just didn't want to read and run:
I have helped a chick out the egg before, I know you aren't supposed to, the theory being that if they aren't strong enough to get out the egg you could end up saving a weak and sickly chicken. This one was breach in the egg and his efforts looked pretty strong so I gave it a try and he was fine (until I ate him a few months later). It is not hard but it is nerve wracking.


I would be more reluctant to help one that hadn't even managed to pip, you could just end up prolonging its suffering. Two days after the others sound a long time. If you really want to do something I would keep it warm and see if it just needs a bit longer to do the job itsself

[Mrs Snoodles]

Keep it warm near heat, on a warm damp towel otherwise it might get stuck to the shell.   If it is still tapping you can hatch it out and pop it under a heat lamp. It will need lots of warmth.  there will be a bit of blood. If it seems that the yolk sack has not been absorbed ..... And this is usual for premature hatches.... Your chick may be to weak. You have to cull by cutting the neck with scissors.
It can be horrible and you may kick yourself for doing it. On the other hand it may all be well. Give the chick warmth and time. They are very resiliant little things. 
Hope all goes well whatever you do. Must walk the dogs now....
Btw if it is 2 days late it may well have developed nicely. Personally I would do it on this basis

[earlybird]

thanks on my way out now warm towel in hand, fingers crossed

[FiB]

Good luck   - agree with advice above - Ive helped 2 out that had already piped and it was nervewraking and I was certain I hadnt done the right thing as they were both so sickly looking but a week later and you couldnt tell which one it was .  Then I didnt take action on one that had pipped and it died in the shell (I had a look after and it was a big well formed chick - might have been weak in another way, I didnt know, but I regreted not trying then). 

[lesleysprite]

I am glad to hear other people do this    Lots of people have lectured me for it.

[in the hills]

Yes, Hubbie has helped a few out of their shells and they have all been fine. However, these were in an incubator and probably stuck due to the humidity levels being too low. Under a broody hen ..... not so sure. I tend to think that she knows best and I'm more inclined to let nature take its course. The chick maybe weak or deformed. Having said that, as long as you are prepared to dispatch the chick if necessary, then there is nothing to stop you giving it a chance. Have only ever helped where egg has already pipped. Use tweezers and go very slowly.


Good luck 

[FiB]

Yes, Hubbie has helped a few out of their shells and they have all been fine. However, these were in an incubator and probably stuck due to the humidity levels being too low. Under a broody hen ..... not so sure. I tend to think that she knows best and I'm more inclined to let nature take its course. The chick maybe weak or deformed. Having said that, as long as you are prepared to dispatch the chick if necessary, then there is nothing to stop you giving it a chance. Have only ever helped where egg has already pipped. Use tweezers and go very slowly.


Good luck 

yep mine were all incubator eggs too, just in case i misslead anyone, and all on last chance (3-4 days after othrs had hatched).

[Mrs Snoodles]

Just wondering how you got on......

[earlybird]

thanks for asking snoodles ,placed all the eggs on a damp towel and put them under a heat lamp, thought i would put them all under just in case they were still live , pleased i have now that another member said she had had some hatch out days after, just a case of wait and see now, the one that i know is still alive is still very active in there just got to wait and see now 

[earlybird]

thanks for your help everyone, unfortunatly little fella didnt make it , but glad we tried 

[FiB]

Aw sorry to hear that   - If you are anything like me, I was surprised at how much emotional energy I had invested in the chicks I was exhausted after each hatch - felt I had given birth to them almost, so loosing one is sad.  As you say, at least you feel you did everything you could.

[doganjo]

Well done, EB, you have to try.  I've done it sometimes with success sometimes not.  Always sad if it doesn't work, but always worth a try.

[in the hills]

   Sorry. Worth a try.

[Dizzycow]

I agree with the emotional energy comment, it can be really upsetting. I've helped chicks out only to have them die a few days later because they haven't been able to stand or walk. On the other hand I've had great success with helping others out of their shells. It's a lottery. I find it hard to stand by and watch an (incubated) chick pip strongly for 24 hours and not hatch, then let it go without trying. It's tough. At least we're trying to do the right thing, and have empathy with the tiny lives.