Helping chicks out of shell

[Anonymous]

I wonder if anyone else has had this problem. We had 8 bantam eggs and when candled 7 were fertile. At the end of 21 days 1 hatched no problem and another was chipping - later that day it was dead. Others started chipping- pierced the shell but did not seem able to turn round to peck their way out. I kept checking -another hatched overnight but the others hadn't moved. I helped then out as the yolk had been absorbed and Ileft the last bit of shell for them to kick away as they seemed strong enough. It's now 3 weeks later and all 6 are doing well and are off heat part of the day. I have had chicks dead in the shell before but not after starting to chip. It was as if the chicks were too big for the shell and had no room to turn. Any similar experiences?

 

[tygrysek75]

Hi Tali
The best breeders do not help the chicks to get out as any next generation can be weaker and with other defect.Having said that for most people is hard to hear little cherpers and not intervening somtimes.I do not help hatch my egss in normal situation,but had a sytuation before when my 6 year old had played with incy on hatching day and turn the temperature to 42C.Had to open all egs as chicks had got stuck with the membrane and were unable to turn(from heat)At that point I had no other option.All eggs were piped at this point.It was very dramatic and I will avoid anythink like this in the future.There shuold be some ballance in this you have to decide of whats important having a strong chicks or having the most hatched eggs.By the way my chicks also doing great.
The chicks after braking inner mambrane(this is the time when you can hear them chirping inside the egg)has 6H to work on braking the shell(pip)otherwise they run out of air and die.So if I had a very rare egg I think I would help to pip and see if they can get out on they own.

 

[Anonymous]

I wonder if the temperature was too high for my chicks although the thermometer showed the correct temperature. We did have a power cut during the incubation for a day whilst they worked on the electricity supply in our area. I had to take the incubator to a neighbour for the day so they were disturbed early on. It
is not something I would generally do but these chicks as I agree you need to have only the strongest healthiest chicks but these had pecked through the shell and thinking about it -the membrane was fairly dry. The chicks by the next day were running about and feeding.

 

[E3lx]

agree with tygrysek75

 

[ribofilio]

Was very close to giving up on two Khaki Campbell eggs last week , decided to break the shell enough for them to kick their way out if able , both did and are now fine healthy ducklings , you just never know .

 

[bloo74]

All the chicks I helped hatch became weak chickens, I still find it worthwhile trying but know that if they are not hatching on their own, it's because they are indeed weaker than the healthy ones. I had a little hen I loved to bits that walked funny and was very very dumb (well dumber than most chickens!) because I helped her hatch. I still loved having her, though!

Ren