vigorous chick in very thick shell

chickenfan

Active member
Joined
Mar 9, 2013
Messages
1,049
Reaction score
0
I didn't notice before but one of my broody's eggs has a thick-looking shell. All the other chicks have gradually hatched over the last 3 days. Now I have been listening to the last one cheeping and tapping at the shell all day. I put some drops of warm water on the egg. It started to pip this lunchtime so I had a look this eve and it has made only a little progress. Mum promptly gave it a peck where the pip spot is. It is now a tiny bit bigger from her effort, but I'm concerned that the shell looks very thick, even though the chick still sounds lively. Should I give it a hand if things do not progress? I only have rather sharp-pointed tweezers. I'll wait a bit longer, but with night drawing on, wonder if anyone has suggestions?
 
Me again. Chick weakening, with quite a big hole, so I've carefully snipped around the shell and lifted the top off. Chick is now wrapped in a membrane. I've put a little warm water on the egg base, and a drop on the membrane and put it back under mum. I feel a little lost what to do. Chick still has a loud voice, but is not moving much and seems fairly enclosed in the membrane. Perhaps the shell was not unusually thick after all.
 
Normally in assisting a chick hatch, the membrane is removed as well as the shell. This is done is very tiny steps and at any signs of bleeding from the membrane you need to stop immediately. Bleeding from the membrane indicates the chick is not ready to hatch yet as the membrane contains all the blood vessels which are supplying the chick.

By removing just the shell, the membrane will dry out and contract, this will make it difficult for the chick to move and breathe properly essential to the hatching process.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top