The Poultry Keeper

minstrelmerrymaker · Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Posts: 227 Location: ISLE OF WIGHT

I have had a really bad hatch, i had a chick that pipped and 2 days later still hadn't emerged from shell (pipped wrong end) so basically over a day gradually got it out of the shell but its a really strong chick, into everything!
But its day 25 and have had no movement at all from the other eggs, so this morning decided to open them all to check them, all dead, one maran x egg was actually rotten because when i made a hole in the shell it cracked all around and was quite stinky!
anyway on opening the last one the chick was still alive! The egg has a hole in the bottom the size of a 10p piece, the membrane is still in tact and the chick is still alive, breathing but not much movement as such, its been like that now for about 11 hours, the humidity is high, so i don't know what else to do.
has anyone ever had a one hatch like this, i have been expecting it to be dead each time i go to the incy but its hanging in there!

wemfish · Joined: 10 Jan 2008 Posts: 205 Location: Wem Shropshire

We only had three out of 9 eggs, just before Easter. Two of the three were as you describe – in a poor way. They stayed in the incubator for some time but just did not improve so we took them out - gave them lots of love and affection, cupping them in our hands and they soon perked up. They are doing fine now and are in the garden with the rest of our chickens. I don't know if what we did was “the recommended way” but it worked for us.

minstrelmerrymaker · Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Posts: 227 Location: ISLE OF WIGHT

mine is shrink wrapped in the membrane and is breathing but only slight movement every now and again which i suppose is promising.i am reluctant to take it out of the shell in case it hasnt absorbed all the yolk sack and the veins.
did you take yours out and was the membrane still in tact.
humidity is on 70% and every now and again i dampen the membrain which then looks quite veiny so the blood hasnt absorbed properly yet. Crying or Very sad

wemfish · Joined: 10 Jan 2008 Posts: 205 Location: Wem Shropshire

The membrane was dried out and leather-like so that the chicks just could not get out - we broke off the shell and cut the membrane open about 24 and 48 hours after they first piped - the chicks were very poorly for about 24 hours until we took them out of the incubator and gave them some TLC

minstrelmerrymaker · Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Posts: 227 Location: ISLE OF WIGHT

thanks stuart did they pip themselves or did you open the shells like me

JC · Joined: 24 Mar 2008 Posts: 1084 Location: Sussex

Sorry for the bad turn out Sad

minstrelmerrymaker · Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Posts: 227 Location: ISLE OF WIGHT

Thanks, i am going to choose another day old chick that i will pick up tomorrow so my lone chick will have company, which will be good because he thinks he is human already, screams if your not in the kitchen or sat in front of the tv with him. for a day old he is really strong he never seems to sleep and is juming on top of the electric hen already to get a better view of the world!
saying that i have a little hope with my unhatched one i just need to time it right before i open the membrane or it will probably bleed to death!

wemfish · Joined: 10 Jan 2008 Posts: 205 Location: Wem Shropshire

They just piped, but did not get any further by themselves.
We then broke open the shells and cut the membrane.
I can't say if it was the right thing to do, but we just could not watch them suffer any longer - it was a case of they will die if we don’t do anything and there is a chance they will live if we do. . . they did survive and are quite healthy now

Some pic's taken a few days ago - the light brown - one 'Spring' got out all by himself
But the two girls black and dark brown - precious and miracle had to be helped. . .

minstrelmerrymaker · Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Posts: 227 Location: ISLE OF WIGHT

They are lovely stuart,i think the struggle makes them more precious, i like you helped the first one out and you would never think its a day old, it never sleeps!
Unfortunately my orp baby was dead this morning as i expected, i opened the egg and got it out and the yolk sack had not absrbed so it would not have been ready anyway!
Just off to pick a day old to keep my chick company, he has large fowl and bantams, Mmm choices eh, i might pick a breed that will go broody!Thanks for the replys though, found it very supportive!

Henwife · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 3414 Location: Monmouthshire

For shrink wrapped birds, drip warm water into the shell once you've exposed the beak and made sure the chick can breath. don't drown it nd shake out surplus water, but this does soften the membrane. You may still have to peel it off, but work on the principle that the chick may die if you do, and will die if you don't.

minstrelmerrymaker · Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Posts: 227 Location: ISLE OF WIGHT

Thanks henwife, i was planning on leaving it last night to give it a few more hours to absorb the yolk sac and i was going to open it this morning, but it had died, saying that it still had quite a lot of yolk to absorb so i doubt wether it would have survived,

EGirl · Joined: 01 Nov 2007 Posts: 1228 Location: Dublin, Ireland

Sorry to hear it MMM, it doesn't sound like you could have saved it. Enjoy your survivor!

mojo · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 3:50 pm Post subject:

afraid the longer you keep poultry the more hearbreaks you get but try again ................the wonder of new life in your home and garden is worth the heartache.........honest it is

minstrelmerrymaker · Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Posts: 227 Location: ISLE OF WIGHT

Thanks everyone, my lonesome chick now has a partridge orp and a gold brahma to keep him company, he still prefers his mummy though! Very Happy

Pekinout · Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 1155 Location: Cornwall

Sorry to hear the little chap didnt make it, but glad you have found some company for the lone chick.