It's our first time hatching chicks. We had 2 hatch rather quickly late this morning, after having piped yesterday afternoon. Another had piped and had a nickel sized hole and did NOTHING since last night...could still see chick breathing and poking its beak out periodically, but no more action on its part all day today. I know now that I shouldn't have done it, but in my worry I started to help it out. I chipped quite a bit at the shell with no problems, but then a tiny part of the membrane started bleeding. I pulled it over and it appeared to stop. I had chipped enough that the chick should have no trouble getting out now...however, he is still just moving his head/opening his beak now and then and breathing. My main worry is a large part of the membrane is exposed now (and you can see blood-filled veins)...I know it is going to dry out. Should I mist it with warm distilled waterto keep it moist...or have I done enough damage and should just leave it alone? Have I doomed this poor chick?? I feel just terrible :( The rest of the hatch is progressing nicely...all the rest (save one) have piped today and chicks are close to coming out.

Thanks in advance for any help!!

Wait 24 hours since the first piping to help a chick out. I think You will be fine if your humidity is fairly high, but if it is not, then wait until 24-26 hours are over and then help it out completely. You began the deed, I think you kinda need to finish it. Have neosporin ready, to disinfect the little guy. Be optimistic, many of us do the same thing and often it works out. Good luck.

I have never been able to do that, but I wonder, if you wait, will the chick hatch on it's own????? Afterall the hen does not help chicks, yet her hatch rate is much higher than from the incubator.

Thanks for the advice! The chick still seems to be doing well (cheeping with 2 new hatchlings in the incubator...also good movement within the shell, as far as I can tell). I'm going to wait a little longer and see if he can finish up on his own. The humidity in the incubator is quite good and the membrane still seems moist. I will keep you posted...wish me luck!

Hi,

I ended up having to help this chick completely out. I did not have high hopes as he was so weak he couldn't lift his head or even open his eyes...he was also dragging one of his feet. He did feebly pick at the litter in the small shoebox I put him in (I put the shoebox in the main brooder box with the other chicks...10 so far). Imagine my surprise late this morning...he is up, eyes open, eating, and keeps getting out of the box to be with the other chicks. He is still noticeably weaker than the others, so I was worried they'd trample him...but there has been no keeping them apart and all has gone so very well and they are all piled together sleeping! I guess only time will tell, but I'm encouraged that he's going to make it. My only other concern is that part of the shell was still attached to him with some membrane/yolk type stuff..and looks a little bloody. I cut most of it off this morning after it was all dry, but some stuff is still hanging on and I'm afraid to touch it. Fortunately, the other chicks haven't pecked at it...so far, anyway. Any advice?

1st timer, When it is completely dry, you can cut it off close, but you must still watch the other chicks and be prepared to pop him out again (with a wire over the top of his box, so he can't jump out) until it is not an attraction to the other chicks. He was just exhausted from his hatch experience. He should be just fine. CJR

Hi, CJR...

Thank you for your advice. Chick is still doing well. He did seem to keep his eyes closed a lot, even when walking around. This worried me, but he doesn't seem to be doing it so much now. I think he was just exhausted, as you said. I will continue to keep a close eye on him with the other chicks!

1stTimer

1st Timer, here is just a thought for you. If you open the egg the moment a little chick makes pip in the egg, you'll see that there is a lot of stuff still haning out of it's vent and it is pretty fleshy. In that state, the chick is most likely to die. If you wait for 24 hours, the hanging stuff gets inside the body cavity and there only some membranes that are attached to the shell. (I believe fresh air has the effect of speeding the healing process up and when it is done, they start to rapidly break out of the egg)These membranes even has some yellow puss on it, which to me is the first poop that a chick produces.

Next time you help a chick out, make sure you do the same as now, wait untill the very last minute, cause helping him out is not as deadly as making sure that the hanging stuff is inside, cause that's what can cause infection. Like I mentioned before, I always have neosporin handy. Like my pharmasist sister says, it is both anticeptic and analgesic. In lay terms, prevents bacterial infection and acts as pain neturalizer. If you take it out and it looks awfully unhealed, just put some on. It will help.
The chick that I helped out last time, is still a runt, hardly growing and eating poorly, but he is alive and perky, so hopefully he comes around. Only time will tell. Good luck.