Egg Incubating and Hatching - A Reader's Comment



Fuchsia hatching her last egg

A Reader made the following comments on helping chicks out of the egg when they aren't able to complete the process themselves. Although her comments are about incubating eggs, I had two chicks this year--one from Fuchsia and one from Rosie--that didn't complete their hatch. Her comment below could be helpful in the future. I'm not promoting or advising this. It is provided for you to decide its value on your own. It's something I'll consider in the future if I have a baby in the egg that I believe is in trouble. If you decide to help, note her comment about seeing blood!

Cherry with a new fuzzy baby
under her. Egg shell at bottom.

 

“I found your blog today while looking for information on Bourke parakeets and found answers to questions that I didn't know who to ask. I love your blog! [Especially those on incubating eggs]

 

I have incubated chicken eggs and duck eggs for many years and have one Cockatiel egg in the incubator at this time from a first time hen and cock that keep laying eggs with no success.

 

I have hatched chicks that were too tired to hatch after piping...here is how you do it:

Jewel, a Splendid hen, on eggs that
didn't hatch. It's not that they aren't
 covered, they weren't even fertile.

When you see that it has taken too much time for the chick to hatch, simply peel the top of the egg open. If there is blood coming out where you are helping the chick hatch, do not remove the chick from the egg. Simply put it back into the incubator and let it finish getting out of the egg by itself. This will mean that the blood flow and yoke has not finished absorbing. It will at least let the chick rest and breath during the finishing part of hatching. If there is NO blood coming from the area you are opening, go ahead and finish peeling the chick out of the shell. There is the chance it may still die, but you will have given it a better chance at life.

 

Hope the finish of 2012 is a good one for you.”  And also for you, and for all our Readers.
 

Something that I assume is that you want to open the area where the air sac is...the wide part of the egg. This allows more air to enter and replace what they've use. Any other comments on this are welcomed.

 

Peace to all, and may December be a Blessed month for each of us.

Merry Christmas
 

Brand new baby Lady Gouldian finches with their mom.