Helping chickens hatch?

Heidi · **Posted:** Sun Oct 21, 2007 9:41 pm

Hi, I need some advice as to when to help chickens hatch. I've been told that you don't help them, as if they are not strong enough to hatch on their own, then they aren't able to survive anyway. How long should a healthy chick take to hatch? In the last lot of chicks that hatched, the shell was broken but they couldn't seem to break through the membrane. Is this possibly due to the hot days here recently? I had to cut the membrane and then they seemed to be okay. Also, I have a mix of hens (Isa Browns, some cross bred Langshans and some lovely Plymouth Rocks) and one Barnevelder rooster (named of course Barney). The Plymouths went broody, and I now have 17 little chickens, all looking very different to the Plymouths (who incidentally have made excellent mothers, if not a bit too energetic in their instructions on scratching dirt, sending chicks flying allover the place). The question is how do I tell which ones are part Plymouth, part Isa or Part Lanshan? Considering they are crossbred, at what age should the hens start to lay? Thanks for any advice, Heidi.

jo-chicken · **Posted:** Thu Nov 22, 2007 4:59 pm

They do say that we should not help chicks to hatch for the reason mentioned, however sometimes if the humidity is not quite right in the incubator or one has lifted the hen a few times to check, out of curiosity, then the membrane under the shell can dry and stick to the chicks feathers. Usually in this case the chick will have chipped all of the way around but is stuck. The point at which it is Ok is either when the chick has been trying to hatch for about two hours or it has chipped almost all the way. By this time the chick will have taken in all internal organs and placental, blood etc. which is essential for suvival which is what happens normally when the chick moved around inside the egg. If you start to help the chick and you suddenly have blood leeking through the crack or some internal organs are still outside it's little body then you know you have been a bit too keen. BTW we all say that we shouldn't help chicks out of the egg, but I'm sure we have all done it from time to time.

Good luck
Jo-chicken

Peacocks Australia · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2002 9:14 am **Posts:** 310755

jo-chicken wrote:

BTW we all say that we shouldn't help chicks out of the egg, but I'm sure we have all done it from time to time.

Good luck
Jo-chicken

Hi jo-chicken, you’re dead right, we all have :-D

it's just human nature to help the defenseless

Thanks
P.A :lol:

whirlyhen · **Posted:** Fri Nov 23, 2007 9:53 am

Hi, my bantam hatched 3 of her 4 eggs. The 4th egg had pipped just under 5 days after the first egg (i discovered it had pipped early in the morning), but was horrified to find the hen had left the egg and watched as it was being rolled around by the other chicks and appeared to have been discarded. Could still see the egg had life so fragment by fragment broke around the beak, pulled away the membrane and was left with one very tiny chick. It did feel as if I may be doing more damage pulling away the shell from the chick. Raced it inside and placed it on a "heat pack" under a lamp in my home built brooder and left it alone. By that evening one very fluffy chick was peeping away as if all was well. Kept it indoors for one night and then the following night was able to sneak it back under the hen. This chick is obviously smaller than the other 3 but if mother hen announces some tasty treat, it is the first one there and is well and truly holding its own. Cheers.

Jeff Trescott · **Posted:** Fri Nov 23, 2007 4:24 pm

I have helped them out, I think its worth the risk :-D

Jeff

luvmychooks · **Posted:** Thu Nov 29, 2007 8:58 pm

Hi i just hatched some Langshans and they have feather down there legs, I had a pipping unhatched chick that hadn't even broken the shell, i got it out and its beak was misaligned and it was deformed. My first batch through the incubator i didnt know what i was doing and only turned them once, and i had to pull most out of the membrane, and they all grew to healthy, happy, egg laying chooks.

summer · **Joined:** Mon Aug 20, 2007 3:38 pm **Posts:** 6

I guess its just personal preference..

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