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Dead in Shell - ideas ?

Irishj9

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When I came back from my Xmas trip I found that my caiques had a dead check in the nest, in an open shell. Seems the chick opened the shell but never got out.

Same thing happened yesterday, despite me spotting the problem developing and assisting the check by removing the top of the egg after 12 hours.

The membrane over the chick was dry when I expanded the opening the chick had created. It was 75% of the way round the egg, but 12 hours effort seemed too long.

So I gently took the top off. No good. Chick still died.

Ideas?
 

ncGreyBirdLady

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Sorry for the loss:( Your humidity might not be high enough.:sadhug2:
 

Shezbug

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To help some chickens we had in a similar situation we kept the egg warm by holding it with a damp warm cloth or in the hand over steaming bowl and assisted very slowly with shell removal. We were told by the vet to keep the area around the shell warm and humid and keep the membrane moist by using a cotton bud dipped in clean warm water and remove the shell from the top only as slowly as possible....it took hours and hours - I really wanted to give up or hurry it a fair few times. I also remember we had to make sure not to disturb the bit of membrane that attaches to the baby. Oh it was so long ago I can’t remember everything but that ya the stuff I do remember.
We helped a few chicks like this and all survived except the ones who’s shell removal I did in bigger pieces and over a much shorter time frame.

I’m sorry to hear of your loss. I hope you don’t have to experience that again.
 

fashionfobie

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I am sorry for your loss JP :(
 

Laurie

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I am sorry to hear this JP.

I am far far from an expert on this... I do think humidity is key for hatching.

I have had a few that did not hatch in a timely manner. One had pipped but never made it out. I try to leave things to the birds as much as I can I want to help but sometimes they are more qualified then I am so I have to leave it to them. I did however open the egg up after and found a fully developed chick. In this case the egg was the fifth in a clutch and was noticeably smaller, I feel that they baby did not have room to turn to unzip the egg.

Later, with a similar smaller 5th egg I thought I had a failed hatch. Somehow the baby managed to hatch two days late. She was tiny and a little dehydrated but had a real will to live and was strong. Her mama had no clue what to do with her so I raised her from day 1. She was my first successful day 1 baby.

Finally, mama Peaches had a really rough year last year and did not consistently take care of the babies and I had to pull them to hand feed. She also decided she had no interest in that last egg that had already pipped so I had no choice but to take it out of the nest. I put it in the brooder and got the humidity up to about 80% and after 36 hours he hatched. I can't tell you how many times I wanted to help him out but I thought it best not too since I had heard it can take up to 48 hours to hatch after pipping and it had not been that long. Also, I could hear him peeping so I knew he was getting air. I probably would have tried to help in another 12 hours. Another day one baby to raise. I much prefer them to be older but you do what you have to do.

It is part of breeding. You help were you can and do your best. Just keep asking and keep learning. It's a tough call to interfere, at least for me it is.

Sorry about those babies, I hope it goes better next time. :)
 
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