# Chick almost fully hatched but yolk sack not absorbed



## BamaChicks (Mar 24, 2014)

I have a chick that was under a broody hen and another hen got in the nest with her and badly cracked the egg. The chick was due to hatch today. I brought it inside and placed it in the incubator and wrapped it with warm, moist towels. The chick is almost fully out of the shell now but had about 3/4 in of yolk not absorbed and it looks gooey in the shell behind it. I wrapped the chick fairly tightly in the moist towel to try to prevent it from getting all of the way out before the yolk is absorbed. It is extremely weak but will move its head and make occasional weak chirping sounds. Is there anything else I can do? Does this chick stand a chance? His mama only had 2 eggs that made it to hatch day. One rotted- it was a dud. The other got squished Mon and didn't make it. She has one healthy chick with her in the brooder now.






this is the chick I'm worried sick about.








This is Mama Comet and the sibling.

Thanks in advance.

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## BamaChicks (Mar 24, 2014)

The chick just died with about 1/4 in yolk exposed. 


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Unfortunately that is one of the sad things about hatching. You did what you could. And it may never happen to you again or another little one again.


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## BamaChicks (Mar 24, 2014)

It happened to another one about 2 weeks ago. 


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

What? In all the years I hatched chicks it never happened to me. Something is going on. These are hen incubated chicks, correct? 

I need to see if I can find a reason why its happening. With artificial incubation it usually has to do with temp issues. But with a hen? And twice. What was the relationship to this most recent chick, if any?


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## BamaChicks (Mar 24, 2014)

No was under a broody mom and another hen jumped in the nesting box and crushed its shell. I brought it in and put in incubator to try to give it a better chance. We tried isolating the hen and the chick plus that egg and she went hysterical. Now she is isolated with the one surviving chick. 


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## BamaChicks (Mar 24, 2014)

Actually both came from the same mom and dad but I've hatched successful chicks from both. 


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

OK, I understand now. Two in two weeks for a backyard breeder like us is unheard of. But what you had happen does not happen often either. Since this was done by another bird, that peep probably would hatched without issue.


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