# stuck in shell



## confederatemule (Aug 16, 2015)

How long should I let a Guinea have it's peak tip out of the shell? At what point should I help? Or should I? It has been out a good four hours.

Thanks
Mule


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Leave it be for now. Four hours is nothing, it can take as much as 24 hrs once they externally pip.

If it's truly stuck it will scream in distress. 

If it doesn't make progress and doesn't cry in distress then chances are it's not strong enough to survive. 

Are you hatching more? Have they hatched? When were they due to hatch?


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## confederatemule (Aug 16, 2015)

September 28 will be 28 days that they have been in the incubator. We put 30 eggs in on September 1.
Three hatched around 12:00 noon today.
This one has it's beak showin.
Two more have little spots of shell broken off.


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## confederatemule (Aug 16, 2015)

Another one has hatched. 
The olde ones do peck around the beak on the one that is just waiting.
I guess we need to just calm down and let nature take it's course.

How long after they dry should they stay in the incubator?
Should I remove the old egg shells as they hatch?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

The shells won't hurt anything. If those that already hatched become too rambunctious, it's OK to move them to the brooder. Otherwise they can also be an incentive for the others to hustle and break out if they remain in the bator. 

Your temp must have been running a bit high. Keets normally are spot on on the 28 day hatch. 

It's hard to calm down when keets are hatching. They are an entertainment factor from the day their feet hit the ground.


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## confederatemule (Aug 16, 2015)

My wife got to see the last one hatch. It took about 30 minutes. She is excited.

The digital is set at 100.5. We did not compare the digital temp with a tube temp because everyone we have reads a different reading. So it may not be correct.

BTW .. Thanks fer the help.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Not a problem. Keets normally hatch like popcorn popping once they get started. I think it has to do with how quickly Mom leaves the nest to move the keets to safety.

You want to wait on the one you were concerned about as long as possible. There is a chance it hasn't fully absorbed all of the yolk and can still have active blood vessels that would bleep profusely if you intervene too soon. If all of the others hatch you can try removing a bit of shell near the pip hole. If you see blood stop and put it back in the incubator and wait a few hours before trying again.

I have concerns on that one if it is the last not to hatch.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

When chicks pip a hole, their air breathing and pressure change inside the egg make the blood flow back to the chick from the inside of the egg shell. Then the yolk sac on their belly is absorbed.. Until this is done, the chick sits in the egg. If it's taking longer than expected, make sure the pip hole stays at 10 or 2 oclock (angle) and look for breathing. I have even draped a very damp paper towel over the egg but not the pip hole. I have chipped egg shell away both with a lot of bleeding. So I don't do it anymore.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I never "help" chicks out anymore.If they can't do it on their own,chances are something is wrong and the chick will not survive anyway.It sucks when they get so far out and die but that is nature-survival of the fittest.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

If being artificially incubated it is not uncommon to have to help. I did it I don't know how many times and the peeps went on to become healthy adults. You just have to know when to intervene in the process. 

I even helped a peep hatch that was under a hen during a drought. It was the only time I ever had to assist a hen.


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## confederatemule (Aug 16, 2015)

Well, so far, all that started went ahead and came out. I think there are 13 now. 18 to go.


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## confederatemule (Aug 16, 2015)

OOPS ! My Bride counted the unhatched ones and there are 17. There were 30 to start with. So my 13 count on the hatched bitties was correct, but 18 was wrong.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

If they all went in at the same time and you either moved eggs around or had a forced air incubator, don't count on those remaining eggs. Especially if they haven't pipped yet. You can test by holding one to your ear and listening for movement. It's pretty effective when you're not certain if you should call it quits or not.

I take it the one made it out?


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## confederatemule (Aug 16, 2015)

They all went in at the same time. It is a Farm Innovator model 4250. 

My wife informed me a few minutes ago that the one we were anxious about has not progressed.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

If it's still alive try removing a touch of shell near the pip hole. I don't think that peep will survive though. Keets are so much more hardy at hatch than chicks are and it not making it out after this long does not bode well. Especially since it has not cried about being trapped.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

One time I had a Jersey Giant birthed breech with breathing problems and the yolk sack still not all absorbed. I had candled and the beak was at the narrow end. I made a breathing hole. The chick got out with some help and I left him in the incubator and figured he'll get better or die. He got better and I never as able to point him out later on. Sometimes weird things happen.


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## confederatemule (Aug 16, 2015)

Well, it is all over. On the 29th day my wife removed the shell from one that only had a pip hole. It had stopped moving. The membrane had dried and stuck to its head and neck. She got it out and free. It could not straighten its neck. When it tried to stand it just tumbled head over heels. My wife held it in the brooder, under the light and worked its neck for a while. Now we can't tell it from the others. 

Day 29 around noon another one pip shoed up. It worked hard but did not come out. On day30 around 8:30am my wife removed the shell. It moved and rolled but never stood. Around 2:30pm it gave up.

So, out of 30 eggs we got 15 Keets. We are very sad about the one that we might of or might not of saved if we had helped it and the one that died even though we helped it.
We are satisfied about the results though.

I discarded the eggs that did not hatch. I did bust them and saw no sign of embryo.

Now we have to lacate a buyer.

Thanks very much for all the help.

Mule


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Artificially incubating has its challenges. But it does get easier the longer you do it.

What do you mean a buyer? You didn't hatch these for yourself?


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## confederatemule (Aug 16, 2015)

We have eight grown birds a friend gave us. 3 hens and 5 cocks. They will be 1 year old this spring. Since we call this place "Lazy Little Farm" we thought we might try our hand at selling these little ones. The only other income the farm has, at this point, is hay.
Although we thought about selling the 8 grown birds we already have and keeping these Keets.

Course we would have to sell them as straight run cause we do not know how to determine sex on Keets.

Mule


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Almost no one attempts to sex keets. It can be done but it takes training. And since they can not be sexed those that know Guineas know they're straight run at a young age.

I bought six this year to get back into Guineas. Of the six, five are females. Now I'm on the hunt for some adult males of the same color I'm raising.


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