# Need urgent advice



## Jenn1469 (Jan 23, 2018)

I took the patch off my last egg last night as the air cell had dipped literally half way down the egg and I figured it would be pipping any hour as it was 17 days yesterday. I just checked the babies when mom was out at my fat little turkey oldest baby had it's foot inside my egg. The membrane had like 6 little holes poked in it near the back of the babies head and body and membrane was pretty dry and sorta like a rubber. The baby was moving so I tore a small hole near the beak so it wouldn't smoother in there if it was unable to tear through the membrane but I don't think baby was ready for all this. It is 18 days old and all of the big viens besides the one near the yolk sac are gone. Still has some tiny spider viens. It's currently in a ceramic with damp paper towels in a paper bowl wrapped in a heating pad. I check it ever 5 minutes to make sure the temp and humidity are ok. This egg baby has had it so rough.  
It hasn't made a peep but it is very much alive. I know it hasn't absorbed all the yolk sac as even though the top of the membrane was dry and holey below the tear I made at the mouth is still wet with the "egg whites" stuff so the nares are still wet but it is breathing through the mouth. 

If i am super vigilant with this baby the next 24 hours do you think it can make it? Or is there no chance for a baby exposed to oxygen before it is ready? 
Either way I'm not giving up on it but I would just like to be mentally prepared. 
I don't know when the foot went through and last time I checked on the babies was probably before 8 pm as I had a migraine yesterday. So it could have 12 hours that it had those holes poked through the membrane. This is egg #7 and the last laid so it was incubated from day one but Roxy since you've been my guidance and the one I'm sure will see this, it has had a rough time. And this last week it has been pretty often left unattended.

Do I need to get the nares clear or are they ok being wet.
The baby seems like it's just trying to adjust and pull in the yolk sac. It's resting and just moving it's mouth and tongue around the way all my babies did.
So anything other than moisture and warmth that I can do?


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## Jenn1469 (Jan 23, 2018)

I guess I'm worried he's not making any noise, all my other babies peeped while hatching.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

I would say for now monitor and keep the membranes moist so they don't get dry and stick to the baby. I'm sorry this is happening, it's so frustrating sometimes.


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## Jenn1469 (Jan 23, 2018)

It's still alive. When I shine a really bright light into the bottom of the egg I can see contracting of the tiny viens and yolk sac I assume so he or she is slowly progressing. I'm keeping it wet and warm. I just pulled out the baby thermometer so I can keep track of what temp it is in the paper towels so I can keep this baby stable. I'm thinking it's going to need to stay over night in this contraption. Still no peeping but it's made some clicks. I hope it makes it. I won't be sleeping tonight. That is for sure.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Ugh another long night! I'm so sorry! I will be keeping my fingers and toes crossed for you.


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## Jenn1469 (Jan 23, 2018)

I was feeling pretty sure he wasn't going to make it. I'm having major trouble keeping him at a stable temp, I can't get the heating pad and bowls to a good temp, either 94 or 105 and I am feeling incredibly sorry that this little one had to be born at my house....

I had to make a quick store run, which is literally only the second time I've let the baby's side for more than 5 minutes today. I get home sure he will be dead, pick him up, he's barely moving his mouth...next thing I know his belly starts contracting like crazy over and over and then I hear the most wonderful sound, a peep. I thought no, I'm hearing things, it's just his throat clicking, then again a peep.

I could cry, I'm feeling hopeful again. I think he's going to be really weak when he comes out so I'm going to keep him with me for about an hour then give him a few drops of pure organic coconut water then take out the older babies for a couple hours so he can get some 1 on 1 with mom. She feeds the babies in less than 2 hours so he should get fed for sure probably 2x by then. 

Man I hope he makes it!


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## Jenn1469 (Jan 23, 2018)

Here is the little one


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## Jenn1469 (Jan 23, 2018)

Been 6 or so hours. No more big veins, baby has plumped up and is filling out the shell nicely now. Been a very very long slow going process with mostly little contractions but every now and again we would get some good strong ones and some good progress. I'm the last few minutes baby has gotten really serious about pulling every thing in. Lots of big mouth movements. This has been the quietest baby of the clutch which had me worried. A couple hours ago a song called all I want by kodaline came on and this little one just started peeping like crazy so we are going to call it Kodaline. 
It is quarter to 5 right now I think by 7 it will be ready to come out. We are taking it very slowly! 

I hope anyone who reads this sees that every baby is worth not giving up on! Don't rush them out of the egg, they are little fighters and with the right support they have a good chance. This one had literally every reason not to make it. It wasn't incubated good at all in the last 5 days, had a huge crack below the the air cell that tore the membrane. Was cracked too soon and got oxygen before it was ready and it is still fighting! If it can make it through the next 24 hours I think it will grow into a happy beautiful little bird.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

O go baby go! You can do this!!


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## Jenn1469 (Jan 23, 2018)

Okay so this baby is literally glued to the membrane. It seemed like there was 2 membranes. The one I could peel back and then I start looking at the chick and I tell my husband, something is really wrong with this chick it's arm grew inside it's body. It looked like the arm was under a layer of skin. I couldn't find any loose skin or membrane and got really worried then I was able to peel back a little piece with a tooth pick and the "skin" pulled up and freed the little ones arm. I kept wondering why this baby didn't struggle or make any attempts at all to hatch and then I realized it is literally glued to the membrane every where besides the air cell and the part I got off near it's face and side because they weren't touching the membrane. Since it's stuck to the membrane the viens on that side aren't shrinking right so we had a bleed trying to free it's head and had to wait a while. Its been about an hour and I've managed to wipe free a portion of the baby using a bowl of water and a paper towel.

It looks like the yolk sac has been absorbed but it's also kinda clinging to that side that is all glued so I am nervous and going slow. 
I hope this poor little one doesn't get dehydrated while I try and free it.
What a way to enter the world!
And what a night! And morning! 
Wish us luck and perfect timing.


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## Jenn1469 (Jan 23, 2018)

The yolk sac and the umbilical area are glued to the inside of the shell. There is literally no way to get that yolk inside the baby as everything is like a sticky glue. I'm not sure what to do? Try and use a needle to poke through and tie off the cord? 
Can I give the baby a drop or two of coconut water or can you not do anything with the yolk like that?
I'm guessing there is nothing I can do for this one? I just can't believe after all this, this is the outcome. 
I guess I better start googling my options. Right now it's wrapped to its neck in wet paper towels on the heating pad. I feel sick to my stomach.


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## Jenn1469 (Jan 23, 2018)

I still have it wrapped in the paper towels. I was hoping maybe enough moisture would loosen things off the inside wall. There is literally no way for me to even get baby out of the shell. It looks like it's been stuck for a while cause it has a bit of a wonky little head. Poor thing has such a will to survive but I'm not sure that can happen.


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## Jenn1469 (Jan 23, 2018)

Done all I can. Amazingly soaking it got the yolk off the side of the shell and I got about 2/3rds of it inside but towards the end it was too congealed and the umbilical area was getting smaller so I tied off the very last bit now it's sitting in some bedding on the heating pad and I have no idea what to do. I know it needs it's mom but I can't put it in the nest like that. 
We have no avian vet on the weekends, my budgie lost a foot on a Friday night and no one in this town helped me but luckily I was able to keep him alive.
So now this. Unexpected. I have no idea what to do, or what I'm doing.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Is the baby cheeping? If you can get some pedialyte, you can try to feed that to it slowly to give it some energy so it can beg mom for food.


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## Jenn1469 (Jan 23, 2018)

No it's not. I'm going to let it rest for a bit. I read coconut water just plain was better than Pedialyte?
In an hour I will see how it is. Can I put it in the nest with that ball of yolk though? I assumed I couldn't. I tied it off near the shell then cut it free and after probably an hour between using the shell and then cutting it and using my finger to try and apply pressure I gave up and tied it off closer to the body. It hasn't really made much noise at all. It was fighting me so hard when I was holding the shell to its body trying to use its feet to get away from me. I know it's tired. I have never seen anything like that before. The membrane was stuck to the egg and the baby. It was all like glue. Once I got the babies head free I could see that the other wing was stuck to the yolk. And all of the umbilical cord was stuck to the egg. It was the weirdest thing I've ever seen.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

That can happen when the egg dries out that's why I recommended keeping the membrane as moist as possible. Low humidity may be why you've had to assist hatch all the chicks as well.


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## Jenn1469 (Jan 23, 2018)

Yes probably. I think this one was from getting cracked below the air cell. I think all that stuff dried up. But it looked so weird and thick like chicken skin. Strangest thing I've ever seen, it looked really gross and I have no idea how this baby made it. It's still alive. Its still looking and acting like it is absorbing the yolk sac but I gave it a couple drops to drink. It seems weaker than the others, 1 I'm sure cause it didn't get all the yolk and 2 because it was glued in place for who knows how long. It still isn't making noise but I just woke up and it's pushing around with it's feet.

I just wish it was strong enough to go in with the mom.


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## Jenn1469 (Jan 23, 2018)

Grissel...that's what it reminded me of where the umbilical cord was stuck. Like a weird sticky thing you'd find on a chicken leg. ? gross


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## Jenn1469 (Jan 23, 2018)

I don't have any formula. I had a big thing of it I tossed out as it was a few months old. I did get hulled millet and ground up 7 grain breakfast cereal. I'm going to toss it in the nurta-bullet and scrape some cuttle bone in there and make it the right consistency. I'm so scared to fed it. It has bubbles in the crop that I am thinking will clear once it gets food? I wish I had local help but the only place that sees birds is open Monday through Friday and honestly the last vet I seen couldn't even tell that my budgie was a male which is kind of concerning to me. My husband is going to grab my a syringe on the way home from work as the only one I have is an insulin syringe and it's so tiny and the measurements are not real clear. I got a meat thermometer last night so I can see what temp the food is but I know it gets cold so fast in such small amounts. I'm hoping after a few feeds it is strong enough to go in with mom. 
I feel it would have better success with someone with experience but I am trying my best.


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## Jenn1469 (Jan 23, 2018)

It didn't make it. I think even tho I tied off the yolk the belly probably needed sutures. I think it may have had other problems as well. I noticed right away right below the skull in the back of the neck was really big. I didn't notice that on any of my others babies.
I don't regret for a second the effort I put into saving it though. This little one was worth it. 
I hope people remember all life has value and everything deserves the best chance. 
I have learned so much this past month and I hope I am able to pass that on to others. 
I never in my life intended to breed and didn't encourage or even pair these birds up.
They were given to me from a friend of a friend who recommended me as a good home as my friends all know I'm the "bird lady".
I learned the hard way they were a bondage pair and I hope people see this and realize that forcing birds to breed when they aren't bonded is terrible.
Besides the emotional strain it puts on the female the damage done to my clutch of eggs from attacks in the nest and a male who lacked any instinct besides sitting on eggs was severe and caused early embryo death of one egg and this poor chicks fate.

I love the babies I have now, they are beautiful little creatures but I definitely don't recommend anyone to breed their birds without all the necessary equipment in case something goes wrong. 

Roxy thank you so much for all your guidance and help. You have been extremely helpful. 

Here is a picture of the 3 healthy babies from 2 days ago. Today they are 7, 6 and 5 days.  and the 1 weeker is just a fat little monster! Hatching at 19 days and not 17 like the others seems to have definitely given this one a lead on the other 2.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

I'm so sorry. Breeding can be a heartbreaking experience. I would recommend, in case something ever happens again, contacting a local breeder for help. They can be a wealth of knowledge. I don't ever regret at least making the attempt to keep a baby alive.


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## Jenn1469 (Jan 23, 2018)

I'm not sure there is any around here. But I totally agree. Although I never plan on breeding them again. I'm not even housing them together anymore. My male has been separate but all the birds are allowed time out together. He still wants in the nest. I'm hoping it will wear off soon. He was whistling Addams family and talking up a storm today and seems to be calming down a bit thankfully.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=32330 I recommend trying hormone control once the babies have grown up.


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## Invictus406 (Feb 25, 2018)

Oh poor baby! I don't know anything about Tiel hatching but I've hatched lots of chickens. I will never forget the one that i thought for sure was dead (kept getting kicked out by momma who had 5 other chicks already hatched and I candled it thoroughly) so I cracked the egg open to show my kiddos (from a science standpoint and so they could see what it looked like on the inside of the shell)....nope, was fully alive, yolk sac not even close to absorbed. I felt AWFUL. We ALL cried forever over that one. I sure hope this little guy pulls through!!!


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## DivaMamaBird (Mar 2, 2018)

Hi,
I am new to this site, however I have been following your story with the little guy. Hopefully everything went well, would love to hear an update. My cockatiel couple just laid their first egg 2/28/2018. This is my hen first time and she has three eggs now. She had no clue what to do. Finally, my 16 year old cockatiel had to show her what to do, but did lose the first egg it broke. You are so dedicated to them. I am so nervous because I just want them to have healthy babies. I went thru this 10 years ago, and lost two babies out of four and eventually pulled the last two for fear of losing them too. Any helpful hints while I will also experience this soon will be so helpful. I will look for more of your postings for updates.


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