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Pulling a baby from the shell.
Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2026 8:27 am
by Murray
Yesterday one of my hens had one hatch, the other one was chipping, I said to my wife, "Reggie's just hatched a pair!"
This morning the other one was still only chipped.
I chipped a bit the size of a match head off, to let the air in.
Later it was getting nowhere so I broke away another piece. All I could see was it's bum. It was the wrong way round in the shell.
In the finish I gently pulled half the shell off and put it back in the nest. The hen wasn't gentle
She got stuck into it and pretty much pulled the shell off it and immediately started trying to feed it.
About 8 hours later it's pink and strong and wriggly and by tomorrow I wont know which is which.
The old wisdom was you should never help a baby from the shell. If they need help they are weak.
Well this one isn't weak, it was just the wrong way round. It's worth a few bob, I am pleased I ignored the 'experts'
Re: Pulling a baby from the shell.
Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2026 10:20 am
by Buster121
Good on yer mate hope all goes well
Re: Pulling a baby from the shell.
Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2026 1:26 pm
by king
Murray wrote: Tue Oct 27, 2026 8:27 am
Yesterday one of my hens had one hatch, the other one was chipping, I said to my wife, "Reggie's just hatched a pair!"
This morning the other one was still only chipped.
I chipped a bit the size of a match head off, to let the air in.
Later it was getting nowhere so I broke away another piece. All I could see was it's bum. It was the wrong way round in the shell.
In the finish I gently pulled half the shell off and put it back in the nest. The hen wasn't gentle
She got stuck into it and pretty much pulled the shell off it and immediately started trying to feed it.
About 8 hours later it's pink and strong and wriggly and by tomorrow I wont know which is which.
The old wisdom was you should never help a baby from the shell. If they need help they are weak.
Well this one isn't weak, it was just the wrong way round. It's worth a few bob, I am pleased I ignored the 'experts'
Good one Murray. I've heard this don't help them out of the shell all my life too. I've helped a good few out over the years, but only when they are in trouble. I've helped a few when the the egg has been crushed during the hatch leaving the egg impossible for the chick to get out of.
Another is this only let perfect eggs hatch. I once had a egg as "rough as a badger's arse". The YB from it flew 368 miles that year.
Re: Pulling a baby from the shell.
Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2026 1:28 pm
by Diamond Dave
I've never heard of that Muzza.
Is that a fact that babies can be the wrong way round in an egg - how do you determine which is the right way and which is the wrong way.....?
Re: Pulling a baby from the shell.
Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2026 1:32 pm
by king
Diamond Dave wrote: Tue Oct 27, 2026 1:28 pm
I've never heard of that Muzza.
Is that a fact that babies can be the wrong way round in an egg - how do you determine which is the right way and which is the wrong way.....?
The blunt end of the egg has the 'air' bubble' in it. That's the end that it should hatch from.
Re: Pulling a baby from the shell.
Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2026 2:09 pm
by Diamond Dave
OMG
Every days a school day
Re: Pulling a baby from the shell.
Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2026 3:22 pm
by Tony-P-
Great on here you learn so much
Hope all goes well with the chick Murray put some photos on mate
Re: Pulling a baby from the shell.
Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2026 9:19 pm
by cheq64
I was always told, let them be, the strongest will survive so I tested it one year. From my number 1 pair, one egg hatched cleanly and perfectly as the "pro's" recommended, the other was struggling so I helped it out and put it under a pair of fantails to see what happened. At 3 days old both babies were growing the same, at 6 days old I rung them but left them to be single reared. Remember the supposed "weakling" was under a pair of fantails. Both turned out to be cocks, hellish widowhood race cocks and both won many races and went on to breed many winners. The better of the 2? Yep, the fantail reared so called "weakling", probably my best race come stock cock ever.
Re: Pulling a baby from the shell.
Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2026 9:39 pm
by Murray
Well this morning the one I helped out of the shell has filled out and looks just like the other one that got a head start.
For Tony here's a picture of Reggie in her nest. I couldn't hold her up and take a picture at the same time so I'll get a shot of the babies when they swutch over perhaps.
Lovely hen, kind, gentle thing.
Re: Pulling a baby from the shell.
Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2026 6:43 am
by Murray
Just a few minutes ago, it's late afternoon here, and Reggie is feeding her two small babies
I gave her a pat and she was very happy.
Isn't it good when you get a nice result once in a while.
Every days a school day 
