How to Assist a Shrink-Wrapped Chick: A Step-by-Step Guide

Shrink-wrapped chicks—if you’ve been hatching eggs long enough, you’ve likely run into this tricky situation. If not, consider yourself lucky…for now! Shrink-wrapping happens when a chick’s membrane dries out and sticks to them during the hatching process, making it nearly impossible for them to hatch on their own. In this guide, we’ll walk through how to safely assist a shrink-wrapped chick and avoid unnecessary complications. Trust me, it’s all about being gentle and knowing when to stop.

What Is Shrink-Wrapping?

Simply put, shrink-wrapping occurs when the inner membrane of the egg, which should stay soft and pliable, dries out and tightens around the chick. This can happen if the humidity levels drop too low during the hatching process. It makes it almost impossible for the chick to move and break free, and if you don’t step in, things can take a turn for the worse.

How to Tell if a Chick Is Shrink-Wrapped

The first step is identifying whether your chick is actually shrink-wrapped or just taking its time to hatch. Look for a tight, white, or opaque membrane that seems to be glued to the chick. If the chick is pecking but not making much progress, and you can see the membrane stuck to its body, it’s time to intervene.

Tools You’ll Need

Before you jump in, gather these items:

• Hemostats or Tweezers: For gently cracking the shell.

• Q-tips: To moisten the membrane.

• Warm Water: Slightly warmer than room temperature, since it cools quickly.

• Optional: Ear Cleaner: Sounds odd, but it’s perfect for peeling back the membrane without causing damage.

Once you have everything ready, it’s time to help that little one out!

Step 1: Crack the Shell (Gently!)

You’ll want to start by cracking the egg shell carefully, preferably around the air cell where there’s already a natural gap. Use your hemostats or tweezers to gently pop the shell open. I personally prefer using hemostats because they offer a bit more control without squeezing too hard. Be super cautious—don’t puncture any blood vessels!

Step 2: Moisten the Membrane

Now that you’ve opened up part of the shell, it’s time to tackle the membrane. Dip a Q-tip into your warm water and lightly moisten the membrane. Don’t soak it! You want to soften it just enough to make it more flexible. And whatever you do, be mindful of the chick’s nostrils. Too much water, and you risk drowning the little guy.

If you spot bright red blood vessels, stop immediately! Wrap the chick in a damp paper towel and put it back in the incubator for a while longer. If no blood vessels are present, proceed to the next step.

Step 3: Peel Back the Membrane

Once the membrane is softened, you can begin peeling it back, little by little. Use the drier end of your Q-tip to gently pull at the edges. Keep an eye out for blood vessels, especially around the chick’s head and wings. If you spot any, stop and give it more time in the incubator.

Step 4: Let the Chick Struggle (But Not Too Much)

Here’s the important part: you’re not supposed to do all the work. Chicks need to struggle during hatching—it helps them absorb the egg yolk. You’re just assisting. Once you’ve freed the chick enough to give it some room, let it continue to push its way out. You’re there to help, not to rescue the entire process!

Step 5: Watch for That Umbilical Cord

Before you start cheering for a job well done, remember that chicks are still connected to the egg via a tiny umbilical cord. Pull too hard, and you risk tearing their intestines or rupturing their egg sac. Yikes, right? So be patient and let the chick finish the job when it’s ready.

Aftercare for Your Chick

Once the chick is out, it’s going to be tired. Like, really tired. Wrap it up in your hands to keep it warm, or place it back in the incubator if needed. Keep the humidity high to prevent further drying out, and let the chick rest.

Final Thoughts

Helping a shrink-wrapped chick can be a little intimidating the first time you try it, but it’s totally manageable with the right tools and a bit of patience. Just remember—be gentle, watch for blood vessels, and let the chick do most of the work. With practice, you’ll gain confidence, and your chicks will be healthier for it!

If you’d like to see a video of the process, I posted one on YouTube in The Hobby Chicken channel:

Should You Buy Eggs or Birds?

If you’re serious about getting into Serama breeding, you might have heard the advice to purchase birds rather than eggs. There are several reasons why buying birds is often the better choice, especially if you want to get the most bang for you buck.

Why Buying Birds Is Recommended

It’s not uncommon for people to purchase birds with the sole intention of selling their eggs. Some may buy a bird or pair and, within days, start advertising hatching eggs from those birds. However, this practice raises concerns. In such a short time, there’s no opportunity to test hatch the eggs or ensure that the offspring will meet the breed standard of perfection (SOP) when they mature. Additionally, there’s no guarantee that the eggs will even hatch.

Many buyers have found themselves disappointed after purchasing hatching eggs, only to discover that the chicks were not the color or type they were seeking or, in some cases, not even the right breed! This results in wasted time and money. If you’re looking for a specific type or color of Serama, it’s advisable to buy mature birds rather than eggs.

The Benefits of Buying Mature Birds

When you purchase mature or nearly mature birds, you have a much clearer idea of what the offspring might look like. For example, if you’re interested in American Serama, the birds must meet specific color requirements. Birds with color leakage or the wrong leg color are disqualified. It takes about 6-8 months for a Serama to reach a stage where you can get an idea if they are going to have the qualities you are looking for. If you buy eggs and hatch them, you might wait 7-10 months before knowing what you have. If you find that you don’t have any of what you were looking for you have to start completely over or use what you have a spend years trying to get them to SOP.

While you might occasionally find a breeder willing to show you the parent birds, this is a rare opportunity. When buying from platforms like eBay, Etsy, or Facebook, you are at the mercy of the seller and can only hope they’re providing what you’re looking for. Owning your birds allows you to hatch as many eggs as they produce, ultimately saving time and money.

The Challenges of Shipping Eggs

Another reason to prefer birds over eggs is the difficulty of shipping eggs. No matter the breed, shipping can be hard on eggs. Boxes are often bounced, tossed, rattled, and shaken during transport, which can dislodge the air cell inside the egg. This often renders the egg unhatchable, especially if you’re using a rolling-type incubator.

Due to these challenges, many serious breeders have stopped offering eggs altogether. Disgruntled buyers often take to social media to criticize breeders, claiming they received “infertile” eggs. Breeders decide, rightfully so, that it’s not worth their time and peace so they decline offering eggs at all.

When Buying Eggs Is Justified

Some buyers opt for eggs to mitigate the risk of transferring illnesses to their coops, which is entirely understandable. In such cases, it’s crucial to do your homework. Research, study, and keep an eye on social media platforms like Facebook. You can easily spot breeders who are serious about their craft—those who have test hatched and raised offspring to maturity before offering eggs for sale.

A Final Word of Advice

If you decide to purchase eggs, always ask for current videos of the parent birds. If the seller cannot or will not provide these, it’s wise to politely decline. This precaution can protect you from scammers who may have stolen photos or are selling eggs from deceased birds—situations where you obviously can’t expect viable offspring.

Serama vs Old English Game Bantam

One of the breeds of bird most often mistaken for a Serama is the Old English Game Bantam, or OEGB. The differences between the two breed standards are quite vast. In this article, we’ll look at those differences so you can identify them and be more informed when purchasing a Serama.

Longtime breeders of exhibition OEGB, John Harvey and Alycia Harvey, were gracious enough to send me photos of well-bred OEGB. We’ll be comparing those photos with photos of well-bred Serama, both males and females, that were also graciously sent by Lago Family Farm and Sherri Roy. I pulled pet quality Serama photos out of my own photo albums from years ago when I was first introduced to the Serama breed.

The first photo is of a female OEGB (Photo 1), owned and bred by John Harvey. Notice how her wings are at an angle well above her hocks (the joint between the scaly part of the legs and the “drumstick”). Her body follows that same angle. Her back is flat, and the shape between her neck, back, and tail creates a loose U. Her tail angle is about 45 degrees and her tail feathers are moderately spread, as they should be.

The silkied Serama in Photo 2 is owned and bred by Wilson Lago. Her wings are nearly perfectly vertical. The wings cover her legs and almost touch the ground. She has a nice tight back, and when her head is posed so her eyes are in line with her legs, the back of her head would almost touch her tail feathers. Her tail is also nice and vertical.

Photo 3 is one of the first Serama I ever purchased before I decided to get into showing them. This is a perfect example of a Serama that very much looks like an OEGB. The tail angle and the length of the back are wrong, suggesting she could very well be part OEGB.

In the photo of a male OEGB (Photo 4), owned and bred by John Harvey and Alycia Harvey, similar to the female, you can see the wings are tucked at an angle. The legs are completely exposed and not covered by the wings. The tail is at the same 45-degree angle with very long, flowing, curved sickle feathers.

In the photo of the male Serama (Photo 5), owned and bred by Sherri Roy. You can see the vertical carriage they are known for. The wings are perfectly vertical and cover the legs almost to the ground. The tail’s angle is high and vertical with slightly curved sickle feathers. The chest is large, round, and set higher than an OEGB’s.

Photo 6 is a male “Serama.” Everything on this bird says OEGB. The tail and wing angle are wrong for a Serama but correct for an OEGB. The chest matches the OEGB chest exactly, as does the length of the back.

In conclusion, if you are interested in breeding and showing Serama, make sure you educate yourself on what a Serama should look like. Don’t go by what someone else says, because they may not know it themselves.

What is NPIP?

NPIP or the National Poultry Improvement Program is, as the name states, a national program. It’s voluntary for poultry breeders, however, it is required to ship birds and eggs across state lines. NPIP is fairly easy to sign up for by contacting your State Agriculture Department. They will then send out someone that will test your flock for Avian Influenza and Pullorum Typhoid.

Avian Influenza (AI) is a fairly well known disease as it has been in the news quite often. It’s a disease that is often spread by wild waterfowl, as well as other birds, and is incredibly contagious. Testing for it is as easy as swabbing each bird. Those swabs are then sent to a testing facility where the results are usually available within a few days. Unfortunately, if this test comes back positive the entire flock and sometimes flocks in the area must be euthanized in an effort to stop the spread of the virus. Some states do not require AI testing to be NPIP certified. If you plan to show in a different state it’s advised to get AI testing should the location of the show require AI negative results.

Pullorum Typhoid (PT) is tested by drawing a drop of blood from each bird’s wing. That drop of blood is mixed with a drop antigen that will give a positive or negative result instantly. The antigen is purple and if the bird is negative for PT the antigen will remain unchanged. Should the bird have PT, though, the antigen will become grainy. The purple coloring makes it easy to see. It should be noted that depending on how much blood the tester adds to the antigen the purple color may be more red. In some states the testing is more extensive and vials of blood are sent off for further testing. Nationally, all birds must be tested for PT.

In some states Mycoplasma Gallisepticum (MG) as well as Mycoplasma Synoviae (MS) are also included in the NPIP testing. This is a bacterial disease that causes respiratory issues in poultry. If positive for this test an NPIP certificate can not be issued.

When a person becomes NPIP they must follow the rules per their state to maintain their NPIP certificates. In some states it’s prohibited to purchase any birds from sources that are not NPIP certified. In the state of Washington, for example, it is very clear that certified participants are not to purchase birds from anyone that doesn’t participate in the NPIP, according to the Washington Department of Agriculture’s website.

It is ALWAYS recommended to quarantine any new birds away from the rest of your flock even if they are NPIP certified. Veterinarians and State Agricultural Departments advise quarantining for 30 days. Not only does this help prevent the spread of illnesses it also gives your new birds a chance to acclimate to their new surroundings and possibly new climate. Travel is stressful for birds when they’re going to new homes.

NPIP flocks must recertify at least every year, sometimes every 6 months. For some states it’s free and for some there are fees. If you plan to show outside of your state you’ll likely be required to be NPIP certified. Most show managers require proof of NPIP per their state rules in order to participate in their show.

Be advised that some states require permits to ship to or show birds. Check with the state you plan to ship into or show to see what requirements they may have.

To inquire about becoming NPIP certified contact your State’s Agriculture Department by clicking on your state at poultryimprovement.org then click on NPIP Participants by State/Territories.

Japanese Bantam vs. Serama

One of the smallest breeds of bantams, in addition to Serama are Japanese Bantam. Sometimes people confuse them with a pet quality Serama that has a horizontal carriage but even then there are differences between the two.

Here are photos of Japanese Bantams that were graciously submitted by a few Japanese Bantam breeders. I specifically looked for Japanese Bantams from exhibition breeders in order to have an honest comparison between the two.

Something I want to bring to your attention is that every one of these birds is standing up. They are a short legged breed. In the Serama world this is called “creeper leg” and is a fault that is a DQ. The next thing that is easy to see is their tails are MUCH taller than their bodies! For a lot of them that tail also goes toward their heads. If a Serama had a tail that angled in that direction it is called “squirrel tail”.

They are a short backed breed, much like Serama, however, that back is in more of a horizontal orientation vs the vertical orientation the Serama has. The wing carriage is also very horizontal which, again, differs from the vertical wing carriage of the Serama.

The chest, though it is large and round, they carry their chests low in relation to their body vs a Serama that has a higher chest carriage. Finally, the size of the comb and wattle, for the males especially, is much larger than that of a Serama. Serama should have a small comb and wattle.

In summary, though both are small bantams there are quite a few stark differences.

Is it Safe to Feed Uncooked Rice to Chickens?

Is it safe to feed uncooked rice to chickens? This question has been asked time and time again. There are, obviously, 2 schools of thought. One is that rice expands in the chicken’s crop posing a potential danger. One is that it doesn’t.

My experience with rice is cooking it for meals. It does expand quite a bit there but does it expand with just water and no cooking? My original thought was it requires high temperatures to make rice expand. I wanted to find out for myself.

I took 1/3 cup of dry, white rice in the measuring cup and added enough water to fill the cup, which amounted to 7 teaspons. I let it set and took photos.

The first thing I noticed when i added the water was how the rice stuck together. This is the starch on the outside of each grain of rice that is becoming sticky as it gets wet. This is why recipes tell you to rinse your rice if you want soft fluffy rice.

After 3 minutes I was surprised to see that the rice had swelled a touch. After 20 minutes there was quite a difference! I am the first to admit when I have gotten something wrong.

I used to say that rice has to be cooked for it to expand. That is absolutely wrong. Does it expand enough to burst their crop? It doesn’t look like it unless you feed a bird the whole bag. Is it safe to feed dry, uncooked rice to your chickens? Probably, in moderation, but I’ll let you decide with the information this tiny, completely unscientific experiment has produced.

Critiquing an Ayam Serama

Here’s a photo of one of my Ayam Serama. We’re going to go over what is good and bad about this boy.

First we’ll hit the bad. The white arrow is highlighting the fact that his wings are too short for his leg length, IMO. I’d like to see his wing tips almost touch his outer toe. He needs to pull his head back just a touch more. His eye should line up just behind his leg, which is indicated by the light blue line. The wings could come forward more, the front feather of his wing could line up closer to purple line.

The good: His tail is at a 65 degree angle. I actually measured it with a protractor. The yellow line for his tail needs to be aligned with the edge of his sickle feather but trying to do that on an IPhone is difficult! His chest is nice and round, the yellow circle how round his chest is. His tail is full but not so flowing that he looks like he has an Old English Game Bantam tail. His back is nice and short. He does not have scissor wing.

If I was to place him in a home I could be sneaky and say he is a Modern “type” Ayam Serama because of the longer legs or the shorter wings. That’s not the case. He is not a modern type. There are a ton of other attributes that make a modern a modern. He just has a fault in that area. If you are looking for good, show bloodlines to add to your flock don’t get caught up in a sales pitch and hone your “eye” so you can pick out the good and bad in a bird even if it’s your own!

It’s difficult sometimes to pick apart your own birds but in order to improve we have to be able to find things that need improvement and choose birds that can fill in those gaps in our breeding programs. You also don’t want to throw the baby out with the bath water. If there are more good things than bad you may want to keep the bird and pair it with something that can help improve those faults. That’s part of the fun of breeding is know you built your flock and your bloodlines one piece at a time.

Enjoy!!

Why Breeders Won’t Sell Chicks

There are 2 things to consider when answering this question. 1st, let’s answer this commonly asked question: Why do breeders not sell chicks? As with any breed, there is a lot of development that goes on between the day of hatch and sub-adult stage. Just like humans, children go through many changes as they mature. Any one who has seen children grow up knows what I’m referencing. One day that baby looks more like mom and next week looks like dad. As preteen and teenage years the kiddo goes through huge growth spurts until they’re done growing.

For chickens, towards the end of their growing stage, some can be well put together and some can fall apart. At 2 months of age a Serama can look very promising! At 3.5 months that same Serama could have gone through a growth spurt and the wheels fell off the bus. Many breeders won’t sell “culls” or birds that are pet quality as to not allow the genetics that caused that bird to be pet quality to pass on. Some will give them away to pet homes and some price them in various ways.

If the consumer is looking for particular traits they should wait until a bird is of an age that those traits lock in and stay. Some lines mature quickly, in 4-6 months, and some lines mature later, in 8-12 months. Each breeder should know their lines well enough to know when the birds will mature.

An excellent breeder is worth their weight in gold and will be willing to pick apart their own birds and tell you what they like AND don’t like about any particular bird. Find a breeder like that and you have found a breeder worth hanging onto! It also demonstrates that they really know the standard for the Serama breed.

The 2nd thing to consider is there are bantam breeds that look very similar if not identical to Serama at hatch. Old English Game Bantam and Japanese Bantam chicks will look very much the same. Barnyard mix bantams will also look very similar. You spend money on these chicks only to find out about 3-4 months later that they are not what you thought you were paying for. Unfortunately, many people have purchased chicks in the hopes of raising them and selling their offspring only to be told the whole flock they have aren’t anywhere close to Serama. They are then faced with what to do with this flock they have grown to love but aren’t what they thought they were.

If you don’t mind having barnyard mix chicks or a completely different breed then it probably doesn’t affect your decision, however, the price should reflect what you are purchasing. Patience is the name of the game when raising any breed of quality chicken.

Here is a photo of one of my own birds. This was an unauthorized hatch. We had free range Serama that are pet quality. We keep them around for bug control and entertainment! One hen snuck away and hatched chicks. Had I sold that lot of chicks the blue chick is what someone would’ve gotten. Is he a sweetheart? Yes. Is he a good representation of a Serama? That’s a big nope! Not even close. He’s huge, strung out and will never have that nice type that a great Serama should have.

What to Look for in a Correct American Serama

Here is a diagram of what to look for in a correct American Serama. This is a photo of Bruiser, an American Blue Serama. Traditional Serama have the exact same body type, with the only difference being color. An American Serama is one of 6 accepted colors in the American Bantam Association and 1 of those colors is accepted in the American Poultry Association. This particular boy was a multiple time champion and also placed Grand Champion at the 2023 SCNA Nationals over 151 other Serama as well as Champion male in the American Bantam Association in the in cage show, so he is indeed a good candidate to use as a guideline.

Serama are very upright, vertical birds. The blue line shows how the eye, the wing and the leg should line up when the bird is in pose. Bruiser doesn’t have his head pulled back quite as much as he could so his eye is in front of that line.

The red line shows where the front of tail should be. There is no space between his back and his tail as it should be. If the tail angles too far back from that line it is a fault. If there is a V or U shape made between the tail and the neck it is a fault. If the tail leans forward of that line it’s called “squirrel tail” and is a disqualifying fault and should not be used for breeding.

The chest is high and round. His chest starts to come right under his wattles, rounds out and then tucks right back in.

With yellow arrow shows where the wing tips should end. You can see his toes but not his “ankles”. Shorter and the wings aren’t correct. Longer and they drag the ground. Some birds will tuck their wings vertically, even in a “pose”, if the wings are too long. If the wings are the correct length but they carry them above the “hocks” or the “knees” of the bird this is a major fault.

The orange circle shows a fault he had. This is called scissor wing. It’s where the primary feathers peek out from behind the secondary feathers. His wasn’t very bad but there are some that are pretty “severe”. It’s not a fault that has a point deduction but it could in the future. There are a couple of theories as to why that happens. One is environmental, not flying and strengthening the wings, another is genetic.

In a serious competition if there are two birds that are equally matched and one doesn’t have scissor wing while the other does the one without would be placed higher.