Egg pipped at least 36 hours ago

[SillyMeRH]

I have an egg that pipped more than 36 hours ago - that was when I noticed it but the hole was pretty big so I'm thinking it was probably quite a while before that actually. I had only locked them down the night before, but the incubator has been having trouble with temperature - as high as 104 and as low as 96F - driving me crazy. Anyhow - this one pipped quite early - day 19. This morning - after it had been 27 hours since it pipped with no progress I tried to gently assist it by removing shell around it with blunt tweezers - like they do when they zip (not membrane) but after going almost all the way around I saw a little bit of blood. So I put arrowroot powder on it, wrapped it partly around in warm damp paper towel and put it back in the incubator. It is still alive (9 hours after the rescue attempt) but hasn't made any attempt to get out of the shell. I'm protecting it from the other chicks that are hatching around it with an upside down sieve. Is there anything else I can do? Should I just leave it alone? What is the longest successful hatch anybody has seen?
Thanks in advance.

 

[coleson12]

I would go to youtube and find a video of a 1 day old chick peeping(making noise) play it for 10 seconds and do that every 10 minutes for an hour or so, this gives the chicks motivation to hatch.

 

[SillyMeRH]

Right now it has three other chicks in with it - so lots of motivation. 3 more on the way. Part of me wants to help it again... but worried about bleeding. I figure that maybe it is a big chick, pipped early because it was cramped, but because it was so early it hadn't finished and then the membrane dried out.

 

[coleson12]

If the membrane looks dried you might want to look into the egg and see if it is stuck to chick, if so gentle rub it with warm water untill it becomes un stuck

 

[SillyMeRH]

So should I try removing a bit more shell again?

 

[coleson12]

I would

 

[SillyMeRH]

whoo hoo - I very carefully chipped away at the egg (not the membrane) until I got too scared - lots of veins showing that I didn't want to get near. I wrapped it in a very warm wet washcloth (except for the area where it initially pipped) and laid it back in the incubator. 8 hours later - It JUST hatched. So I'm thinking it took 48 hours from first pip to hatch. I'm calling it Trouble. Thanks for your help.

 

[coleson12]

No problem, have fun with the little one