Need advise quickly

I have a hatch in progress and I have 4 healthy hatchlings (out of 8). This one has been pipped (see picture) since 8 o'clock this morning. He may have pipped during the night, but I know it has been at least 12 hours and there has been no progress. The membrane is so paper white and looks so dry. I have been keeping the humidity at around 70%, but am worried that he is stuck. I cannot see any movement within...such as a beak pecking...or no rocking. I do however hear him peeping from time to time. Today is day 21 for him.
I feel confident in my ability to help him if needed. Can anyone please advise me if I should intervene? I am so afraid that I will go to bed, and wake up to him being in the same condition, and no more peeping from him. I would feel horrible. Please advise asap. And thanks so much.

I know you aren't supposed to, but I did rip through the membrane on one I rescued from a hen who walked away from a peeping egg...I wanted to make sure it would at least breathe. I did put it under a heat lamp and had a chick in the morning, which I slipped under the hen who was none the wiser. You could maybe just do that...just make a small tear, so it can get air....? Can't hurt, as long as you don't tear the shell off

Thanks for the reply. There are already two very tiny tears in the membrane. I have not heard any peeping in a while. What worries me is that there are absolutely no movements. This is my first time incubating eggs. Watching the other 4 hatching, I always saw small beak -like movements...or something! There has been none of that on this one. Just peeping...now that seems to have stopped. I think I will try to open it a small bit. At least I will know that I tried to do something if he doesn't make it through to hatching.

How did it turn out? I hope he made it through ok!

Well, because I had heard no more peeping, and saw absolutely no pecking or other movement, I decided I needed to help the little guy out. I removed the shell. the membranes through the whole shell were tough and dry. After he was out, he was weak, with very little movement. Just laying there with labored breathing. The cord was still attached to a portion of the shell, so I just left it on and basically he was just laying there with an occasional weak peep. Said a prayer, and went to bed. Up at 7 this morning and the little fella was up and walking around, dragging his shell piece around with him. I snipped it off, and he seems to be doing real good. Peeping and waddling around. I'm so happy, as I feel in my gut, that had I not intervened, he would still be in that shell...but no longer with us.

A question now. His butt is CAKED with dried black matter. Is this feces? (Actually, inside the shell...after I took it off, there was a little blob of black stuff). I know I have to clean it off, but boy is it dried up hard. It's gonna take a while to soak off without hurting him. I will wait a little while to see if anyone advises against this....but my plan is to make a tent out of a large heating pad that I have, and working within it with a bowl of warm water and cotton ball try to soak his butt a minute and work it off. Does anyone have any other suggestions or advise? And thanks for checking in on us! I sure hope he continues to improve.

How did it go? Are you sure it's his vent, and not his umbilicus? If the vent, a warm soak is the way to go. That is meconium, and the equivalent of pasty butt in the shell. Good job with the assist. Congrats. You could dispense with the heating pad over the bowl, and just do the warm water in a bowl in your bathroom which is very easy to get warm and toasty by running a hot shower for a few minutes.

Soaked his little bottom, and it cleaned up nicely. Still see his umbilical thread attached, but now his bum is much cleaner. Thanks for the encouragement. I am pretty proud of myself.....being new at this. I think I might just have an knack for this. Also, now that I have had a chance to see him better up close, I see he has a somewhat deformed foot. He walks kind of turned in sometimes, and sort of drags it a little. Don't know if it is because of the mesh he is waddling on...but am just going to keep observing.

Give it 24 hours, then if it's not completely corrected, you might need to splint it. Is it curled toes? Do some research by typing in your question or description of the problem in the search box. It should bring up lots of threads to help you figure out how to fix the problem. Usually such deformities are caused by wrong incubation temp. Read hatching eggs 101 in the learning center.

Can you post a pic?

MrsKluck said:

Soaked his little bottom, and it cleaned up nicely. Still see his umbilical thread attached, but now his bum is much cleaner. Thanks for the encouragement. I am pretty proud of myself.....being new at this. I think I might just have an knack for this. Also, now that I have had a chance to see him better up close, I see he has a somewhat deformed foot. He walks kind of turned in sometimes, and sort of drags it a little. Don't know if it is because of the mesh he is waddling on...but am just going to keep observing.

Click to expand...

Well done, I meant to get back on last night and see how it was going...so how many of the eggs actually hatched out? Pasty butt can kill a chick, if its all clean, just watch for droppings. You saved his little life! yay.....how is the foot now?