Yellow membrane on external pip...do I need to help?

I am so stressed with this hatching today. I also posted in ducks, but need an experienced hatcher's input. This little dude pipped last night around 9. He's moving, cheeping, and I can see him working, but not much progress has been made. The membrane looks pretty yellow, Google tells me this means dry? Does he need help yet?? Others that have pipped later are much further...

Kangasox said:

I am so stressed with this hatching today. I also posted in ducks, but need an experienced hatcher's input. This little dude pipped last night around 9. He's moving, cheeping, and I can see him working, but not much progress has been made. The membrane looks pretty yellow, Google tells me this means dry? Does he need help yet?? Others that have pipped later are much further...

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If the membrane has turned a brownish/yellow then yes, it's a sign that it is drying out and most likely the inner membrane is starting to get stuck or glued to the chick. You can pull it out and widen the pip hole and moisten the membranes (with a q-tip/cotton swab) use warm water to moisten any membrane that is glued to the chick itself and with a pair of flat nose tweezers (if you have them) genetly pull the membrane back where it was stuck careful not to take any fluff with it.. Once you have moistened and unstuck the chick/duck you can wrap a wet paper towel around the egg, not covering the pip hole and replace it in the bator to give it a chance to finish on it's own, unless there's a greater problem that requires an assisted hatch.

Thanks so much @AmyLynn2374. Sounds easier said than done, but he's working so hard I want to help him. I've read the assisting sticky, I will reread and give it a shot. Is it going to mess up the other 5 pippers in there if I slip that egg out quickly? Should I do it in a humid environment? So, break away a bit more shell with tweezers and moisten the membrane but not take it off, and unstick him?

Kangasox said:

Thanks so much @AmyLynn2374 . Sounds easier said than done, but he's working so hard I want to help him. I've read the assisting sticky, I will reread and give it a shot. Is it going to mess up the other 5 pippers in there if I slip that egg out quickly? Should I do it in a humid environment? So, break away a bit more shell with tweezers and moisten the membrane but not take it off, and unstick him?

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If your humidity is up over 65% the others should be ok. I open my bator frequently during hatch and haven't hurt a pipper/zipper yet. (I also keep my humidity around 75%). The assists I've done I've done right at the bator with no extra humidity and the only assist I ever lost was a day 25 hatcher in a botched first hatch, that was too weak (for obvious reasons). I've done about 4-5 to different levels of assisting with great success. 2 were malepositioned chicks.
Yup, break away a bit of the shell around the pip to enlargen it so you can see where and what maybe stuck. Moisten the membrane and you can remove the sticky membrane, and unstick him, just don't start peeling the membrane down as you will probably run into veins that haven't reabsorbed yet. Once he's unstuck wrap a wet paper towel around him to give him a little extra moisture, (it'll also give the bator a little extra after opening) and slip him back in to see if he can continue to progress on his own.

Ok. Humidity is at 75% and has held steady. Oh dear. Stay tuned! I'm a nervous Nellie but I know you're a hatching master so I'm in good hands.

Kangasox said:

Ok. Humidity is at 75% and has held steady. Oh dear. Stay tuned! I'm a nervous Nellie but I know you're a hatching master so I'm in good hands.

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lol I wouldn't say master, but thanks. You can do it. I'll be waiting to hear how you do.

Ok. Peeled a bit of shell off and wet the membrane. It was yellowish everywhere I pulled off shell? And almost a veiny second membrane inside? I can see into the hole and see feathers and a clear cavity. His bill is right there and he's trying so hard, don't know if he has a bad position? He talked to me the whole time. He's back in and humidity recovered. Let me know what you think!

Kangasox said:

Ok. Peeled a bit of shell off and wet the membrane. It was yellowish everywhere I pulled off shell? And almost a veiny second membrane inside? I can see into the hole and see feathers and a clear cavity. His bill is right there and he's trying so hard, don't know if he has a bad position? He talked to me the whole time. let me know what you think!

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It's that inner membrane that becomes glued to the baby. If that is nice and moist and not stuck to him, he should be ok. In that case, I would just put a wet paper towel around the egg and put him back in to do his thing. If he was vocal that is a good sign.

The veiny part looks wet, but is pulling a bit away from the shell, but doesn't look stuck. On the other hand, this is the first egg I've ever looked in . Is he on any kind of timeline? Trying to decide about sleep. my children would probably appreciate a halfway decent parent tomorrow. Thank you SO much for your help and support.

I imagine he feels like I did after my first baby and 27 hours of labor with nothing to show for it yet!