Egg-topsy disaster: can I help a still-live chick?

[TwoShepherds]

Oh no! It's day 23---I had five eggs out of 23 that didn't hatch. After two days of no signs of life I candled the remaining eggs; they looked dead, so I cracked them for an egg-topsy like I always do with non-hatchers---only one lost a drop of blood and started wiggling after I cracked it. The membrane is still intact, but I have cracked and pulled off about 25 % of the shell. I moistened the membrane and stuck it back in the incubator. I feel so bad. Is there anything I can do to help this chick or would it be more humane to euthanize it so it doesn't suffer? TIA!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

You can try and keep it moist enough it doesn't shrink-wrap and monitor for bleeding. It may or may not make it through depending on if it bleeds inside or not

 

[TwoShepherds]

Thanks for replying! I think my incubator tends to run a little warm, and I have more early hatchers than late....so I was shocked to find a live one two days after the others hatched. I hope it has a shot, but I pulled off so much shell, I'd be surprised if it made it. Kicking myself for not waiting another day...but I wanted to get the incubator cleaned out for the next batch. Lesson learned, I guess.

 

[FeatherProfessor]

Thanks for replying! I think my incubator tends to run a little warm, and I have more early hatchers than late....so I was shocked to find a live one two days after the others hatched. I hope it has a shot, but I pulled off so much shell, I'd be surprised if it made it. Kicking myself for not waiting another day...but I wanted to get the incubator cleaned out for the next batch. Lesson learned, I guess.

Any updates?? Two days after with no movement is not an unreasonable time to wait. I’d have been checking and doing egg topsys by then too. Don’t kick yourself over it.

 

[TwoShepherds]

Unfortunately, it didn’t make it.