assisting chicks

[browning6]

I have had 5 or 6 eggs this last week that never hatched and in the egtopsies i found fully formed chicks with fully absorbed yolk sacs.

My question is what if i open the egg and membrane on overdue eggs and try to release the chicks head so it can breathe? I know the membrane will bleed but the chicks are dying anyways. I have yet to have a chick hatch that hasnt pipped by the end of day 21. If it hasnt pipped then is is dead when i open the shell on day 24.

I dont want to kill chicks but i also dont want to loose 25% of my eggs that have fully formed chicks in them.

Tell me experts if there is anything i can do.

 

[browning6]

the ones that are hatching are super healthy and energetic. i have only lost 1 out of 14 if they hatch. Her is a pic of a couple of them.

 

[sumi]

Knowing when and how to assist is tricky, but a friend of mine put together a great article on it that explains the process, what to do and when:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching