Broken shell right before hatch time?

[RussianChickens]

SO I had this egg that looked dead. No movement, everything else hatched. Thought it was a goner. So I tapped the air cell and opened it and all be darned theres a live chick in there!

What I found strange though is he is breathing but has not internally pipped yet???

I put him back in the bator and one of the chicks pecked a small hole in his membrane (very tiny) and it is not bleeding.

How do I best care for him now?

 

[Eggcessive]

Someone with more experience may help you, but I think you may need to get more humidity in your incubator quickly perhaps by placing a very warm wet sponge or cloth in there, and place a very small moist piece of paper towel over the hole to keep the shell from drying out. I don't recommend helping them out, although some people do, but I have had bad experience with weak chicks that die or can't get up.

 

[RussianChickens]

Hes still in there and breathing. Bled a tad where a chick pecked him but its long since sealed. Hes not even trying to get out, so I don't know to wait or help?

 

[Eggcessive]

Here's a link to a thread where they suggest helping the chick out: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/683245/please-help-asap-chicks-stuck-in-egg