Can a chick shrink wrap when it is unzipping?

[Sunkistim]

Hi, I'm sure this is a question that's been asked a lot but I hope someone can help. I opened my incubator for a few seconds because I didn't think any eggs had pipped and then realized I think two eggs are almost completely unzipped (looks like the chick has the shell cracked all the way around the egg, but no chick is visible). I'm just nervous that when I opened the incubator that I shrink wrapped the chicks. The humidity dropped when I opened it but then immediately rebounded. One of the eggs keeps moving all around the incubator and I can occasionally see it wiggling. The other chicks in the incubator also keep knocking into it. How do you know when a chick has shrink wrapped and you need to intervene?

 

[Silexian]

I don’t think opening the incubator once is all that detrimental. Since you know what your humidity is and other chicks have hatched. I think you are dealing with a weak chick, instead of a shrink wrapped one. You can peel back enough of the shell to free it’s head and let it straighten out it’s neck. Then it will have a better chance of freeing itself from the shell.

 

[Sunkistim]

Phew, it's out. I just kind of flicked part of the shell off and it popped out. Like it was ready and waiting for me. I had to cull one of its siblings and I'm slightly traumatized from this batch of eggs. Thank you for the advice!

 

[Silexian]

Sadly it is all part of hatching eggs. Kind of a checks and balances thing. At least the one you were really concerned about made it.