can I do anything???

[dandydoodle]

OKay I have a baby that was shrink wrapped. I opened the top of the egg. I was going to try to free the babies face so it can breath then try to moisten the membrane so it can get out. I really think it was shrink wrapped, when I pierced the membrane there was no fluid inside. They can't breath with out fluid in there can they? I stopped after making one small pierce in the membrane because it started to breath a little. I don't think it was quite ready to hatch but, it had no fluid. the is now a little opening in the membrane is there any hope that it can breath through that and make it. If it bleeds some when piercing the membrane does that mean its as good as dead. Sorry for all the questions, please be nice but honest.

 

[chicmom]

Did you see the chick's beak? If you did, then that's fine. You really shouldn't help though......did it pip?

 

[dandydoodle]

no it didn't pip. there was no fluid. I didn't look for the beak, I was scared I would make it bleed more.

 

[chicmom]

why do you think it was shrink wrapped. Is it the last egg left that hasn't hatched?

 

[dandydoodle]

Uggh, I don't know what to do. If I leave it alone it is gonna suffocate and if I try to move more membrane it will probably bleed to death.

 

[chicmom]

I think it'll be OK. I would recommend that you just put that egg back into the incubator and close the lid. That humidity needs to be higher during lockdown. I would just close the lid and go to bed......You may be surprised!

And don't feel too bad. You're not the first one to try and help a chick, and you won't be the last.

 

[dandydoodle]

No big long story. My broody was doing a hatch and one of my other chickens snuck in some of her eggs over the next week and half. When the first two were born she quit sitting on the rest. This one had a baby in it but, I didn't know how far along. So I didn't know when to quit turning or go into lock down. So every once in a while I would candle I was trying to figure out when to go into lockdown. It just seemed like it should have already hatched. Everyone has been telling me to keep the humidity really high so it will have a quicker recovery when I turn the egg. Since I didn't know when to stop turning since I didn't know how far along it was. I was getting worried today because, it has been so long and just nothing. Well I candled today and you could tell the membrane had just shrank a lot. You could tell there was no fluid left when I candled but, I could see the baby struggling. Thats the story and now here I am. I think if I hadn't opened it the baby would have suffocated in the egg anyway. Hopefully maybe the small opening in the membrane I made will give it enough air to live. I am not very hopeful though.

Quote:

 

[dandydoodle]

When will all the veins in the membrane go away so the baby can come out????

Quote:

 

[chicmom]

OK, gently peel away some of the egg. Tiny bits at a time. If you don't see any liquids, then peel away. You may find the shell come right off the membrane and then you will have this little chick in a white sack. Then you just have to peel away at that very very carefully.