Chick Drying Out In Shell...

[Brillig]

Hi Everyone...

I've got a chick that MAY be stuck in it's egg...At least twelve hours ago, a half inch opening appeared in the shell...The chick hadn't made much noise or effort to get out, but when I examined the egg this morning, the chick's feathers had almost dried (right around the eye area) and the membrane was stuck to the feathers...I carefully removed the top of the egg and wrapped the rest of the egg in a wet tissue...Now the chick is peeping and chirping like they do when they are born, but it hasn't come out of the egg...I was going to remove the entire shell, but I noticed something yellow and assumed it hadn't fully absorbed the yolk yet...I think the chick is plenty healthy (judging by the amount of noise it's making) and I trust that the tissue will help, but I'm wondering if there's anything else I should do...I normally don't assist on a hatch, but this seems like a totally viable chick and I want to give it every chance of surviving...

Any thoughts???

PS...I just took another look and I think the yellow may have been its foot...Also, its eye is still closed...Don't know if that matters or not...

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

Peel off some of the shell without hurting the membrane and note the color. If white, it's fine, if yellow, you need to moisten it because it is drying out.

 

[Brillig]

The membrane is white, but again, the membrane is sticking to the chick...The chick is resting now after a loud and active morning, but it is still in the bottom half of the shell...Eye is still closed...

I'm not trying to rush it though...I know that they can live a couple of days without food...I'm just wondering if I need to do anything to make it easier to hatch...I don't know if the eye is shut because the chick is still gestating or if it has dried shut...But, the chick seems active and doesn't seem to be in distress...

 

[SunHwaKwon]

The yellow might be a leg or foot. The yolk is pretty far down usually. If you peel the outer membrane you should be able to see if there is blood in the veins of the inner membrane. If there isn't, he could very well be stuck. If there is, he just isn't ready. Either way, keep it moist.

 

[Brillig]

The yellow did turn out to be a foot...Definitely no blood in the membrane I've already removed...I haven't removed any shell or membrane below the head/shoulders and foot...Fortunately, the chick doesn't seem distressed...

 

[Brillig]

Chick has been removed...Its wing was stuck to its head and its neck was fused to the shell by dried out membrane...I used warm water mist to free the fused parts and the chick has full mobility...It can't stand up yet, but it IS tumbling around the incubator...There's a dark red lump where the umbilical cord was, but no blood...

Any suggestions abut what to do next would be welcomed...

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

Chick has been removed...Its wing was stuck to its head and its neck was fused to the shell by dried out membrane...I used warm water mist to free the fused parts and the chick has full mobility...It can't stand up yet, but it IS tumbling around the incubator...There's a dark red lump where the umbilical cord was, but no blood...

Any suggestions abut what to do next would be welcomed...

Just leave the chick alone to dry. Don't mess with it unless something is wrong.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

x2

Just leave the chick alone to dry. Don't mess with it unless something is wrong.

x2

 

[Brillig]

I try never to 'mess' with my hatching eggs...I usually DON'T assist with hatching and lost one in this batch for just that reason, but this one was obviously healthy and just plain stuck to the egg shell...It's standing now (although very wobbly - tips forward quite a bit)...and I think it'll be just fine...

Thanks for the help folks!!!