Chick pipped at wrong end, should I assist?

[Alwaysfowlplay]

So I have read the super informative assist article already, but I need more advice. I have a chick that pipped yesterday morning on the wrong end of the egg. I moistened the membrane last night and also removed a small piece of shell from the opening to see if the chick was still alive, it was. You could still see some blood vessels once I moistened the membrane. So I did nothing. This morning there was no progress but the chick is still breathing and I can see it’s beak pecking at pretty much air and having no contact with shell. I moistened the membrane again. The chick has still made no progress what so ever but I can’t see the blood vessels that I saw yesterday anymore so I think it’s been absorbing everything still. The beak and part of its body that I can see has not moved in any way since I first saw it. I’m thinking it is just not in the positioning to be able to zip or do much of anything. So do I help it or wait longer, it’s been probably 28 hours since first saw the external pip and it happened over night so it’s likely been longer. How much do I try to help? Like should I zip an inch for it, or try to remove more? Here’s a photo so you can see where it pipped in relation to the egg. I don’t want to cause more harm then good, but if the chick isn’t getting out without help, I don’t want it to be suffering for days to just die in the shell.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Let's tag in @Pyxis

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

 

[Alwaysfowlplay]

I check him again and he seems to be moving less, breathing more slowly and I can no longer see his beak... gah I don’t know what I should do!

 

[waddlehead]

I check him again and he seems to be moving less, breathing more slowly and I can no longer see his beak... gah I don’t know what I should do!

If I understand correctly it has been 48 hrs since the initial external pip. Get cornstarch or arrowroot and qtips stat in case it bleeds.. Help that baby. Remember there is no hurry. It it bleeds dab the spot with cornstarch and don't try again for at leat 2 hours.. There is no hurry.. Don't pull the baby out. Make a zip like they would and let the chick kick itself out.

 

[waddlehead]

For future reference once you break a piece of egg shell it is unlikely the baby will be able to get out on it's own.. Try to never break the shell at all in less it's been at least 24 hours after the external pip...

 

[waddlehead]

I am anxious for you now.. Please update when you can. Thank you..

 

[Alwaysfowlplay]

I helped a bit. There was a very tiny amount of blood so I stopped. He is moving and peeping a lot. Just letting him rest in the incubator for awhile. Seems like some of the membrane had dried a bit around his lower half so I peeled that back and now he’s kicking his feet. Fingers crossed.

 

[Alwaysfowlplay]

For future reference once you break a piece of egg shell it is unlikely the baby will be able to get out on it's own.. Try to never break the shell at all in less it's been at least 24 hours after the external pip...

I didn’t know that, thank you! It had broken pieces of shell and the membrane and I couldn’t see anything. It wasn’t making noises so I thought perhaps it had died since the membrane was dry looking so I removed just the piece it had mostly removed with them I could see it’s beak and movement. It had probably been about 16 hours at that point.

 

[Alwaysfowlplay]

I am anxious for you now.. Please update when you can. Thank you..

Here’s the little one! He did need more assistance but actually pushed himself from the egg, so that was good. He does appear to have a spraddle leg and some curled toes which I’ve read can happen with hatching issues. Yolk looks completely absorbed but there is just a very tiny bump on the rear. I have him sitting in a tiny cup currently trying to keep his feet under him as I read doing that in short spurts a few times a day can help. If not I will try to hobble the little guy and I’ll wait till tomorrow to see if he needs boots. I had another egg that took awhile to hatch that hard curled toes that corrected themselves within a few hours. Very active, just bowling around the incubator. Thanks for your help!

 

[Alwaysfowlplay]

Just to update, in case anyone finds this thread in the future. I hobbled and booted the chick and after 12 hours the boots corrected both feet and after 24 I removed the hobble and he it corrected the spraddle leg. He/she is just as healthy and fast as all of its mates. So I’m very glad that I assisted.