Chicken Stuck

[clawrence628]

Hi, I am new to this and we have had three eggs hatch beautifully. We have one in the incubator now that has pipped and done the circle around but now has been stuck for going on four hours. It was moving around and peeping alot and now seems to be slowing down. I am sure it is stressed, I know I am. My concern is that there is a white membrane that looks stuck on the feathers. The temp is 99.5 and humidity is 70%. There was a decrease when we removed the two chicks that had been in there for a day and were "bullying" the third hatch...but it went back to normal within 30 minutes. Any hints, or is there no hope. I am just sick to my stomach. Any advice or knowledge on what will happen next? Should I do anything?

 

[Paganbird]

Here is the link on how to help the chick out of the shell:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=9316

If there are any eggs pipped, you should not open the incubator. That quick drop in humidity is probably what got the chick stuck.
If it has already zipped & is stuck - you should help it out of the shell. Next time, just leave the chicks in until all the pipped eggs have hatched.
Good Luck.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Spray or drop some warm water on the membrane ASAP and try to help it a little. It is obviously too dry if the membrane is stuck to the fluff. This is where you SHOULD HELP!

Congrats on the new babies!!!

 

[Lensters]

I agree with Cindy, I have had the best luck spraying them down to help them get free. I keep a spray bottle in the incubator and give all the 18+ day eggs a shot whenever I open the door. If a chick is struggling to get out I'll spray it with three or four shots every couple of hours. After 10 or 12 hours I'll help it out knowing that it probably isn't strong enough to survive, but a few do and end up normal chickens.

 

[flgardengirl]

I had one do that to me last hatch. Poor little thing I left her that way overnight , hoping she could get out on her own but the next day she kept looking out through the half zipped eggshell crying, while all the others kept hatching out. It became clear to me she wasn't gonna come out on her own. I went in and got her and am so glad I did because she was completely shellacked into that egg. I peeled off the top and she was glued in a circle: right wing glued to her head, head glued to her chest, chest glued to her leg, with her little beak sticking out in the center weakly chirping!! Just pathetic, I felt so bad. I wrapped her and the bottom half of the egg that I couldn't get off in a damp paper towel and used a qtip to moisten the stuck areas. Then I set her back in the hatcher for about a half hour to soften everything up, then took her out and finished unsticking her. She is the sweetest little thing and jumps right into my hand every since. I had to give her 3 baths and use one of those eyelash/eyebrow brushes to get all that petrified membrane off of her. She is a week old now and doing great.

 

[clawrence628]

Thank you all SO MUCH!!! She is out and peeping around the incubator fabulously! I was so upset and you all made it perfect. Ok So now ho do I give her those baths to help the petrified membrane come off and when? I am thrilled because four just seems better than 3 (one was really being bullied, now they will have a friend.) Again, this forum was a lifesaver and I truly thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

 

[farmin'chick]

It won't hurt to wait until you take them all out of the 'bator to get her unstickied. You can sometimes just gently roll the dried membrane in your fingers and it will come loose, otherwise I work it loose with a warm, damp washcloth -- If you dampen her, just be sure to carefully dry the chick and put her under the brooder lamp afterward

 

[flgardengirl]

I got a little shallow bowl and barely put a little bit of warm water in in. I took the bowl and the chick in front of a space heater because it was a little cool in the bathroom. I sat down and made sure I good hold around the chick and set her feet into the bowl and she sort of scrunched down in it. I dipped a washcloth into the water and rubbed her a little with it. Then took the eyelash/eyebrow brush (but you could prob use a soft toothbrush) and gently combed the membrane out. Be careful of her eyes and not getting water into her mouth. You could probably use a little bit of baby bath to soften it up further. I did that the second time I had to wash her because I noticed later she still had a bunch under one of her wings. Afterwards I wrapped her in a warm washcloth and let the heater blow on her. She liked that.