do i help this little chick?

[HarrietB]

its been at least 10 years since i last had chicks and this is my first time using an incubator. my little egg is 3 days early but was in the airsack yesterday lunchtime and pipped through the shell around 8 ish this morning. little sweetie is cheeping lots but doesnt seem to be pecking the egg or membrane at all since 8 this morning, i have made the hole a little bigger to see what the problem is and wrapped it up in a wet towl etc to keep it damp but nothing is happening apart from alot of talking and no movement! with a torch if i look at the right angle most of the shell has come away from the chick and the membrane but i have left it be to see if the chick will do it its self. i have attached some pics


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[HarrietB]

its been a good hour and still had no progress :S

 

[sumi]

Membrane looks good, but as long as she's talking and lively leave her. She needs to absorb the blood in the membrane and the yolk sac. Chicks can take up to 24 hours or more to hatch, so many of us make the mistake of thinking they need help when they are actually fine. They pip through the air sack and the shell so they can breathe. It doesn't mean they are ready to come out yet. I've seen this with lots of chicks. You just make sure you keep the humidity up, keep the membrane wet so it doesn't get stuck to her her or shrink wrap her and keep that towel wet. just be careful you don't put water on her beak and nostrils. That's quite a large hole in the shell, so you'll have to keep an eye on the moisture level in there, especially if she's in a forced incubator. The moving air can dry her out quickly. She'll get on with it when she's ready to come out. So be patient...

 

[HarrietB]

ive been keeping the membrane wet with some warm water and a cotton bud - im sat next to her all the time to make sure it doesnt dry out. loosened a bit of the shell and she had some big head movements but she seems to have got her head wedged under a wing or leg or something so her head doesnt seem free to peck or zip away, she keeps trying to move her head out

 

[HarrietB]

chick hatched and is just drying in the incubator - needed a little assisance but as soon as it had some room it really went for it and pushed the shell off now it cant decide if it wants to stand or sleep!

 

[sumi]

Cute! I'm glad she hatched out O.K. Now you can relax too

 

[Sphinx]

Glad it hatched ok!