Does this chick need help?!?!?!

[Chicken12367]

This chick has been pipped since day 20 is now day 21. The chick has pipped but I can’t seem to see a beak. Is it shrink wrapped and should I assist?
thanks

 

[FortCluck]

I would open it a little and wet the membrane with some oil or antibiotic ointment with no pain relief to see what the veins look like. If you see bleeding apply pressure to stop it (I use a paper towel or qtip to apply the pressure). Do not put the ointment or oil near it’s beak because you don’t want it to go near it’s nostrils where it breathes.

Assisting can be done 24-48 hours after external pip. This ensures that the chick does actually need help and is not just resting.

Here is an article that will help you:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching.64660/

 

[Chicken12367]

I would open it a little and wet the membrane with some oil or antibiotic ointment with no pain relief to see what the veins look like. If you see bleeding apply pressure to stop it (I use a paper towel or qtip to apply the pressure). Do not put the ointment or oil near it’s beak because you don’t want it to go near it’s nostrils where it breathes.

Assisting can be done 24-48 hours after external pip. This ensures that the chick does actually need help and is not just resting.

Here is an article that will help you:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching.64660/

Ty very much, I’m going to leave it a little longer and check up on it later, I can’t actually see it’s beak but the humidity is high and other chicks are currently pipped and I don’t want to ruin their chances of hatching

 

[LaFleche]

If the chick has already turned to zip you will not see the beak.

It obviously has hit a blood vessel so you might check some time later that it is not glued to the shell without being able to progress.

 

[FortCluck]

Ty very much, I’m going to leave it a little longer and check up on it later, I can’t actually see it’s beak but the humidity is high and other chicks are currently pipped and I don’t want to ruin their chances of hatching

You would see it’s beak if you pulled away the white membrane. The white membrane is turning a bit brown which means it’s drying out. It will need some type of moisture at this point because the humidity in the incubator will no do much for it since it’s exposed so much.

 

[Chicken12367]

If the chick has already turned to zip you will not see the beak

I don’t think it’s turned to zip. It’s only on the pipping stage atm

 

[Chicken12367]

I don’t think it’s turned to zip. It’s only on the pipping stage atm

You would see it’s beak if you pulled away the white membrane. The white membrane is turning a bit brown which means it’s drying out. It will need some type of moisture at this point because the humidity in the incubator will no do much for it since it’s exposed so much.

Ok I will slowly try to pull the white membrane away now thanks

 

[FortCluck]

I also doubt it’s shrink wrapped unless you opened the incubator for a long length of time.

You can take the egg out quickly close the incubator and work on it. It will not harm any of the other eggs that are pipped.

The key is to open and shut the incubator quickly not allowing anything to drop too fast.

 

[Chicken12367]

I also doubt it’s shrink wrapped unless you opened the incubator for a long length of time.

You can take the egg out quickly close the incubator and work on it. It will not harm any of the other eggs that are pipped.

The key is to open and shut the incubator quickly not allowing anything to drop too fast.

I finally decided to help the chick, as you said it’s beak was behind the white membrane. The chick was in fact shrink wrapped and the membrane was pretty tough and glued to the chick. I moistened it with warm water and a paper towel. Slowly pulled it off the chick and away from it’s beak. There wasn’t any bleeding or veins, so I continued and helped the chick unzip, I didn’t completely remove the membrane or shell but kept it wet so that it wouldn’t stick and stop the chick from moving. After a few minutes the chick gained the energy to be able to push itself out of the egg. At first it was weak and just lay on the incubator floor. After an hour or two it seems to have improved and is stumbling around. Thank you and everyone else for their input. It was greatly appreciated by me and the chick.

 

[LaFleche]

Well done! Let us see how she looks when dried up and fluffy.