Dry membrane? Help! UPDATED

[OfWolvesAndHen]

UPDATE: The little one I was worried about is only growing more vigorous, and talkative. He/she won't seem to stop chirping or rocking around! The membrane seems to have gotten much whiter as well.

I've opened the incubator a couple times today, each only for a few seconds at a time---once to fill the water reservoir, once to turn a couple eggs who had pipped facing the floor. This guy was one of those and after I turned him, I noticed the membrane looks yellow-ish and dry. I've heard this can indicate the chick is stuck and will not hatch. D:

This is my first hatch and I'm very worried!

 

[Yardmom]

How is your humidity?Is it over 60 If you need to bring it up add more water surface area. Add sponges. Wash clothes or even paper towels. Adding a mist to the room could help. If you just need to moisten the membrane use a vegetable type oil.

 

[OfWolvesAndHen]

How is your humidity?Is it over 60 If you need to bring it up add more water surface area. Add sponges. Wash clothes or even paper towels. Adding a mist to the room could help. If you just need to moisten the membrane use a vegetable type oil.

I don't have a working hygrometer at the moment but the water reservoir is full, which I've been told by the person I've recieved the incubator from has always worked perfectly fine for their hatches. I'm mostly worried that I've shrinkwrapped the chick when I opened the incubator today. I didn't want to intervene but the water level was running low, and the chicks that pipped had rocked the openings flat against the incubator floor. My gut told me to get it done and I listened.

I did just see the chick I'm concerned about do a big hearty turn in her egg, with no apparent deformation of the membrane. Is that a good sign? Truth be told I'm not sure if the membrane *is* dry... I've just heard that any color besides bright white is cause for concern.

 

[Kellyjenny]

Is the little beak sticking out and can you hear it chirping.

 

[Mellowmalt]

turning in the egg is a good sign, that means it is not stuck which is the only concern of a dry membrane. An abnormal color is a bit worrying but it isn't stuck so just hope it will be ok.

 

[OfWolvesAndHen]

Is the little beak sticking out and can you hear it chirping.

I hear plenty of little chirps, but I don't see the beak poking out. However every so often I do catch a glimpse of him/her flitting around in the egg with quite some vigor. Like I said in my previous comment I don't see any deformation of the membrane when the chick moves, which I believe is a good sign?

Honestly after looking at it a bit more closely under a bright light, I think the yellow discoloration is just due to some dried yolk(?). The yellowy pieces are textured with clearly dried material over them; the smooth pieces of membrane are nice and white.

 

[OfWolvesAndHen]

turning in the egg is a good sign, that means it is not stuck which is the only concern of a dry membrane. An abnormal color is a bit worrying but it isn't stuck so just hope it will be ok.

I breathed a huge sigh of relief when I saw the chick turning! Real bold movement too, not light stirring. Honestly after looking a little more closely it seems like the yellowy bits just have some dried yolk or something on them, and the brown-ish spot just has some veins underneath. The rest of the membrane is nice and white.

Probably just a bit of first hatch nervousness! I've been looking at some pictures of dry membranes and they look quite a bit different from my egg so I'm not too worried at this point.

 

[OfWolvesAndHen]

Good news! She hatched overnight. She's the cutest.

I have another chick who pipped at the narrow end of the egg so I'm hoping he pulls through.

 

[Dr Evy]

Good news! She hatched overnight. She's the cutest.

I have another chick who pipped at the narrow end of the egg so I'm hoping he pulls through.

Congrats! I had a chick that pipped at the wrong end in my hatch too, but she hatched just fine by herself. Good luck!

 

[OfWolvesAndHen]

Congrats! I had a chick that pipped at the wrong end in my hatch too, but she hatched just fine by herself. Good luck!

Thanks! This guy seems to be rocking around and chirping quite loudly... though it could be his rambunctious brother/sister, who can't seem to just lay down and rest while she dries! It does look like he's made some progress on cracking the shell though, so I'm not worried as of now