Emergency!! Help my chick that's trying to hatch, please!!

[GracefulBantams]

I'll explain more later, but right now, I have a chick trying to hatch on the side of the egg! What do I do to help it get air?!? I know it is still alive, because the egg is shaking like crazy!

 

[GracefulBantams]

Oh, this is day 22.

 

[mhoward92]

ahh this is always a hard one. i have had it happen to me before. usually i will just let them and watch to see if they poke the top open otherwise you might have to do it yourself.

 

[GracefulBantams]

The shell is cracked, but the membrane looks entact??? Should I poke that?

 

[hinkjc]

I would leave it and wait. In most cases a chick does not need any help to hatch. They will come out when they're ready as long as the humidity/temp were correct. Good luck. I hope your baby hatches soon for you.

Jody

 

[GracefulBantams]

Thanks

Will this chick suffocate, though, since it is not piping into the air cell?

 

[Katy]

It may be pipping into the aircell. Sometimes I've had them start pretty far down on the side. How far down the "side" is it?

 

[hinkjc]

If the shell is cracked, the chick has broken through the air cell. I think you should be fine as long as you don't open the incubator. Hang in there..you should have a chick by tomorrow.

Edited to add - cheep at it..I bet you will hear it cheep back if it's not sleepy.

Jody

 

[Tsagirl]

I had 2 of Jody's BO pullet eggs pip at the small end!!! Well they ended up zipping just fine and came out as healthy as can be, so I dont think I would worry about it pipping at the wrong end. Chicks get confused but they come out.

 

[GracefulBantams]

Thanks for all the encouragement

Here's a picture: