**Emergency! Please Help ASAP. Newbie Needs Advice!**

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

My eggs are on Day 24. I had 4 chicks hatch yesterday one of the chicks was not able to get out. It pipped but could not continue. I gave that chick 30 hours but due to a thick membrane it couldn't get out by itself. I helped it and it is doing great now.

I just opened one of the eggs thinking I didn't have much to lose and they probably wouldn't hatch anyway. I started at the air cell and gently peeled the shell off. I soon realized there is a chick in there and it is alive! I see a blood vessel (Which I didn't touch). The chick is moving and the membrane was really white (Shrink Wrapped?). I wet the visible membrane and placed the egg back in the incubator. There is still a visible yolk sac.

My questions include:
-Does a chick have to absorb the yolk before hatching?
-Should I open up the top of the eggs for the other chicks to help get them started?

Please don't tell me that I shouldn't have opened the egg, because it is already done and after all, it is day 24. Thanks for all and any input.

 

[FireTigeris]

Usually they fully absorb the yolk, there's a name for it when they don't... maybe it was in a cold spot.

What you do with the other eggs is up to you, I'd open just the air sac at this point just to see. close up the incubator and give three more days with the live ones.

 

[FireTigeris]

Oh, the open one, cover it up with a slightly damp cloth