Half Shell Hatch-A-Long! (Caution, unsuccessful, please read whole thread before attempting)

I wouldn’t put anything near a chicks face that isn’t hatched and out yet... chances of aspiration are way too high. Oxygen is more important than additional nutrients when they’re learning to breathe. The yolk contains the nutrients they’d be needing. The earliest I would give anything by mouth would be once it’s out; and only then if it’s particularly dull and not just resting. The only exception to that would be giving antibiotics immediately if they had a ruptured yolk, and that would be injectable. Although I haven’t had one of those survive either, so... 🤷🏼‍♀️
Oh, I didn’t say, I dip the navels in iodine same as I do for calves. Lol. Sorry. :p have to be careful what you put on there though because there’s definitely some “uptake” through the stump.
I've been gently rubbing a tiny bit on a q-tip along his mouth. He swallows really well, and then I put him back. I put some right on the skin near the corner of his mouth too. I've hand fed a lot of newborn altricial birds before, and I know too well how easy it is for them to aspirate. I've been very careful though. I'll hold off on it for a while either way. He seems to just be resting. He moves everytime I come and look at him though, usually just moves his wing a little bit, or turns his head. He moves pretty often. His eyes are shut though, and he never makes noise. I hope it's just because he's still young.
That's good to know about the iodine. Thanks!
 
It's on day 18, but all of the others have died (the majority of, on day 19).
OK thanks for the correction.

I apologize for any confusion. Since people were talking about chicks, I assumed they were incubated to term.
I have no experience hatching without a shell other than what i've read over the years and I wouldn't try it outside of an environmentally controlled laboratory environment.
 
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OK thanks for the correction.

I apologize for any confusion. Since people were talking about chicks, I assumed they were incubated to term.
I have no experience hatching without a shell other than what i've read over the years and I wouldn't try it outside of an environmentally controlled laboratory environment.
It's ok, no worries.
Yeah... I fully understand that now. Since I did it though (which I'll admit was probably a dumb idea) do you have any idea on how to help my poor baby survive? If it were the rarest and most expensive egg in the world, and you had to try to save it from someone dumb (me) what would you do? I just want to try my hardest to let him live. He shouldn't have to suffer from my mistakes. There must be something I can do.
 

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