Hatch help!!!

[Christina1071]

I have a chick that is on day 20 and pipped on its own. I was scared it wouldn't be able to breathe so I took part of the shell of to see its nose and let it breathe. 4 hours later it hasn't moved to zip the egg and still has its nose sticking out. So I zipped it for the little one and left the top on with the membrane all it tact. The baby is breathing and chirping but not trying to get out and I can still see the veins in the membrane and I'm afraid to leave it overnight while I sleep. What should I do ?????

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

If you can still see veins I'm afraid the chick is not ready to hatch yet. When they make the initial external pip they can sit like that for up to 24 hours before zipping the egg and hatching. During this period they absorb the yolk and all the blood vessels. They also rest/sleep during this period as hatching is a very tiring process for them. Even with the smallest of cracks for an external pip they will have enough oxygen to breathe.

Do you have the humidity high? As you have exposed membrane you will need to make sure it stays high to keep it moist. If the membrane becomes dry it can shrink wrap the chick and it won't be able to turn in the egg when it zips.

Hatching takes time, a lot of time. My best advice now would be for you to make sure the humidity is high and give the chick time to finish the hatching process.

This is a fantastic read on the hatching process and why intervening too early can cause more harm than good ~ https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101

Good luck

 

[AmyLynn2374]

If you can still see veins I'm afraid the chick is not ready to hatch yet. When they make the initial external pip they can sit like that for up to 24 hours before zipping the egg and hatching. During this period they absorb the yolk and all the blood vessels. They also rest/sleep during this period as hatching is a very tiring process for them. Even with the smallest of cracks for an external pip they will have enough oxygen to breathe.

Do you have the humidity high? As you have exposed membrane you will need to make sure it stays high to keep it moist. If the membrane becomes dry it can shrink wrap the chick and it won't be able to turn in the egg when it zips.

Hatching takes time, a lot of time. My best advice now would be for you to make sure the humidity is high and give the chick time to finish the hatching process.

This is a fantastic read on the hatching process and why intervening too early can cause more harm than good ~ https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101

Good luck

Everything Yorkshire said. My opinion you should never start an assist before 18 hours after pip, unless there are dire circumstances. Many of mine are not ready before 24 hours.
I strongly suggest if you have Vaseline or non pain relief neosporin, very gently put a light coat on the exposed membrane to keep it from drying out while the baby gets the time it needs to be ready to hatch.