Help - problem with incubation

[EmptyNesterNoMore]

It is day 22 or 23 - I really thought there was no hope left, althought BYC'ers kept telling me to hang in there. I bought a new gauge today to check temperature and humidity. I went ahead and opened up the incubator to put that in and decided to check one of the eggs as suggested by someone earlier. I tried to poke a tiny hole in one end to see if I could tell anything or hear anything. A larger piece of shell broke off and I could feel the poor thing moving in the shell...in my hand... What can I do? I put in back in the incubator but probably 1/3 of the side of the shell broke off in pieces. I can still see movement. Although I am sure I won't be able to forgive myself for this, the important thing now is to find out if I can help this poor little chicken in any way. Please help.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Quote:
Leave the chick alone, it could be it's still not ready to hatch out, if you try to help it can bleed to death. I'm sure your temps have been too low for a hatch on day 21. That's why it was said to leave the hatch til day 25.

They need to finish absorbing the yolk sac if another reason. Keep the bator lid closed, you lose your humidity and shrink wrap the chicks.