Help!!! Should I assist this chick?

[Peachychicken1]

This chick is a fighter! Still alive and moving but I am afraid that it’s stuck to the shell. The membrane was rock hard when I tried picking it.

Do not get water on chicks beak..he could drown I think I read..

 

[Purple_grape84]

So an update:
I just removed pieces of the shell and the little guy kicked its leg out and pushed its way through, but I feel like something isn’t right...I’ve attached a picture below. This guy is trying so hard. I don’t know what to do. I have to go to work so I’m going to let it sit and try to do its own work and will check back in later. Thank you all again!

Lay the egg on a hard surface in the incubator and let it do its thing. It may take a day for it to be up and walking around after being cramped in the egg for so long. I have found that when I need to assist after an overdue hatch they seem to have stiff legs or pins and needles, they take a while to get up and run around. When you get home it will be out if it's on a hard surface, dip it's beak, it has had an ordeal.

 

[Peachychicken1]

So an update:
I just removed pieces of the shell and the little guy kicked its leg out and pushed its way through, but I feel like something isn’t right...I’ve attached a picture below. This guy is trying so hard. I don’t know what to do. I have to go to work so I’m going to let it sit and try to do its own work and will check back in later. Thank you all again!

If no blood he just needs warm and dried

 

[chickens really]

Put a warm wet towel over shell so moisten..mdo not pull him out just get air sac shell top off ..he has to crawl out or he could bleed..he has an embilicle cord attached at the bottom of egg..I know I spelled that wrong sorry

No..Coconuts oil or Vaseline to keep membrane moist never wet towels ..

 

[casportpony]

Put a warm wet towel over shell so moisten.

It's been my experience that placing a wet towel on them chills them, so this is not something I would recommend.

 

[KN650605]

Okay thanks. There’s so many conflicting views on what to do in this situation! I put a small amount of Vaseline on the edges of the membrane last night and I feel it did help. I agree that now I just need to leave it alone and wait for a bit. Will update later tonight

 

[chickens really]

Okay thanks. There’s so many conflicting views on what to do in this situation! I put a small amount of Vaseline on the edges of the membrane last night and I feel it did help. I agree that now I just need to leave it alone and wait for a bit. Will update later tonight

Well I've hatched lots and you can remove the shell and place it into a dry paper towel lined mararine container till it finds its legs inside the incubator..

 

[Purple_grape84]

Okay thanks. There’s so many conflicting views on what to do in this situation! I put a small amount of Vaseline on the edges of the membrane last night and I feel it did help. I agree that now I just need to leave it alone and wait for a bit. Will update later tonight

Lol, of course there are conflicting ideas, we are all human with our own experience. You have to make your own mind and learn from mistakes, that is what we all do.

The assisted hatching guide is excellent, and has been recommended many times by experienced chicken folk. When I'm stuck in a quandary about what to do, I try to think what would happen naturally. Obviously, when an incubator is used we have bypassed a large part of nature, but we can get the eggs to a point where they can push themselves out and not risk pulling the umbilical cord out if the bottom of egg is removed.

I think you are on the right track, just leave it be for now. Please update later, I have 2 weeks left on my latest batch of incubator eggs and am living vicariously through you

 

[LynnaePB]

It sure is hard to know what to do with so many different hatching styles, I am very hands on myself. I for one agree with chickens really, that baby has been in there a long time, it looks like there aren't any active blood vessels and as long as the yolk has been absorbed I'd take the shell off that little one and get it out of the egg.

There is always the possibility there is something wrong and the chick won't be able to survive but if it's otherwise healthy and just got stuck you helping it now could give it the best chance. That is just my opinion of course, in the end all we can do is what feels right to us and learn from our successes or mistakes.

 

[KN650605]

I just checked on the chick and it hasn’t made much progress beyond stretching its leg out. Still peeping and it started to open its eyes when I was talking to it through the incubator. I’m worried though because there is a brownish green thick goo (looks like poo) around it’s abdomen and even with a super high humidity the membrane looks dry again! What’s the next step? I feel like this chick really wants to live!