How long to leave them in the shell???

[steffpeck]

I have a chick that has hatched the top part of the shell off, her head and 1 wing are out of the shell but nothing else. It looks like the membrane is drying around her. Should I hurry and take her out and help her get the shell off or just leave her? She also has a piece a membrane drying right over one of her eyes. I have since had another one pip and zip and has hatched.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
You could take and wrap the egg shell in a warm wet cloth, but I wouldn't take it out. If the umbilical is still attached, the chick would probably bleed to death. You could also take a q-tip or eye dropper and put some water in the shell.

As for the membrane, take a warm wet cloth or q-tip and gently rub it off.

 

[steffpeck]

I ended up just removing a little bit of the shell and lining from the top and it popped right out. It is in the bator just chirping away with the other BR that has hatched.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Great!!

Did you get the membrane off its eye? (I told you in the other thread just to wait

, they will work it out eventually. I have chicks hatching right now, and 2 have had their bootys stuck in the egg, just hopping around, with a shell on their butts!)

 

[chicksinthemachine]

Congratulations!!