I think chick needs help, head curled backwards

[Alas]

One of my chicks pipped on the wrong end around 5am this morning. He's been chirping and the egg has been moving ever since. He managed to get the tip of his beak through and nothing else. It looked like his beak was upside down and he never managed to shift positions. So I peeled back some of the shell (leaving the membrane intact). It seems his head is curled around backwards in the small end of the egg. I tried peeling back more of the shell so that maybe he'd have the room to turn around, but he is still in the membrane with his head curled backwards, chirping his head off. I'm starting to think I may have to help with the membrane

I've never done this before. Any tips or important info?

 

[Cattitude]

May as well do the whole thing all at once. Don't be surprised/startled if there is unabsorbed yolk, as long as it isn't huge. It can be nerve-wracking, trying to decide to help or not. But most of the ones I've helped have made it.

 

[white01]

I had this happen and also tried helping, and i should have listened to a lot of knowledgeable people on here and not help, i tried to help 2 of them and even though they hatched they only lived for a day. if they cant make it out on their own maybe that means they wont make it when they get helped out. so now my moto is survival of the fittest and will not help anymore, even though it kills me to see them struggle and not make it. but i got attached to one of them and held him all the time and he still didnt make it, tore my heart out.
I hope this helps

 

[chickee]

I had a chick pip very low on the egg. He was the first chick to pip so I didn't want to help him and mess up the rest of my hatch. It took him 34 hours to finally zip and when he pushed the top of the shell off he was upside down with his feet sticking straight up in the air!

He made it out by himself and grew into a lovely BLRW rooster. Sounds like your chick has lots of energy and it may surprise you and get out by its self. Always best not to help.

GOOD LUCK!

 

[dolly85]

If you take all the membrane off at once you will risk having that chick bleed to death in a matter of seconds. You need to do it slowly. Wet the membrane with some warm water and gently peel it away from the chick. If you see bleeding, STOP and wait 15 minutes or so before trying again.

 

[Alas]

I dampened the membrane and worked the hole he made just a tiny bit so maybe he can get a bit more leverage. Too nervous to do much else. I'd feel worse about killing him than I would about him dying because I didnt help. I'll give him a bit more time and see if he manages to get any further.