I think I killed it. :(

[Chotii]

I had 17 eggs that looked like they'd go all the way, out of 24. Everybody hatched but one lone big brown egg, and I swear, I saw NO movement, nothing in it for days. Also, the air pocket had not gotten larger, as will happen when they drink up the remaining fluid before hatching. The last time this happened, the chick had been dead for a day or two - had died near term in the shell. So, I broke the shell over the air sac area on this one, and poked at the chick with a nail. The membrane broke and oozed...rich red blood. I actually poked through twice before I realized that was not fluid from decomposition. Then the chick started moving around. I suppose it lost 3-5 big drops of blood outside, possibly more inside the membrane, before it began to clot.

I have wrapped the egg in Cling & Seal, put it hole-upright in an egg carton, and put it back in the incubator with extra humidity. Is there ANY hope for the poor baby? How can it breathe if I have it wrapped up? Is there anything I can do at all? I feel bad.

But it hadn't even pipped internally let alone externally, today was the last possible day for hatching according to the calendar, and I'd seen no movement for days.

 

[Armageddon]

Oh! I am sooo sorry! I don't know anything about hatching eggs...but here's a bump!

 

[mrslb333]

First of all don't feel bad I did the same thing a few weeks ago but sadly I lost the little one but I did it with some quitter eggs just before lock down so yours stands a better chance

Take the film off it and cover it with a warm damp cloth or kitchen paper making sure not to cover its beak and put it back in the incubator it hopefully should progress by itself or at the very least you will give it chance to absorb the yolk fully and draw up the blood from the veins so you can assist easier if the time comes.
Good luck hope it goes well

 

[Chotii]

Sadly, it died shortly after. That must have been some awful blood loss. Poor little baby.

I will not jump the gun again. I would STILL swear the thing was dead-in-shell for days. But I'll let them go 23 or 24 days now.

 

[Denninmi]

Don't be too hard on yourself. Odds are something was wrong with it anyway, and it probably wouldn't have hatched. Or, if it did, it might have been one of those chicks with severe neurological problems, all twisty, can't stand or hold its head up, legs hanging out the back, and it would not have lived more than a few days. It was probably for the best.