Is the membrane supposed to dry up?

[AAJ]

As my chick in the incubator hatches I notice the membrane getting brown and drying up. Is this supposed to happen?

 

[Americana]

After the chick hatches, yes the membrane will dry up

 

[ILOVELEGHORNS]

Nooo....the membrane isnt sapposed to dry up. What is the situation with the little guy? Is he half out of his shell? Do you have humidity in the incubator? Need more info. Can you post a picture of him?

 

[AAJ]

It is still pipping at the membrane, already broke some of the shell. I moved it over the leg of the incubator with the water in it and I think it stopped drying up a little. I have the mini dome incubator.

 

[ILOVELEGHORNS]

ok, what i would do, is wrap him up loosely in a warm, moist paper towel, without covering his nasal passages and immediately place him back in the bator. If the membrane was already drying up when he pipped, then he would have a heck of a time turning in the shell to hatch properly and possibly get stuck, and suffocate. I would also wet that part of the membrane with a cutip to moisten it. Watch him closely. He could still get stuck when trying to rotate. If he does get stuck, you can safely assist him without worrying about damaging blood veins because they should be all dried up if he was ready to hatch. Work at the top side of the egg he was pipping from. So If he was drying up like that, chances are, the other chickies in their eggs will have that same humidity issue. I recommend that you keep it very humid in the incubator

 

[AAJ]

The chicks hatched safely. Thanks.