This is an updated post and I could use some help on this one. 12 eggs. 5 healthy hatchers. One malpositioned chick - dead Four other eggs - dead / no movement It's Day 23. Last remaining chick pipped this shell approximately 36 hours ago. No progress. Attempted an uneducated "help" last night and caused a tiny drop of blood. Stopped immediately. Came here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching Candled all remaining eggs and drew air cell. No movement in 5/6 Candled live chick in egg. Drew air cell in pencil. Carefully removed shell from the area and the OUTER membrane. I can CLEARLY see the veins are not ready to have him be hatched. But NOW WHAT? I'm feeling a little pressure here - I am contracting myself this morning and have to leave in an hour for a doctor appointment. I will most likely be having a HUMAN today, lol, but I'm leaving this EGG and it's really causing me more anxiety than my own birth. Chick sounds great but definitely less peeping than last night. His beak is clearly positioned where he pipped the shell - in the dead middle of the egg. Whereas the air cell WAS properly positioned. Help a chick mama out?
I know it's hard but you need to let nature take its course. I have learned from experience about assisting hatches. Nature has a way of weeding out genetic issues. It doesn't let those chicks hatch normally. If the chick cannot hatch on its own, assisting it is interfering with Nature's own way of correcting problems. You don't want that chick to carry on that problem to future generations. It took me a long time to realize this. Chicks that I have assisted have turned out blind or with broken toes or suppressed immune systems, etc. If it is strong enough to hatch on its own, it will. If not, maybe just let nature take its own course. Just some advice that I learned the hard way. I even follow this with extremely rare chickens like my Ayam Cemani which sell for $800 a chick. Since following this advice, I have the healthiest, strongest flock of anyone I know. But you have to decide for yourself.
I will agree to some extent with "allowing nature to take its course". Usually, when I have helped an egg hatch it will not be a very strong, healthy bird. There was one time when I was helping my nephew with a science project and he was totally distraught about an eggs in a similar situation so I helped it hatch... It was a quail. That quail imprinted on humans so very well that it became pet-like. Other than this ONE experience, I would recommend it.
I've helped a few out, they just weren't in the right position to zip around, but why are the blood vessels not ready? Seems strange , I'm not sure from your post if it has a air hole other then the air sac? If your going to help it it will need a hole making, I'm not sure if you can see if the egg sac has been absorbed?
Oh crumbs... Look, I know this may sound harsh, but you need to look after yourself and your baby now. If that chick is meant to hatch, it will and I hope it does. Take care of yourself and good luck with the birth!
