Membrane stuck to hatched chick, do I assist?

[Meglin]

I had a chick hatch about an hour and a half ago. He's starting to move around but is attached to the membrane, which is attached to the shell. He's dragging it around with him and I feel so bad! The chick and his shell attachment are running into some of the other eggs, which is making me nervous because I don't want to jostle the other eggs.

What should I do? Wait? Help? I don't see any visible pipping on any of the other eggs but I'm terrified of shrink wrapping the embryos.

 

[rjohns39]

I had a chick hatch about an hour and a half ago. He's starting to move around but is attached to the membrane, which is attached to the shell. He's dragging it around with him and I feel so bad! The chick and his shell attachment are running into some of the other eggs, which is making me nervous because I don't want to jostle the other eggs.

What should I do? Wait? Help? I don't see any visible pipping on any of the other eggs but I'm terrified of shrink wrapping the embryos.

Unless I'm contradicted by a more experienced hatcher, I would say leave it. There can be more going on there than meats the eye. I've had several early hatchers do that and they always figure it out.

 

[Leaguinea]

The photo is a little hard to see but he looks like he is still attached to the umbilical cord. I would leave it alone until the cord dries up, if the shell does not break loose on its own, once the cord is dry you can gently snip it loose with scissors. just make sure that the cord is dried so that you don't risk the baby bleeding.

 

[Meglin]

Thanks everyone; he is not unattached! I'm glad I didn't try to help; I certainly don't want to harm any other babies.

Is it a big deal if he's the only one in there right now? He keeps chirping, and I feel so bad that he's all alone. I don't currently see any other pips in the shells but I'm hoping I at least get one more to hatch. There were 6 that had great movement and veins on day 16, only 1 was questionable.

 

[Leaguinea]

His chirping will encourage the others to hatch!

 

[Miss717]

His chirping will encourage the others to hatch!

X2

 

[Leaguinea]

How is your little one doing? Have any others hatched?

 

[rjohns39]

How is your little one doing? Have any others hatched?

X2

 

[Meglin]

Thanks for checking in, the little one detached from the shell but was still attached to the "umbilical cord" (not sure if there is a proper word for it otherwise.) I left work 5 hours ago (we are hatching the chicks at my school) so I don't know if it came off since then, but I'm not sure if I should take it off when I put him in the brooder tomorrow.

I had one more hatch today! No other visible pips, but we shall see tomorrow.

 

[Leaguinea]

It would be good if you could post a picture of the "umbilical cord" that is attached to the chick.
I would just leave it alone and after a week or so it should fall off on its own. If you have other chicks in the brooder with it and they start pecking and pulling on it then you could trim it a little shorter but don't try to pull it off or cut it up against the skin you will just hurt the chick and possibly kill it.
Good luck with more hatching.... Glad you got a second one