Need help chick currently zipping question!! Updated with pictures.

[chickens4pets]

I'm not sure what to do, I need some advice. I have one egg that started to pip yesterday afternoon. I've been checking on it all last night. Early in the morning around 3am still only a pip. This morning minutes ago I checked it and it's zipped 3/4 around the egg. The question is...it hasn't cut through the membrane. Should the membrane have been broken by the chick, or do they just break the shell, then cut the membrane after? It appears the membrane is still sealed. It's a bloody white color. Is this normal? Should I help and break the membrane?

 

[arlee453]

Sounds normal to me - give it more time.

If after zipping the chick doesn't hatch in a few more hours, then it may be time to intervene, but don't be too quick to help. If the chick can break through the shell, it can break the membrane too, no matter how dry/tough it is.

 

[chickens4pets]

Here's a few pictures, not real good, but does this help? Does it look normal?

 

[cockadoodlemom]

looks normal to me
like Arlee said give it a while longer cause they need to rest after zipping cause it takes a lot of energy to zip

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

I would be absolutely sure that there is at least a hole in the membrane so the chick can breathe fresh air. It it hasn't opened the membrane soon, I personally would carefully open the membrane until I found the chicks head and at least let it hang outside. That membrane will get drier and drier and tougher and tougher over the next hour.