If they stay in too long, you wind up with curled toes and crooked necks and stuff... It's up to you. Most don't EVER help because they feel they are "playing god" and only the strong should survive... that's nature, blah blah blah.
The truth is, with incubation, WE ARE GOD. It artificial and, with so many variable affecting it, it's hard for me to sit back and do nothing when a chick is distress because I decided to hatch it artificially.. which recently has been a much better fate than chancing it with brood malfunction
but, that's another thread. If it was day 23, I'd say leave it. Since you're at 25, it COULD BE that it's a late hatcher... like it was stuck in a cool spot for the duration and is just behind but if you feel it's in distress and you aren't worried about potently bringing in a weaker chick into your flock, then help it.
First of all, it looks like a side pipper which typically die because they miss the air cell. I start peeling back the outside of the shell around the pip and work my way around like a "zip" and remove the round part of the shell leaving the pointy piece which is connected to its navel cord. I then pull out the head to let it stretch and usually the chick will just go back to sleep because it's like ooooh... that feels good .. But, if it's very active, it could push off the cap and pull the veins attached to its navel and do damage. If this happens, I try and loosen the membrane away from the cap so that it cannot injure itself.. all the while keeping its little feet from forcefully pushing it away
Now, if you do this, be prepared. It may not end in happy happy joy joy land. Some folks feel better not messing with anything and "letting nature take its course".
Good Luck and, what ever you decide, you are a very thoughtful momma for posting it here and getting informed
does this look ok or should I help it?
