PLEASE HELP - CHICK CANT HATCH AND MIGHT BE DYING - should I assist???

[ChickensAmongUs]

I will try to be as brief as possible so I can get this message posted and hope for a response. I just hatched some chicks (this was only my 2nd hatch). I have never experienced any complications...either the eggs hatched or they didn't...until now. This little chick pipped on Tuesday afternoon, by Tuesday night he had a zip going about an inch long or so...and his beak was clearly visible inside the hole, and I thought he would hatch by Wednesday morning. He didn't...by Wednesday night, there had been no further progress....so no progress in 24 hours. So, I read the article about assisting, and carefully removed the top of the egg shell, hoping he would tumble out. That didn't happen.

At no time did I encounter any blood vessels. It seemed to me like his claw was stuck, right next to his head, and if I could just free it, he would push himself out. After removing a little bit more shell and membrane, I saw bright yellow yolk next to his claw, so I immediately stopped and put him back in the incubator. I was hoping that with the whole top of the shell gone, he would absorb that yolk, then just free himself and come out...but again, nothing.

Now it is Thursday night, almost 48 hours since the chick last made any progress in hatching. 24 hours since I took the top of the shell off. This little guy is STILL chirping every so often, and still moving his head and beak. But, he won't, or probably can't free himself and come out of the egg. Also, the same amount of yolk is still visible in the same spot near his foot.

I have read so many things about detached yolk sacks, and malpositioning, and all the horrible things that can happen if I assist, or don't assist, or if I free him from the egg before he is ready to come out. I don't want to cut him loose, and then watch his intestines come spilling out, but on the other hand, after this much time, I'm not sure that more time in the egg will help him. The bottom line is, I am a newbie, and I just don't have the ability to diagnose this chick or know exactly what i should do.

I am attaching some pics, showing how the chick is positioned in the egg, I will try to get some more pics that show him better, and show the yolk near his foot, but I will have to get some better lighting first. I will try to post those in the next few minutes.

PLEASE somebody, tell me if there is anything I can do for this little guy, because he is very much alive right now, and it is breaking my heart that I don't know how to help him.

Thanks in advance,
Tom

 

[five is my dog]

i would free the egg from wherehis foot is and nothing else hope he turns out ok!!!

 

[ChickensAmongUs]

Thanks for your reply!! I really appreciate your help. I just got in contact with wildriverswolf90, who helped me out last year when I had my first hatch. She advised me to wrap him in a warm, wet paper towel (all except his head), which I have done. In the next hour or two, I am going to attempt to free him completely from the egg. We think the membrane is shrink wrapped around him and he is not able to move.

I am going to hold off on sending more pics for now, because I don't want to open the incubator again until I am ready to remove him from the egg.

If anyone wants to offer any more advice before I make the attempt, PLEASE do.

 

[five is my dog]

i hope he turns out ok poor thing!

 

[familypendragon]

Fingers crossed for you two!

 

[ChickensAmongUs]

Thank you!

Here is the latest picture:





I freed him from the shell, and I believe most of the membrane....he was definitely stuck!

It took me about 20 minutes to get this far, and I felt like he was getting too wet and cold, so I put him back in the incubator for now.

His head and one of his claws are still stuck to his chest by all that yolk. I will still need to free those, but the warm water i was using for the shell is not cutting it.

Does ANYONE know of a safe method to remove the yolk to free his head and claw???

Please, any help would be appreciated, as I will be making the attempt tonight. Maybe we can save his life.

 

[familypendragon]

I don't have any advice - only on my first hatch here. But my thoughts are with you <3

 

[TheTropix]

Hey there,
How's the baby? If it still hasn't come loose/off, I think I'd try a moist Q-tip and gently try to "roll" it off or loose from its' foot/feet & try to free its head. (the warm, moist paper towel was a good idea, too)
Keep us posted on how it's doing. Best wishes, Sherry.

 

[ChickensAmongUs]

I got his leg, wing, head, etc etc all free....poor little guy, it seemed like every part of his body was stuck to every other part. I feel horrible I waited so long to free him, but i was just afraid of what would happen if I intervened too quickly.

These are the latest pictures:




He looks awful, but he doesn't look any different from any other chick that is first hatched.

I'm a little concerned about the 2nd picture.....can anyone tell me whether that looks like something that will absorb/dry up/heal...or is it a problem?

I am not experienced enough to diagnose, and I also realize that it may be hard or impossible to tell from that picture, but any help is appreciated.

We haven't had any experts respond to this post yet. i would really appreciate if someone did, because if he survives overnight, tomorrow he will really need your help because I will have to decide what else I need to do for him, if anything....what to feed him, give him to drink, etc etc....the longer he survives, the MORE he will need your help until he turns the corner...so please respond if you know what you are doing and can offer advice.

It is my pleasure to fight for his life, but I am afraid I will go to far, or do the wrong thing, etc....

For tonight, I will leave him in the incubator. I dipped his beak in some egg yolk, and some water with electrolytes......one dip in each, just to get a little something into his system.

I will check this post again throughout the day tomorrow.

To everyone who did and will respond, thanks alot and I hope your hatches go well!

 

[TheTropix]

If you can get some grogel and mix just a tiny amt with a tiny amount of water... let it sit until it firms up and add juat a tad more water to make it good and wet. Then give that baby some drinks from that water. If the chick starts getting up, you can sprinkle a couple of pieces of chick starter in the grogel to encourage it/them to peck at it. But it'll be the softest thing you could put on its tender digestive tract, and it's goood for them. I have come to really love that stuff and give it to all my hatchlings. I don't know if I'm supposed to mention particular ebay sellers, so if you want the name of who I get mine from, drop me a line. (I've found this seller gives more product for the money.. always good!)
Depending on how well baby does tonight, I can tell you what I did for a little Cochin that had a very similar problem. If you have some antibiotic ointment, have it handy.. you may end up using a little on that area. Just depends on what it looks like tomorrow. I am NOT trying to pretend I'm an expert in any way, We're all rooting for your little baby!