Please help me!!!!!!!!!!!!

[AltonaAcres]

I need to know whether to assist or not! Last time I assisted I was scarred. Lets just say although the chick is fine now, (I can't even tell which it is), I will be forever scarred by the experience. I didn't really know what to do, so I basically just peeled back shell and membrane in a malposistioned egg until the chick came out. Blood was EVERYWHERE the chick was completely exhausted and barely made it. However I believe if I hadn't helped it, it wouldn't be here today. I just didn't do it right and felt guilty, sick, and horrible for several days afterwards. So, here's my situation. I have an Amerauacana egg. Last night around 1 a chick hatched. It was quite active and rolled the other eggs around (these eggs are on day 21, just FYI). In the morning I removed the chick and found the A egg (I am not spelling that breed anymore), with several cracks in it facing down. It is more than a pip, but less than a zip (you can see its progress on the "Follow my hatch with me!" thread). This egg in particular was shipped, and its air cell is on the side of the egg, not in the bottom. Anyways, I rolled the egg back over so the cracks were on the top. It is not moving AT ALL. However I can see it's beak, and its kinda tapping around, but obviously not doing what its supposed to be doing. It is peeping. I pulled 2 large pieces of shell away that had already been broken but weren't off yet. Now there is a patch of membrane the size of a quarter. I saw it pressing against it, but now the membrane is drying more. Another egg that pipped an hour or two ago is doing whats its supposed to be doing, and is moving, peeping, pressing, and that is why I know this egg is having trouble. In the several hours I've been checking on it, there in no effort to break free of the shell. WHAT DO I DO??????

 

[hysop]

If your humidity is at 70% and you can see its beak, I personally would leave it be. I would only help if you can’t see the beak. If it’s doing a chewing motion then it’s still absorbing the yolk and is not ready to hatch and does not require assistance.

 

[AltonaAcres]

So how long should I leave it for? I just feel like because its in the middle of zipping and stopped something is wrong.

 

[AltonaAcres]

The membrane is really dry........idk what to do

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

Try and increase the humidity a tad bit

 

[Friendly_Lurker]

I always help my chicks out if they're taking too long. It works.

 

[Noellereagan]

Take some coconut oil or bacitracin (neosporin without pain relief agent) on a qtip and GENTLY apply to dry membrane. That does two things- one it moisturizes the membrane and can help with shrink wrap if it’s not to bad yet. Is the membrane brown ? And the other thing it can do is reveal any unabsorbed veins.

 

[Noellereagan]

If you do above and beak is free I would leave them a while. Generally it can’t hurt to put them back in that situation. But it can hurt or worse to help to early. But when one has zipped 3/4 or more and stopped you’re generally okay to assist. Baby is probably just resting. I’d also put some clean wet sponges soaked in water in the incubator and then I’d stop opting the lid.

 

[Noellereagan]

Also, have a cup handy that will fit in the incubator and hold half the egg with paper towel at the bottom of it before you assist Incase baby hasn’t fully absorbed. That way you can put her back in but in the cup to finish the job but if the chick has zipped most of the way on its own my bet is that the absorbing is done. Good luck!

 

[Noellereagan]

There’s also a great thread about assisting on here. Maybe someone can post that link.