Please help! One chick won't hatch!

[kuntrychick]

I'm new to incubating eggs. I've had 10 hatch. One is still in the shell. It's got a pretty big hole in it. I see it's beak & foot is hanging out a little. It chirps at times. It puts it's foot out a lot & pulls it back in. I can also see part of it's abdomen. I don't know what to do. It's been like this for a pretty long time. I don't know when to intervene or even how to. Thanks in advance!

 

[chickenhawk73]

sounds like the chick may be stuck to the shell.if it does not hatch out soon you could try gently picking away the shell where the opening is.if it is stuck it probably cannot hatch on its own.

 

[Lightfoote]

Quote:
How long is pretty long? Two hours, eight hours, twelve hours...? Generally it is best not to intervene or assist. One passive thing you may try that could help is get a misting spray bottle, fill it with 100 degr. F temp water, and gently, lightly mist the egg and visible part of the chick. If the membrane inside the egg is what people here on BYC call "shrink-wrapped" due to a general lack of enough moisture, then introducing a MODERATE amount of moisture in small increments could prove just enough to help the chick help itself work free, having more effort to expend on the usual pipping and zipping. If the chick does not make it anyway, then most likely the chick is too weak to survive and thrive successfully.

Best of luck

Lightfoote

 

[kuntrychick]

It has been more than 12 hours. I moistened part of the membrane & removed tiny parts of it. I see part of the chicks head, one of it's eyes, it's beak, one foot hanging out, & part of it's abdomen. It is still chirping & breathing. Its like if it would just move a tiny bit in the shell, it would break the top loose & break free. I just know they've got to absorb the yolk sac & all that & not quite sure what to do with it. I don't want to just see it like this. I wish it would either hatch or go ahead & pass. I feel so helpless!

 

[KIDDSBANTAMS]

I just had a chick in the same shape last night that had been piped for more than 24 hours and it was not getting anyway. So I read how to chip away the shell with twizzers and moisten the membrane. I was nervous but I did not want it to die. It did not take long and it was free and peeping like crazy. The membrane was stuck to it and it could not get free on it's on and was getting very tired. It is doing great now, running around with the rest. I wish you luck.

 

[starforever61]

I agree with lightfoote, moisture is key if shrinkwrap is the problem. Good luck!

 

[gavinandallison]

Good luck, we have done this 3 times now, a clean pair of tweezers, warm water to moisten the membrane, cotton buds to moisten the membrane and plenty of patience. If you get any bleeding stop and wait a while. But keep in there, the first time is the worse but now I am confident to do it over again....

 

[kuntrychick]

I'm mostly worried about it not absorbing the yolk sac. What do I do about that? I mean if I barely barely messed with the shell I think it would be free. Bleeding is another concern of mine. I don't know what "shrink wrap" is. I have freed the dried membrane at the hole & can clearly see the chick.

 

[TinyChickenLady]

Leave the membrane in place and chip some of the shell away. If the membrane is turning white then it needs more moisture. Shrink wrapped means the membrane dried up and is wrapping tightly around the chick which can cause it to get stuck and be unable to get out on it's own. Chip away some of the shell the same way the chick would when it zips. It will work on it's yolk while you work on it's shell. Don't worry about the yolk right now. Keep the membrane moist and if you see blood, take a break. Good luck!

 

[kuntrychick]

Ok I used q-tips dipped in warm water, toothpick & tweezers. It just took a tiny bit & the chick is free!! It isn't moving around much & is holding it's head kind of down against itself like maybe how it was holding it while stuck in the shell. Is there anything else I need to do right now? Just leave it alone in the incubator to let it rest? I do see the yolk sac thing on it with little tiny blood veins in it. I'm worried about it being chilled from me working on it with the water but maybe a while in the incubator will help it. I hope it figures out it's free & can move it's head & all.