Should I assist?

[kclarke]

This chick pipped around 9 o'clock yesterday morning. The chick is still moving, more like stretching not turning, and making noise. I have monitored it all day and this is all the progress that it has made. The white membrane is turning a yellowish color and seems to be tightening around the chick. The humidity and temperature is where it needs to be. There is one chick that hatched last night and it continues to peck at the egg, I don't want the unhatched chick getting hurt. Should I assist the chick with hatching?

 

[Down Under]

It has enough shell and membrane open to breath so just use a paintbrush or cotton bud and some clean water to keep the membrane moist until it is ready to come out.

Edit: if the other chick has fluffed up it might pay to transfer it to the brooder.

 

[2ndTink]

@TwoCrows is my to assist / not to assist go to.

 

[Yard Farmer]

It has enough shell and membrane open to breath so just use a paintbrush or cotton bud and some clean water to keep the membrane moist until it is ready to come out.

Agreed.

 

[casportpony]

Welcome to BYC. I keep the membrane moist with Neosporin.

 

[TwoCrows]

It's been over 24 hours now, is it trying to get out? If it's struggling still, I'd do as the above posters suggested, it should bust out on it's own. However if it's growing tired of trying to hatch, I'd pick away small pieces of shell and see if making a bigger opening helps it out. If you notice and blood when picking tiny pieces away, stop picking. Keep it moist, a dry membrane and shell is difficult to hatch from.