Should I attempt assisted hatching?

[K0k0shka]

That wasn't my experience with a shrink wrapped chick. I still allowed her to push out once I did the left to right chip while checking the membrane.

Every situation is different. Some get more dried out, more stuck than others. OP can attempt a partial zip and wait some more. I'm not hopeful that that would help though because they've already removed part of the shell, and the chick has not taken advantage of that and has not attempted zipping, that's why I'm thinking it might be too stuck to move at this point.

 

[HeritageFan]

I would not personally remove the whole shell!!!
I’ve had to step in and assist quite a few times, and I feel like it is really important to let them push their own way out- even if you need to open the shell quite a bit and let them finish the job.

I remove enough of the shell to give them space to do so, if I must intervene.
I prefer coconut oil to moisten the membrane, I use qtips and slather the membrane first on the outside, and then “roll” the swab and oil under the membrane as well.
As long as there are no veins, I also open the membrane a bit more as I go.

Olive oil also can work if you don’t have coconut oil. I’d go next to Vaseline if that was your only other option.
Any “lubricant” will need to be re applied if progress remains slow- coconut oil usually “lasts” 8-12 hours depending on humidity and how quickly you can work when the egg is out of the ‘bator/ how quickly you bator comes back to proper humidity after opening it.
I can’t speak to the others because I’ve no personal experience w them.
They will be a bit greasy for a minute, but I’d rather have a greasy baby alive, than one that died trying to get out!

I also open the entire air cell end, and not down the shell.

These are ducks- the last eggs that showed signs of life but had not externally pipped from a big run from last summer.

I had to open the shell, peel it back in the air cell area, lube the membrane, carefully work everything back.
They did get rolled around by the earlier hatchers, so.... I’m not sure if they couldn’t get in the right position due to being bowling balls, or?

The one on the right still had a vein I didn’t see until I “lubed” the membrane (you can see the red, that is why I start by lubing the outside so you can see any small veins that may still be there before you open the membrane up)
All three of those babies are happy, healthy adults now

 

[K0k0shka]

I would not personally remove the whole shell!!!
I’ve had to step in and assist quite a few times, and I feel like it is really important to let them push their own way out- even if you need to open the shell quite a bit and let them finish the job.

How long is too long to wait for them to finish the job though? If they aren’t making progress, even after initial attempts at opening some shell up for them, at some point you have to draw the line… otherwise it becomes a race against time…

 

[ComradeQuedtions]

So I ended up having to assist, and he’s doing fine, chilling in the incubator as we speak, but I do have a question on another one. It hatched still stuck to the egg by umbilical cord and after it had essentially pushed it till it snapped off I noticed it had two little peanut sized things stuck to its behind, i dont know what to make of that as i have never witnessed this before in other hatches

 

[SmiYa0126]

Can you post a picture?

 

[ComradeQuedtions]

Can you post a picture?

 

[SmiYa0126]

That looks like it's remnants of the yolk sack. I would keep her away from the other chicks until it dries up.

How's the chick doing?

 

[ComradeQuedtions]

That looks like it's remnants of the yolk sack. I would keep her away from the other chicks until it dries up.

How's the chick doing?

Good I think, been keeping it separate, but the yolk sac has dried into a crusty layer on the underbelly and I’m not sure if I should just leave it alone or do something about it.

 

[SmiYa0126]

Good I think, been keeping it separate, but the yolk sac has dried into a crusty layer on the underbelly and I’m not sure if I should just leave it alone or do something about it.

What I would do is try to rub it off with your hands, be gentle, so the chick an get fluffy. You may not be able to do it all at once. If you have to wet your hands to do it, keep a blow dryer nearby to warm the chick.

Also,.post more.pics!!!

 

[ComradeQuedtions]

What I would do is try to rub it off with your hands, be gentle, so the chick an get fluffy. You may not be able to do it all at once. If you have to wet your hands to do it, keep a blow dryer nearby to warm the chick.

Also,.post more.pics!!!

The best I could do photo wise, that’s what the area looks like right now, the chick is moving but seems to have a wobble when the leg brushes against it. It’s all one big crust so I can’t really rub it off without pulling it all off and i dont know if that will hurt it.