Should I help this chick hatch??

[julieseawel]

Today is day 22 of incubation and this baby chick has been trying to hatch for well over 24 hours. She hasn't made much progress at all. I can see her beak opening and closing and she peeps some but she's been stuck like this for hours and hours. I have picked off a couple pieces of shell and I'm wondering if I should do anymore? Peeling the membrane worries me because of all the blood vessels. If I do go ahead and help her, what is the best way to do it?

I'm sorry, I can't upload any pics right now....phone is acting up
Thanks!

 

[Toddrick]

I helped a couple of mine out after several hours of stalled pipping. All are healthy. Unless you are doing it before they are developmentally ready--which clearly shouldn't be the case at 22 days for chickens--then I doubt it will cause any harm.

One of mine must've been sideways in the egg, because she pipped a circle, but it wasn't at the end where the air sack is. So when she pushed, it just opened like a little trap door, her head came out, and then went back in. I didn't hesitate to crack her free, and she is now my biggest and healthiest.

 

[julieseawel]

So, how do you deal with the membrane? Will it bleed? If it does have I gone too far?

 

[Toddrick]

So, how do you deal with the membrane? Will it bleed? If it does have I gone too far?

I didn't pull the bird out, I just cracked the egg all the way around, so the next couple times it pushed it could get out. If it has cracked the egg then it has already split the membrane. Or are you saying she hasn't externally pipped yet?

 

[julieseawel]

There is a big hole on the side of the egg. Her beak is poking thru and I can see her black fur. The membrane is torn right there but she hasn't pipped all the way around.

 

[MrsBachbach]

So, how do you deal with the membrane? Will it bleed? If it does have I gone too far?

If you peel back the membrane and it starts bleeding alot, don't go any further. Put the membrane against the shell and put it back in the incubator and wait about six or eight more hours.
After pipping and 24 hours have passed with no progress, I would think it's time to get the chick out. It could very well be stuck to the eggshell. What I would do when trying to remove the chick is get a warm damp washcloth and hold the egg in that while removing the shell a bit at a time. I would stay near the sink with a little warm water running and have a q-tip handy. If you come across a stuck area, use the q-tip to dampen that area and let it set a bit. It helps to loosen stuck down from the shell. Just make sure you are aware of where the chicks beak is when doing this because you don't want to get water in the chicks beak or nostrils. There could be nasty poop in there after being in this long. You might have a sterile pair of scissors handy too. Sometimes there is a bit of umbilical cord still attached that needs snipping. If you see any yolk still not absorbed while doing this, just stop and put it back and give it some time to absorb. You will have to remove the chick from the shell later because it will be really stuck after being removed from the incubator and egg shell removed, etc. Now, if a little bit of yolk is still there, I have seen it absorb or dry out on its own and later just fall off, so don't be too alarmed.
Also, be aware that sometimes chicks don't hatch because there is something wrong with them. A deformity, weakness, etc. So there is that to consider.

 

[julieseawel]

Thank so much! The small amount of membrane that I have peeled back had a lot of the chicks fur stuck to it so I had to detach it....I'm thinking that's what's going on. She's been trying to hatch since yesterday morning so I'm going to go ahead and try and help. Thanks so much for all the advice....wish me luck!

 

[MrsBachbach]

There is a big hole on the side of the egg. Her beak is poking thru and I can see her black fur. The membrane is torn right there but she hasn't pipped all the way around.

It could be stuck or it may not be ready. It's yolk sac may not be absorbed yet. Have you opened the incubator at all during this hatch?

 

[MrsBachbach]

Thank so much! The small amount of membrane that I have peeled back had a lot of the chicks fur stuck to it so I had to detach it....I'm thinking that's what's going on. She's been trying to hatch since yesterday morning so I'm going to go ahead and try and help. Thanks so much for all the advice....wish me luck!

Yes, use the qtip to dampen the membrane in the areas that look stuck. Warm water. You may have to re-warm your washcloth when doing this, the chick is going to scream when it gets cold.

 

[julieseawel]

All done! There was a small amount of bleeding but not much. I peeled off about half of the shell then did the membrane. At the bottom the membrane was very dry and there were a few spots I had to unstick from the chick. It was a very small egg so I'm wondering that had anything to do with it.