Uh Oh! Pipped at wrong end....

[hennypenny99]

I may have just really messed up? I was looking at my silkies that hadn't hatched yet. Well one of them pipped at the wrong end. Well I tried to help and I probably shouldnt have. I chipped away a little more so he could breathe better. He is cheeping just a little, I think he is weak. Well I chipped the egg part back about 1/3 of an inch and was going to tear some of the membrane back and I saw a little blood.

So I moistened the membrane and put him back in the bator. Did I mess up? I have never helped before and i couldnt remember if I was supposed to wet the membrane or dry it! Aaah! Time to start searching old posts or if someone knows what I should do please tell.

I have no idea how long it's been pipped because I couldnt see that side of the egg through my window.

 

[chicmom]

They say never to help....But....Shhhhh.....Don't tell anyone.......I helped one that was pipped at the wrong end.....I think there isn't enough room for them to work, so they never get past the pip sometimes.....I chipped a little bit more away, discovering there was no blood, everything looked OK, so I kept going.....TA-DA....Maybe I was just lucky but I've got a perfect little chick with no problems....It was pipped with no zipping for like a full day, and then it really didn't peep much.....I do think it would have died if I hadn't helped it.

 

[thechickonthehill]

Quote:
Yes, wetting the membrane was the right thing to do. I usually wrap the egg in a wet paper towel to keep the membrane from drying out. Give it a couple of hours and see if the chick makes any progress on its own. Do a search for "helping a chick hatch" and you'll find lots of info.