Unexpected hatching - help!

[Kiki]

I think the membrane dried up around the chick...

Don't put a wet paper towel on the egg...coconut oil on the membrane is better.

Can you put some oil on the membrane now and get a better look at the veins to see if they are thinning/going away?

I'm thinking that it might be a good idea to chip away a little more of the shell towards the fat end of the egg.

Shell only...not membrane.

 

[Kiki]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australasian_swamphen

Wow what a neat looking bird.

 

[ValerieJ]

Thank you for coming in to the thread, @Texas Kiki

 

[Kiki]

@WVduckchick is a pro at helping things out of eggs.
Me... Not so much.

 

[ValerieJ]

@WVduckchick is a pro at helping things out of eggs.
Me... Not so much.

Good to know! I wasn't sure who to ask, just went for members who seem to know so much more than the rest of us. I have hatched exactly one egg one time. LOL Not much help here either.

 

[Ridgerunner]

That's rough to decide when I'm looking at an egg, let alone over the internet. 12 hours is not all that long for a chicken egg, not sure about pukeko. Any time you have to help there is something wrong, that means it might not survive. But you do the best you can.

If you help too early, the risk is that it has not done all it needs to do before actual hatch. That could be absorbing the yolk or drying up the blood vessels. It has learned to breathe in air by now.

This is not my strength either but I'd agree to remove a little more shell only, not membrane. If you see any blood stop immediately. Go slowly, but as long as you don't see blood keep going until you can see how dry that membrane is. I'd probably keep going as long as I did not see anything to stop me. and I would be very nervous.

Have the brooder ready. That chick needs to be in a warm place when it comes out. I would not worry if bits of the membrane are stuck to it as long as it can move. If the down looks matted down, don't worry as long as it can move. I had a chick I helped have matted down for a week before it cleaned itself up.

I'll tag @casportpony She probably knows this stuff better than I do and will at least enjoy learning about this species.

 

[casportpony]

@WVduckchick is a pro at helping things out of eggs.
Me... Not so much.

x2, her and @Pyxis
It would be helpful to see more pictures after some Neosporin or coconut oil has been applied to the membrane.

 

[ValerieJ]

That's rough to decide when I'm looking at an egg, let alone over the internet. 12 hours is not all that long for a chicken egg, not sure about pukeko. Any time you have to help there is something wrong, that means it might not survive. But you do the best you can.

If you help too early, the risk is that it has not done all it needs to do before actual hatch. That could be absorbing the yolk or drying up the blood vessels. It has learned to breathe in air by now.

This is not my strength either but I'd agree to remove a little more shell only, not membrane. If you see any blood stop immediately. Go slowly, but as long as you don't see blood keep going until you can see how dry that membrane is. I'd probably keep going as long as I did not see anything to stop me. and I would be very nervous.

Have the brooder ready. That chick needs to be in a warm place when it comes out. I would not worry if bits of the membrane are stuck to it as long as it can move. If the down looks matted down, don't worry as long as it can move. I had a chick I helped have matted down for a week before it cleaned itself up.

I'll tag @casportpony She probably knows this stuff better than I do and will at least enjoy learning about this species.

Thanks for coming in with advice. I wasn't sure who to call on, just know those of you I tagged are really smart about chickens.

 

[Kiki]

Thanks for coming in with advice. I wasn't sure who to call on, just know those of you I tagged are really smart about chickens.

I don't like helping quail chicks out because I've learned my lesson...they usually aren't meant to be.
But...
@WVduckchick Is used to helping little fake ducks out and they usually always make it.

 

[Rose Quartz]

For me, rule of thumb is after I see a pip it has 24 hours (chicken) If it's not out by then I'm willing to go in and help, but it's not a rushed process at all. Chickens I've learned tend to pip, rest while cheeping, pip a second time, and then have a long quiet sleep, before they start to zip. I have only hatched chickens though so not sure if that's normal for other birds.

Knowing when to help the first few times is really hard. But usually, unless the incu temp is too low 24 hours is good enough for chickens.

I've heard up to 48 hours for ducks though. So still no guarantees. Could you get more pictures as you go? Definitely take the paper towel off, it chills the chick.