Urgent: broody stepped on hatching egg!

[rebecuna]

Should I help it or leave it?

I'm afraid she messed up the hatching process. I saw her step on the egg-- twice in 30 seconds!!-- with all her weight while she was trying to get out of her nest (for the first time in 5 days-- she was a bit unsteady) The egg is still jumping and wiggling, but is cracked all over and kind of flat from the squashing, and most or all of the membrane is still intact. She's back on the nest now.

 

[ChucktheChick]

Hmmm...... I would say leave it, as long ad there is no blood. I think you need to watch it carefully and just see how it does. Keep us updated!

 

[rebecuna]

Just checked on her and it looks like the chick is almost all the way out! Not much shell left, still some membrane. The mama is pecking at the shell... that's okay, right?