Hatching chick, trapped in the skin of its egg, what should I do?

[K. Kolberg]

hey, so I have a broody hen that’s been laying on her eggs, and it is about hatching time!
My first chick is hatching!
My problem is, that pretty much all of the egg shell has come off of the skin on the egg, now, the baby is trapped in just skin versus shell... does that make sense? It is like an egg without a shell, for some reason the skin must be very tough. Should I intercede? And maybe make a little break in the skin? Or should I wait? If I waited would that be bad for the chick?
Thanks!

 

[tacothechicken]

I get it! The shells lining has peeled off the egg and is still stuck to the chick. If the baby has recently hatched I'd give it a HR or two. If it hatched all on its own im assuming it's absorbed all its yoke and the lining probably dried. On it do to a draft under the hen or some such. But if the lining is now full on drying I'd VERY CAREFULLY peel it away. Peel in the direction the chicks feathers not against to prevent damage. If the lining is particularly dried to a spot, just tear around that spot and it'll fall off in a few day when chick molts it's first set of fluff you can dampen it whith lukewarm water to help peel it back. Ps. If you see any trace of blood or live viens stop immediately! Leave the chick to absorb its remaining organs and then you can resume once safe.

 

[ChickNanny13]

2x tacothechicken but instead of using lukewarm water, maybe coconut oil or lotion to loosen the membrane. The lukewarm water may end up chilling the chick, just my thought. Sounds like it broke out to the shell but the inner membrane is "thick"?

 

[K. Kolberg]

Here is a pick, I originally thought it was completely covered in skin, but it looks like it is making its way out Here,

 

[tacothechicken]

Hmm looks almost like mom crushed the shell and it fell away or was picked at, but the baby is fluffing out so I'd be about ready to peel off one centimeter at a time then leave the last bit along his hind quarters to deal whith itself to prevent possible organ damage if there are still organs being pulled in

 

[K. Kolberg]

Do you think it would be fine to wait till tomorrow morning? (It is 10:40 pm right now)

 

[K. Kolberg]

Hmm looks almost like mom crushed the shell and it fell away or was picked at, but the baby is fluffing out so I'd be about ready to peel off one centimeter at a time then leave the last bit along his hind quarters to deal whith itself to prevent possible organ damage if there are still organs being pulled in

THE chick died, I should have helped it last night and I didn’t, because I wasn’t sure if I should. Oh well, what can you do?

 

[K. Kolberg]

I get it! The shells lining has peeled off the egg and is still stuck to the chick. If the baby has recently hatched I'd give it a HR or two. If it hatched all on its own im assuming it's absorbed all its yoke and the lining probably dried. On it do to a draft under the hen or some such. But if the lining is now full on drying I'd VERY CAREFULLY peel it away. Peel in the direction the chicks feathers not against to prevent damage. If the lining is particularly dried to a spot, just tear around that spot and it'll fall off in a few day when chick molts it's first set of fluff you can dampen it whith lukewarm water to help peel it back. Ps. If you see any trace of blood or live viens stop immediately! Leave the chick to absorb its remaining organs and then you can resume once safe.

Hey, thanks for the info, I didn’t do anything because I thought it would be ok seeing that it had broken a hole, but sadly, it died lesson learned.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Sorry for your loss

 

[K. Kolberg]

Sorry for your loss

Thanks I do have 4 chicks so far that are alive, so I now have 3 left to hatch!