Shrink wrapped chicks

Lucky Dave

Hatching
Jul 5, 2025
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We had to help 4 shrink wrapped eggs out. 2 are doing fine, but the other 2 have not got up. They are still in the incubator but look wet still. It’s been about 4 hours. Is there anything I can to do help them.
 
They are often covered in sticky goo when they get shrink wrapped so sometimes you have to wipe them down before they will fluff up. Take some warm water and a paper towel/cloth and gently rub off wherever it seems crusty.
 
No, just let them be.
Leave them in the incubator until they are fully dry and acting normal. If possible, keep them together in there and move them together.
It’s okay if they are in the incubator over 24 hours.
 
Are they actually shrink wrapped or just slow/trouble hatching? If the latter (more common), there likely isn’t anything to do, many chicks that need help hatching have other issues and often die soon after hatch or fail to thrive. This can be very common with shipped eggs, eggs over ten days old at incubation, or eggs exposed to heat or cold preincubation or in early incubation.
 
It's been a while since you posted. How are they doing?

Before a chick hatches they typically absorb the yolk. A healthy chick can live off of that yolk for over 72 hours so you don't need to be in a rush to do anything.

About half of the time when I help a chick it is fine after a while, but about half die. There is a reason I had to help it. It may be something I did or there is something wrong with the chick and it was not meant to make it anyway. So just do the best you can, you can't do any better.

When I help one they are often covered in goo that dries up and dries their down into a mess. I've tried rinsing chicks off by putting them in a cup of 95 to 100 F water and gently rubbing, keeping their heads above water. Let them dry off in a heated brooder or incubator before you just turn them loose. That gets rid of some of the goop but it may still take a week for all that stuff to rub off. I've given those to broody hens. The chicks are accepted and do fine but it may take a week for all of that to wear off.

This happens. It is not good but is not always a disaster. Let us know how you are doing.
 

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