I had to help a stuck chick out of the shell last night. I didn't think he was going to make it, but this morning he was up running around the incubator. The only thing is he's a gunky mess. Instead of fluffing up his feathers are all stiff and matted looking. Could I sneak him out, rinse him out and pop him back in to see if he fluffs up?

I think its best to just let the gunky stuff dry naturally. Much of it will just flake off or be gently lifted off after a couple of days and the little guy will start to fluff up. I would be reluctant to bathe a new chickie at such a tender age and risk chilling him/her.

I had a similar situation with a chick I helped hatched only she lay stiff as a board, so shrink wrapped, her eyes were taped shut from the dried membrane and her feet were curled. I sat in front of the incubator with a towel on my lap, a bowl of warm water on top of that and a small sponge and a second small hand towel on the side. I then took her out, held her over the bowl and constantly squeezed warm water over her, gently rubbing her with the sponge till most of it was off - even her eyes. Then I quickly but gently rubbed her with the other small towel and popped her back in the incubator till she was dry and fluffy.

Just be sure the warm water is constantly flowing over her as you sponge.

I then had to tape both her feet and she is now a beautiful, 8 week old splash wyandotte. So worth it!

Good luck

I have been checking out her feet and it seems like one little toe is bend under the others ad stuck there - or it's missing altogether And her eyes seem smallish, kind of like they are a bit stuck shut. I just had another chick hatch, so I'm not going to do anything right away until it dries off first.