There is always one who doesn’t read the instructions…

This keet did almost everything right.

Strong internal pip.
Clean external pip.
A confident zip around most of the shell.

But it missed one small section.

That single unzipped piece stayed wrapped around the hips like an eggshell nappy, creating a perfect little prison. Legs free. Wings free. Head out. Butt firmly trapped. No malposition, no shrink-wrap, no real drama just one stubborn triangle of shell locking the hips in place.

After a long pause and plenty of effort, it was clear this keet wasn’t going to free itself. The shell wasn’t breaking, and the hips couldn’t clear it.

So I gently supported the keet, applied light pressure at the hips, and rotated the shell just enough to release that trapped section. Once freed, the keet slid out normally and continued on without issue. Even went so far as to give me a small look of gratitude before being placed back in the incubator to dry off their rear end.

A good reminder that hatching isn’t always about when to leave them alone sometimes it’s about knowing when a tiny, careful assist is the right call.

And also… read the whole instruction manual. Even the last step.