It can take as long as 24 hours between internal and external and 24 hours between pip and zip. Some even go longer. The thing with chicks is you never know. There is no "point of worry" per se. I don't assist before an external pip and then only if there's been no progress after 18 hours after an external pip. At that point I may widen the pip to check on the condition of the chick, but then I usually deem everything fine and replace them until the 24 hour mark. Assisting is always a catch 22. You can help and they not make it and in many cases "help" is given too soon causeing death to a viable chick. Then you are left with "maybe I shouldn't have helped". You can not help and the chick dies in the shell and then you are left with "I should have helped." If you research you will find that they say the build up of co2 is what prompts the chick to make the external pip. If you put a hole in the air cell, in theory that is releasing the co2 and not prompting the chick to externally pip which in turn can take it longer to progress. I have seen some that do put a hole in the air cell, but it's not something I generally recommend.
He was a rather late duckling and I was worried about him but I learnt my lesson with another duckling that I almost lost from interfering with the hatching process.
That's great! Congrats!Thanks so much for the help. I left him in the incubator and waited it out. He's hatched now and is sleeping with the other ducklingsHe was a rather late duckling and I was worried about him but I learnt my lesson with another duckling that I almost lost from interfering with the hatching process.
Terrific news. I have assisted many chicks/ducklings/etc. in hatching with incubators or brooding hens. Most did not survive. Now, the only time I intercede is if the egg gets damaged in hatching by the broody hen. Most of those babies do survive.Thanks so much for the help. I left him in the incubator and waited it out. He's hatched now and is sleeping with the other ducklingsHe was a rather late duckling and I was worried about him but I learnt my lesson with another duckling that I almost lost from interfering with the hatching process.
I've had just the opposite experience. I have only lost one assisted hatcher and he didn't pass for over a week and I am pretty sure he had digestive issues. I can only assume his reasoning for not being able to hatch on it's own was greater than could be seen and he had more going on internally. He seemed quite active and "normal" except his poo was basically diarrehea. And he just could not gain weight or grow. I think a lot of depends on the why they need help as to the probability of wether they will survive post hatch. It's always best if they can hatch out on their own, but I help if I feel it's needed, especially with malepositioned chicks.
