I have had East Indies in the past but there is too much whitening in them now (like the graying gene in horses, I guess). Because the whiter hens produce the best colored drakes, it is a breeding trend that is widespread now. Mine were beautiful solid black with striking irridescent green but in order to improve the green sheen the whitening genetics detract from the beautiful black coloring. Beware of people selling Cayugas as East Indies to fetch a higher price.
Poking a small air hole through the shell is supposed to delay suffocation. They need to run low on oxygen to pip externally but if they are unable to break the shell they will die. There needs to be time for them to breathe before they pip externally because that is when they take in the yolk. The yolk needs to be gone before you help them pip and zip so the air hole gives you time to monitor their attempts before they need assistance. The hole should be small enough to keep them from drying out too much during hatching. If you hear strong tapping on the shell you can give them time. If they are not tapping they may not be able to pip through the shell and they may need help.
Poking a small air hole through the shell is supposed to delay suffocation. They need to run low on oxygen to pip externally but if they are unable to break the shell they will die. There needs to be time for them to breathe before they pip externally because that is when they take in the yolk. The yolk needs to be gone before you help them pip and zip so the air hole gives you time to monitor their attempts before they need assistance. The hole should be small enough to keep them from drying out too much during hatching. If you hear strong tapping on the shell you can give them time. If they are not tapping they may not be able to pip through the shell and they may need help.
Do you think they are pretty much a lost cause at this point? I've never done a successful assist without an internal pip.
ic
