When to help hatch?

Here is what happened, I have a still air incubator and I was using the "wet hatch" method? I think that is what it is called. Basically where you add water to bump up humidity. I took out 2 batches of chicks and left the incubator going since I was only on day 20 but there were no pip holes on the remaining eggs. Well, that night another chick hatched and 3 more had pip holes. I left the chick in there for another 40 ish hours in hopes they would hatch as fast as the others and I could take them all out at once. I read it was bad to take them out and you could "shrink wrap the others. Well, during that time, the chicks did not hatch and I decided to pull the single chick out since I was going to bed and it would be over 48 hours by the time I got up the next morning. That chick is doing great! Although the 3 eggs are still chirping at me but have not hatched any further and it has been 3 days they have been like this. I had a chick in the first batch that somehow had the shell still stuck to it (dried to it) after it hatched and fear I doomed these 3 when I pulled the single chick out.

At the same time, I have been reading that they can pip a hole but not be ready to come out yet and the dangers of helping the chick hatch (it not being ready). I also admit I fear my friend who messed with the heat before may have opened it despite me telling her to not only stay out of our room, but to not touch the incubator in any way. I love her, but I know she has "checked" them because she made a comment. *sighs*.

I do have about another 20 eggs in there but only these 3 have pip holes.... I do not think they will hatch since I am now day 23 (I need to look at my calendar to be sure, may be day 24)

Thoughts? advise? This is my first time hatching.

Type in the bar above at the top of the site and type in - step by step to a good luckssisted hatching! It works really well.

If the 3 unhatched chicks pipped 3 days ago I think you should check if they need help hatching. A normal hatch can take up to 24 hours or more from pip to finish, but 3 days is long! Take the eggs out one by one and carefully, with a pair of tweezers remove a little bit of the shell. Dampen the membrane covering the chick, but be very careful around the chick's face, don't drop water on it, you could drown it. Check if there are blood vessels in the membrane still and what the membrane looks like. If you are 100% sure there is no more blood in the membrane you can zip the shell so the chicks can hatch. Soften and dampen the membrane if necessary. And let the chick kick the shell off and complete the hatch by itself if it can. Good luck!

Sorry, I thought I had read to leave them for 2 days or so.

Well, 2 were not fully ready to come out (yolk sac not absorbed) and passed away during the night. The 3rd is smaller than the rest of the chicks and is kinda iffy. I am keeping an eye on it.

Thanks!