what does a "pipped egg" mean?

[stevearino]

I see this term used a lot on the forums, but I am unclear what it means. What an egg is "pipped" does that mean it starts chirping? or it started breaking the egg?

 

[Fluffballs]

It is when the chick has broken through the egg shell. An "internal pip" is when a chick has pecked on the inside of the shell (Right?). And zipping is when a chick is making an circular opening in the top of the egg. Hope that helped!

 

[stevearino]

That helps a ton, thank you very much! That makes a lot of sense. Now I can follow along with what everyone is saying!

 

[Sphinx]

Yep, first come internal pip, which is where they get their beak into the air cell. Nothing visible on the outside, though often the chick's chirping can be heard at this point.

Next comes external pip.

Here's a picture of two pipped eggs:



Once they get those holes a little bigger, they start to "zip", which is much like unzipping a zipper- it's a nice straightish line along the egg.


Once they unzip enough, they'll push themselves out, and voila! A chick is hatched.

 

[raygirl4386]

i have like 6 or so eggs with pip holes in them since last night and i thought i would wake up with chicks in the bator this morning but they havent done anything beyond that point yet. will they hatch still? i have 2 chicks that hatched yesterday in there climbing all over the other eggs and rolling a few around that they pushed off the towel i have in there to keep them steady, should i take these 2 out?

 

[Sphinx]

I've had eggs take more than 30 hours to get from first pip to actual hatch. It's truly a trial in patience.


I think that the experts would say to leave the other chicks in. I have trouble though. I think having the eggs be rolled around can make it tough. However, it also seems to me that the first egg always takes the longest- I think the hatched chicks kind of act as cheerleaders and encourage the other chicks to come out.

 

[raygirl4386]

thank you, it is hard not to take them out. one chick tries to come to me whenever i look in and i just wanna pick him up

. i am renting the incubator from someone just wanted to see if i would like hatching eggs or not before i bought one or made one, i have to return the bator on saturday so ill leave the eggs in there till at least friday night or saturday morning. but if a few are zipping and still coming ill have to push off drop off then i guess.

 

[geina]

I too am waiting for mine to zip we have six pip now for the long wait. It's been almost three hours we hear chirps but no new activity. I hate waiting, but it comes with hatching from what I read.

 

[geina]

Have 36 in lockdown not due til the 30th but we have a pip today. I am so excited just love this part of hatching. It's just hard waiting days for a chick to come out. Will keep everyone updated.

 

[JudysMuscovy]

I have duck eggs in my incubator also just one has externally pipped. It had a small whole at 6 am