When to assist after hatch has begun?

[BlueShadow]

Put 13 eggs in the incubator, 11 made it to lockdown. All showed movement on day 18.

Yesterday was day 21. Six chicks hatched in the first 24 hours. It now has been approximately 30 hours since hatch began. Of the remaining 5 eggs, 2 are internally pipped, 3 don't show an internal pip or signs of movement. One of the internal pips is moving and peeping, the other is pretty quiet although moving just a bit.

I know the arguments against assisted hatching, in fact I swore I wouldn't do it because my first assist, that chick was weak and died the next day by drowning in the waterer. But now I have ended up assisting lots of guinea keets for various reasons, usually mama leaving nest too early. They all were fine. So I want to try to help these chicks. I know I need to go slow and give them plenty of time though... so... when do I start assisting?

 

[JaeG]

It's a real judgement call on your part. I've stepped in too early before, and I've also left it too long, so it's very difficult to put a specific time on it.

Chicks sit for around 24 hours between internal and external pip, and again it's around 24 hours between external pip and hatch. But that's just an average. I've had some not be ready until 36 hours after external pip.

What do the eggs look like that haven't internally pipped look like when you candle? A dead embryo sinks towards the narrow end of the egg and there will be a watery gap between the air cell and embryo with no veins visible. They'll look full and dark if the chick is still alive.

Cold spots in the incubator lead to some late chicks so it's a good idea to move the eggs around in your incubator to counteract this. Even forced air incubators have cool spots.

If you haven't read it this is a very good article: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

Good luck!

 

[WVduckchick]

It's a real judgement call on your part. I've stepped in too early before, and I've also left it too long, so it's very difficult to put a specific time on it.

Chicks sit for around 24 hours between internal and external pip, and again it's around 24 hours between external pip and hatch. But that's just an average. I've had some not be ready until 36 hours after external pip.

What do the eggs look like that haven't internally pipped look like when you candle? A dead embryo sinks towards the narrow end of the egg and there will be a watery gap between the air cell and embryo with no veins visible. They'll look full and dark if the chick is still alive.

Cold spots in the incubator lead to some late chicks so it's a good idea to move the eggs around in your incubator to counteract this. Even forced air incubators have cool spots.

If you haven't read it this is a very good article: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

Good luck!

I agree, the "when" is always the hardest part. One thing I try to consider is the size of the air cell. If its a good sized air cell, I may give them longer. If its on the small side, I might assist quicker.

 

[junebuggena]

24 hours after pip, if no progress has been made. Often times, if you just give them a bit more time, they hatch just fine on their own.

 

[BlueShadow]

It's a real judgement call on your part. I've stepped in too early before, and I've also left it too long, so it's very difficult to put a specific time on it.

Chicks sit for around 24 hours between internal and external pip, and again it's around 24 hours between external pip and hatch. But that's just an average. I've had some not be ready until 36 hours after external pip.

What do the eggs look like that haven't internally pipped look like when you candle? A dead embryo sinks towards the narrow end of the egg and there will be a watery gap between the air cell and embryo with no veins visible. They'll look full and dark if the chick is still alive.

Cold spots in the incubator lead to some late chicks so it's a good idea to move the eggs around in your incubator to counteract this. Even forced air incubators have cool spots.

If you haven't read it this is a very good article: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

Good luck!

Thanks everyone, good points. I had forgotten about cold spots in the incubator. They all were grouped together in the middle but I suppose there still could have been cold spots.

When I candled the 3 with no movement, I didn't notice any gaps, but then I wasn't really paying a lot of attention to that. I expected the chick to take up all the space, so I mostly was only looking to see if they had pipped internally. Will check that again next time the incubator is open for another reason.

I had read that article on assisting hatching, and agree, its GREAT. But it did not answer my question of "when" I decided that the chick has the yolk sac, so if its alive, it has enough food for a couple more days, so I will at least wait until tonight, if not tomorrow morning, until doing any assisting. Unfortunately, I don't really know when each egg pipped internally, because I have been trying to keep the incubator closed as much as possible.

 

[junebuggena]

Thanks everyone, good points. I had forgotten about cold spots in the incubator. They all were grouped together in the middle but I suppose there still could have been cold spots.

When I candled the 3 with no movement, I didn't notice any gaps, but then I wasn't really paying a lot of attention to that. I expected the chick to take up all the space, so I mostly was only looking to see if they had pipped internally. Will check that again next time the incubator is open for another reason.

I had read that article on assisting hatching, and agree, its GREAT. But it did not answer my question of "when" I decided that the chick has the yolk sac, so if its alive, it has enough food for a couple more days, so I will at least wait until tonight, if not tomorrow morning, until doing any assisting. Unfortunately, I don't really know when each egg pipped internally, because I have been trying to keep the incubator closed as much as possible.

The 24 hour clock doesn't start till external pip. Internal pips can happen 72 hours prior to the external pip.

 

[WVduckchick]

The 24 hour clock doesn't start till external pip. Internal pips can happen 72 hours prior to the external pip.

72?? I've never had an internal pip take more than 24, maybe 36 at most!. Of course, I'd be doing a safe hole by then. But that's the first I've ever seen 72 hours referenced.

 

[junebuggena]

72?? I've never had an internal pip take more than 24, maybe 36 at most!. Of course, I'd be doing a safe hole by then. But that's the first I've ever seen 72 hours referenced.

I've had it happen. 24 hours from internal to external is certainly the norm, but if it takes longer, it doesn't mean anything is wrong.

 

[BlueShadow]

The 24 hour clock doesn't start till external pip. Internal pips can happen 72 hours prior to the external pip.

Thank you for clarifying!