3 DAYS SINCE LAST HATCH

[ERIN82]

Hello,

All our chicks hatched Saturday- some starting Friday night. It is now Monday and 1 of them has not pipped. All were collected same day from our hens. I just candled it and it is moving inside. Do I leave it be? or help it? If I help it....do I create an opening where the air pocket is- to not hurt the chick? Thanks for the input!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Welcome to BYC @ERIN82

Yes you could make a safety hole in the air cell. Good article here ~ https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

 

[Obsessed With Silkies]

Hello,

All our chicks hatched Saturday- some starting Friday night. It is now Monday and 1 of them has not pipped. All were collected same day from our hens. I just candled it and it is moving inside. Do I leave it be? or help it? If I help it....do I create an opening where the air pocket is- to not hurt the chick? Thanks for the input!

Has it internally pipped? Allowing a chick to hatch on its own is always better than an assisted hatch if you can help it. If a chick is able to hatch on its own it is able to use its muscles properly to pip, zip, and hatch by pushing itself out of the egg. There's a chance of it having problems if it is an assist but not always. If it can hatch on its own I'd let it, if you see that it's not making any progress then you can step in.