Advice needed, first pip ever!

[boilermom]

Hello everyone! I am currently attempting to hatch 2 golden sex link eggs, 2 bantams, and 1 buff orpington. I woke up this morning at 4 am and decided to come check on my humidity level and i there i saw my first pip on one of the bantams. unfortunately, i noticed the sweet chick pipped a bit below the air sac, so i went ahead and helped make a tiny hole just big enough it she can breathe out and i put her right back in on top of a wet towel. i can see her moving inside the little hole and her beak is elevated and right by the hole as well. every now and then she is peeping loudly (cant lie, music to my ears.) my question for any one out there is what do i expect at this point and should i assist her anymore? i feel like every time i look in the bator she is moving and i have not noticed any progress after her first pip with my help. i know most information cautions helping chicks out and encourages allowing them to hatch on their own, i however thought it was necessary to help this little chick since i knew she did not pip internally and wanted to make sure her airway was adequate. i have the temp at 100 with humidity remaining at 67%. right now i am planning on just monitoring temp and humidity and seeing what she can do. just wanted to see if anyone had any similar experiences they could share or advice for me. ive had two previous attempts at hatch where the chicks made it to internal pip and then died. i see her moving so much i am afraid she is going to wear herself out. thank you so much!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Try not to panic and take a deep breath . Hatching is such a long process from external pip the one you can see in the shell to actual hatching can take 24 hours. You can hear them before they do the external pip because they have pipped into the airsac. When oxygen starts getting low in there that's when they do the external pip. I would not do anything else for at least 12 hours after the external pip. The chick needs time to get in position and absorb the yolk sac and blood vessels. The chick will move and then rest so I'm sure it won't wear itself out. Is there any chance you can post a pic of your pip?

 

[boilermom]

Thank you so much for your response and helpful information! Greatly appreciate it. I just went out to take a pic and the chick was resting, but began moving as soon as I gently tapped on the bator. I've attached a photo of the pip, let me know if you need another view. She had a very minimal at of blood when I helped break away the shell so I applied a paper towel as encouraged in other threads and also

put a small amount of triple antibiotic ointment to keep membrane moist.

 

[boilermom]

Here is another side view, easier to see how far down she pipped.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Yes I see what you mean about missing the air sac. I think you have done all you can for now. I would wait for the 12 hours and in the mean time have a good read of the assisted hatching. It's very good and talks you right through it. If you saw blood the chick is most defiantly not ready to hatch yet. Good luck and keep us posted http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching

 

[boilermom]

thanks so much! the chick is still moving and peeping at me. i know ive read the veins will be very small once the chick has absorbed the yolk sac so i figured she is not ready to come out yet. just to clarify for my own knowledge, would you wait 12 hours from when i first noticed the pip??

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Yes I most certainly would, popping chicks out too early is a recipe for disaster. It causes all sorts of problems and most of the time the chicks die at the end of it all.

 

[Frizzlett98]

Thank you so much for your response and helpful information! Greatly appreciate it. I just went out to take a pic and the chick was resting, but began moving as soon as I gently tapped on the bator. I've attached a photo of the pip, let me know if you need another view. She had a very minimal at of blood when I helped break away the shell so I applied a paper towel as encouraged in other threads and also put a small amount of triple antibiotic ointment to keep membrane moist.

Is that the Brinsea mini advance incubator or the eco? I was going to get one of those but it had some bad reviews on amazon. How has this one worked for you? Is this your first time using it?

 

[romeoz13]

Quote:
I use the brinsea mini advance...well only used it one time..just two days ago I hatched 5 of 5 chicks and they are all doing great. I would highly recommend this unit, I will be putting in some duck eggs this weekend...but I can say that it holds the temp and humidity really well....

 

[Frizzlett98]

Ok the Eco one had quite a few bad reviews but the advance didn't. I'm thinking of get the Brimsea 24 egg octagon incubator. I might get the one you have because I don't have too many eggs to hatch anyway.