Anyone know how long.....apparently they don't live long *update*

[klf73]

How long can a chick live on the air in the air cell? I know my chicks pipped into the air cell because I can hear them but they have not pipped their shell. Any guesstimates?
Thanks
Krista

 

[pips&peeps]

They should hatch within the next 24-36 hours.

 

[klf73]

I had two eggs peeping yesterday, pipped into their air cell. Against my nagging feeling I left them alone. Early this morning one pipped, the other didn't. I said I wouldn't intervene, but since I figured there isn't much air in there I pulled the non-pipped one and candled (almost noon), no movement. I chipped the top of the air cell and found a dead chick

It must have just run out of air

. I feel like I can't win for lose.
Krista

 

[Farmer Kitty]

I had one pip into the aircell but not through and it passed too. When I opened the egg up to check things out I discovered the yolk sac wasn't all the way absorbed. Did you open the egg and check things out? If I had intervened mine probably still would not have made it. Sometimes things happen beyond our control. Do be to hard on yourself.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Don't be too hard on yourself. I probably would have done the same thing--not knowing is the hardest part. I'm in a similar situation right now with some houdan eggs...I heard peeping last night and now they are silent, except for one chick which hatched...so should I make air holes in those eggs, or just wait?

 

[klf73]

FK, yes I opened it and it was a perfectly formed blue silkie

. I feel even worse cuz it is not stiff yet, which means if I had made a small hole for air exchange this morning it would probably be still alive. Equibling- that's a tough call. I think from now on if I hear peeping and it doesn't pip by 8 or 12 hours, I think I am going to make a small hole for air exchange. Just to give them a little while longer to see if they pip themselves and then make a choice on a case by case basis. Good luck! Now I gotta see if I can put this lone baby in with my 6 day old silkies. Wish me luck!
Krista