are my chicks ok?

[tracyrene]

I am starting to worry. I have 3 eggs that have been
wiggling and moving for about 5 days. No pipping on any of them. I don't know what day of incubation they are on. The eggs were given to me by a neighbor after his hen hatched to and abandoned the nest. (I have another post with that whole story, but am not sure how to link it to this one) basically I have no incubator and
have them on a towel under a heat light in a bathroom and am running the shower alot for humidity! I hatched one 11 days ago and the another this last Saturday. Does 5 days seem like a long time for wiggling without cracking or pipping? The 2 I hatched seems like they started wiggling then the next day they were pipping. I have read about shrink wrapping and am worried about that since I have no way to measure humidity. Any advice or suggestions would greatly appreciated! Thank-you.

 

[Andi]

I wish I had more experience to help you out. The best I can do is give your thread a bump so it might get some attention. Best of luck and congratulations on the ones that have already hatched!

You know, you could just add this question onto the other thread. Often times people will be following certain threads that interest them.

 

[tracyrene]

Thanks Andi!

 

[Kedreeva]

If they are still peeping and wiggling, 5 days is on the 'getting to be too long' end of the 'too long' scale, but is not particularly unusual. Mine typically pip internally about 3-4 days before they actually hatch (so pips internally on lockdown day, with external pips and hatching 3-4 days later, around proper hatch time) but most people wait until Day 24 (6 days after lockdown starts) before calling quits...

However, if you are worried, you can get what you need ready to help... but if they aren't ready to go (after internal pip and before external pip they are still absorbing yolk) then you may do more harm than good by helping. Then again, if they ARE ready to go and they can't get farther than internal pips, helping may be the only way to save their lives. In the end, none of us can make the decision for you... sort of depends on the actions of the eggs over time (if they're sounding weaker, wobbling less than when they started... maybe it's time to jump in). I personally don't help unless they've pipped externally because I'm afraid of the damage helping can do.

 

[tracyrene]

Thank you Kedreeva. They are still wiggling. I haven't heard any peeping
at all. I read somewhere on here about someone that poked a hole in
the air sack and their chick ended up hatching. I'm to freaked out to try
to help. If I cause damage or death I would be devastated.