Assist or Not

[CrazyNes]

This chick has been pipped for about 24 hours now. Still moving and I can see the mouth opening and closing from time to time. See pic. The whole is pretty big but I think it pipped the wrong end of the egg. Looks like the pointy side of the egg. At what point should one try to assist in this scenario? Today is start of day 23. Little back story. I inserted a small thermometer that read humidity and also has a tiny temperature meter on top. I didn't check to make sure it matched the bator. I think the temp may have been fluctuation between 95-98 all throughout. 3 have hatched so far. 2 at day 21 and one at day 22. The one in pic pipped yesterday around 3pm and I javelin another that pipped this morning. I'm thinking due to temperature not being consistent and high enough, I am experiencing late hatches. Should I assist? If so when?

 

[mcdze]

i get it warm, like 100.5, make sure theres plenty of water so it wont dry out, and put it off till well after everything else has hatched thats going to ... theyre good for at least 2 days after hatching with no food or water so, unless its past critical .. the danger of assisting is they may not be ready to hatch yet with unabsorbed yolk and exposed blood vessels still around the shell .. rip one open and its dead .. so i only assist as a very last resort

 

[nao57]

People usually intervene at either the 12 hour mark or the 24 hours mark after pipping starts. Any longer than 24 hours you are probably going to have a death. Sometimes if the egg is too small for example they don't have enough room to push against the egg wall.

I'd get it out. From your own words... its been 24 hours pipping already.

And when you do get it out, check if it needs glucose water if its showing signs of being too weak.

 

[Silexian]

It is hard to say when you should step in. When I do assist. I peel back enough shell to expose the head and back. Doing that helps prevent the chick getting shrink wrapped. It also lessens the chance of them fully hatching too soon. If it hurts when they kick against the remaining shell. They will just lay still. Some kick themselves free almost immediately. Others may take up to a day to free themselves. While some still expire. It is all part of hatching .

 

[CrazyNes]

It is hard to say when you should step in. When I do assist. I peel back enough shell to expose the head and back. Doing that helps prevent the chick getting shrink wrapped. It also lessens the chance of them fully hatching too soon. If it hurts when they kick against the remaining shell. They will just lay still. Some kick themselves free almost immediately. Others may take up to a day to free themselves. While some still expire. It is all part of hatching .

I should add that it's still opening and closing its mouth. I've also read that if it pips the wrong end, it could take longer. Is that true?

 

[junior67]

I should add that it's still opening and closing its mouth. I've also read that if it pips the wrong end, it could take longer. Is that true?

yes if it pips outside of the air cell then technically it is an internal and external pip at the same time so can take up to 48 hrs to hatch. If it is still opening and closing its mouth then most likely it is still absorbing the yolk and not ready yet.

 

[CrazyNes]

yes if it pips outside of the air cell then technically it is an internal and external pip at the same time so can take up to 48 hrs to hatch. If it is still opening and closing its mouth then most likely it is still absorbing the yolk and not ready yet.

Ok awesome. Really love this forum. Everyone here is so helpful and such an awesome community. I'll post an update soon. The second egg that was pipping pipped a little more.

 

[Silexian]

I should add that it's still opening and closing its mouth. I've also read that if it pips the wrong end, it could take longer. Is that true?

It is harder for chicks to unzip from the wrong end. They don’t have as much room to maneuver their head or the air cell line to follow. So it can sometimes take them longer to hatch. There is only so much you can tell by observing a beak poking through a little hole. Just keep an eye on it. If it appears to be getting weak and not making progress. Then use your own judgement to determine if you want to assist.

 

[CrazyNes]

Update: March 29th. I tried to leave it an extra 12 hours as other posters had advised across the forum for chicks that pip on the wrong end. The chick didn't make it unfortunately. So this time I might intervene in the last pipped egg. Otherwise I'm sure it will meet the same end. Thanks everyone for the guidance. Quite the experience hatching chicks.

 

[junior67]

Update: March 29th. I tried to leave it an extra 12 hours as other posters had advised across the forum for chicks that pip on the wrong end. The chick didn't make it unfortunately. So this time I might intervene in the last pipped egg. Otherwise I'm sure it will meet the same end. Thanks everyone for the guidance. Quite the experience hatching chicks.

sorry about the chick. It is so hard to know when to assist and when not to.