Chick peeping for 6 hours but not hatching

[Bryce Thomas]

So the egg is pipping and a tiny hole is made but the chick has not progressed any further than that, the humidity is 68%, should it be higher? Thanks!

 

[JaeG]

68% should be fine.

Some chicks are very vocal then there are others who barely make a peep. Yours sounds like a chatty little one.

It can take the chick up to 24 hours to go from the externally pipped stage to starting to unzip the egg. It's a very important stage because the chick is absorbing the remains of the yolk and the blood that has been running through the veins in the shell membranes.

I know the waiting is difficult but it's best to leave them be until that 24 hours has passed before stepping in to help them hatch (if they need it) because of the risk that the chick isn't ready to hatch yet, even if it is a chatterbox.

Unzipping takes an hour at most so is reasonably quick.