Chick Stopped During Zip! Help!

[lunagrove]

Hello everyone. Tomorrow is hatch day but I have 2 external pips already. One pipped early this morning, around 1am and started zipping around 10am. It is now 7pm (9 hours later) and there has been no progress in the zip. If I shine a flashlight in at an angle, I can see movement in the egg around the zip but like I said, no progress in 9 hours. Humidity is averaging 65 to 75% right now, which is the same as my last hatch (it had 100% hatch rate). When should I assist, if at all?

 

[Lilalienangel]

Remember it can take 24 hours from the external pip to hatch. I would wait it out as long as the membrane doesn't look to yellow or brown like it may be shrink wrapped...

 

[lunagrove]

Remember it can take 24 hours from the external pip to hatch. I would wait it out as long as the membrane doesn't look to yellow or brown like it may be shrink wrapped...

Thank you! It's hard to see the membrane but from what I can see, it appears to be white and healthy. I have seen some conflicting info- some have said that if they start to zip but stop halfway through, it could mean trouble. I've also seen where they shouldn't take long to zip after pipping. In my hatching experience, (and ai dont have much), they finish zipping pretty quickly after they start but this is also my first time hatching a breed that is not a silkie. Thanks so much for your help! I'm feeling a bit of relief

 

[Lilalienangel]

I would say check in the morning. If still no progress then.. Well you'll want to have tweezers, qtips, cornstarch, and coconut oil. If you do have to help try to break only the shell not the membrane. Follow the same pattern the chick would (along the edge of the air cell.) Let the chick kick itself out. The most important thing is; there is no rush. If the baby bleeds at all stop and dab the area with cornstarch. Put it down and leave it alone for at least 2 hours. You don't have to do it all in one shot. The baby will need occasional rest. I use the coconut oil to moisten the membrane between settings..

 

[Lilalienangel]

Sorry if I told you a bunch of stuff you already know. Around my house I'm known as captain obvious..

 

[lunagrove]

I would say check in the morning. If still no progress then.. Well you'll want to have tweezers, qtips, cornstarch, and coconut oil. If you do have to help try to break only the shell not the membrane. Follow the same pattern the chick would (along the edge of the air cell.) Let the chick kick itself out. The most important thing is; there is no rush. If the baby bleeds at all stop and dab the area with cornstarch. Put it down and leave it alone for at least 2 hours. You don't have to do it all in one shot. The baby will need occasional rest. I use the coconut oil to moisten the membrane between settings..

Thank you for all the info! I really needed it! I havent had to assist before. He has not made much progress but after another egg hatched, he became a little more motivated from the peeping and started zipping again yay!

 

[lunagrove]

Okay so now I have another problem. One baby chick hatched and knocked a bunch of eggs all over, when he flipped one over, I noticed it had pipped externally but not in the aircell and the membrane is yellowish brown, which makes me think it is drying out. I'm not sure how long it has been externally pipped. Anything I can do?!

 

[Lilalienangel]

Coconut oil on the membrane. A wet paper towel domed over the egg. I would still wait untill morning to assist. Everytime that incubator opens you loose humidity and risk further possible shrink wrapping..

 

[Lilalienangel]

Can you see its beak?? I guess I should have asked that first.. If it has access to air wait. If not help..

 

[Lilalienangel]

You should hopefully still be able to see the membrane move when the chicks beak does.. I've had to help eggs like that. Others have said theirs hatch out just fine..