Day 20 internal pip....need advice again!

[HobbyWattles]

Hello again all you fellow chicken folk. I posted earlier regarding issues regulating my incubator temperature. It's a cheap (!) Janoel 10. I'm just getting used to all this. Eggs were fine at lockdown on the 13th April. I locked down at 7pm on Wednesday evening. Days 1-18 humidity was at 45/50%. Temp was at 37.5 (or so I think?!) Once I'd added extra water at lockdown, humidity was showing between 60 and 75% on two separate digital hygrometers. Also for some reason the temperature of the incubator went up(?) to 38.3/38.4. Stabilised atm at 38.1 on a digital separate thermometer. Temp on actual incubator display is showing at 37.7 so don't know which one is correct?. My anxiety got the better of me and I filled the bathroom with warm humid air at about 66% and Just grabbed an egg out in there and candled it very quickly. It has pipped internally and air cell has moved down. At what point should I be concerned. Could they suffocate? It's now day 20 going into day 21. End of day 21 in 19 hours. Any advice please. There are 10 eggs set.Humidity at the moment is showing as between 64/74% on two separate hygrometers. Temp now at 38.1. Sorry I'm rather new to all the technical/science side. I'm in the U.K. Thanks in advance.

 

[Morrigan]

At this point there is not a lot you can do but wait. The die is cast, so to speak. It sounds like your humidity and temp are now OK, although the temp is on the high side, so I would bring that back down to 97.5 if you can.

Other than that, try to remain hopeful. My first hatch, I did not get my first external pip until day 21, with the bulk of my hatching happening late in day 21/early day 22. I ended up with 9/10 eggs hatched. But, I was a nervous wreck waiting. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

 

[HobbyWattles]

At this point there is not a lot you can do but wait. The die is cast, so to speak. It sounds like your humidity and temp are now OK, although the temp is on the high side, so I would bring that back down to 97.5 if you can.

Other than that, try to remain hopeful. My first hatch, I did not get my first external pip until day 21, with the bulk of my hatching happening late in day 21/early day 22. I ended up with 9/10 eggs hatched. But, I was a nervous wreck waiting. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

I'm also a nervous wreck. Would be so sad to lose any but can only hope. Will try and get the temp down. Will keep you posted. Thank you for replying.

 

[HobbyWattles]

At this point there is not a lot you can do but wait. The die is cast, so to speak. It sounds like your humidity and temp are now OK, although the temp is on the high side, so I would bring that back down to 97.5 if you can.

Other than that, try to remain hopeful. My first hatch, I did not get my first external pip until day 21, with the bulk of my hatching happening late in day 21/early day 22. I ended up with 9/10 eggs hatched. But, I was a nervous wreck waiting. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Update! After much worry and needing to assist (malpositions) I now have 9/10 babies. One died due to me not being in time regarding malposition. But I'm over the moon with 9/10!

 

[Morrigan]

Wonderful! 90% is a great hatch. Thanks for the update.

 

[HobbyWattles]

Wonderful! 90% is a great hatch. Thanks for the update.

Thank you! Turned out to be 80%. Another chick was very weak unfortunately, but still a good hatch rate.

 

[HobbyWattles]

Here's one growing super fast!

 

[TempletonPeck]

How did you assist? I’m on day 20 with a gently wobbling egg but no chirping or external pipping It’s my first time incubating, and with shipped eggs to boot…

 

[HobbyWattles]

How did you assist? I’m on day 20 with a gently wobbling egg but no chirping or external pipping It’s my first time incubating, and with shipped eggs to boot…

Very carefully in a very humid bathroom with hot water taps running to raise humidity. I unplugged my small incubator, took it into the very humid bathroom and took out the eggs and candled them to check progress. Internal pipping and so on. Then I drilled in a small safety hole through the air cell and placed them back in the incubator. Then check again on day 21. If no further progress very carefully pick away some of the shell by the air cell and take a look. Do not under any circumstances try and force the chick out before it is ready. Any blood that may suddenly form on the inner membrane if you tear it is an indicator that the chick still needs to absorb the yolk. Leave the chick in the incubator to finish absorbing the yolk. You'll know when the membrane blood vessels shrink back and do not bleed. Never continue trying to hatch the chick if you see bleeding on the membrane. If this happens it still needs time to absorb the yolk. Do not let them get cold or chilled Be very very careful never to try and force this process it can take hours.

 

[TempletonPeck]

Thank you so much for this! I’m now into day 21 with my blue Orpington egg which is still wobbling but there’s no breathing in the air sac - photo attached of what used to be the defined air sac line. It looks like something might be through the membrane, but it’s not a breathing beak.
How did you keep the membranes moist?