Day 20, still no pip

[TempletonPeck]

Posting in a new thread for traffic (sorry!)
I’m now firmly into day 20 (4pm UK time starts day 21) and no external pip. I’ve candled and there is an odd little curved shadow which seems as if it is poking into the air sac at one side - it has been there for 24 hours now. No other sign of internal pip.
Egg is rocking ever so slightly - do I create a safety hole?

 

[TempletonPeck]

Update: I have now made a safety hole. I think I made it too big, so I’ve also now sellotaped half of it up Also got a couple of deodorant can tops of water in there to increase humidity. Fairly sure it hadn’t internally pipped so I’m now concerned that its position is wrong and it’s been unable to access the air sac.
At what point do I start exploring the chick’s position? I’ve read the assisted hatching thread so am ready to go… but I’ve removed myself from the house for an hour to regain some perspective!

 

[TempletonPeck]

Update 2: still no pip. Occasional sharp wobbles but it seems less active. Here are some photos - the egg sac seems less defined and I’m really worried that it has pipped, but not with its beak. What do people think? I know it’s not an exact science, but day 21 starts in a couple of hours and I’m ready to open up the air sac bit of the egg if that’s what people recommend…

 

[TempletonPeck]

Could really use some advice, if anyone is out there… could you look at my photos? If it is an internally pipped membrane, I don’t think it has been pipped by a beak as there’s no evidence of breathing from my safety hole. My chick is now into day 21, no external pip, and I doubt that’s an internal pip… what should I do?

 

[TempletonPeck]

*the red veiny marks on the shell are pen, not veins!*

 

[nuthatched]

It ususlly starts to pip on day 21, after that, hatching can take up to two days from pip to zip, you jumped the gun. Leave it alone. If your incubator was running a tad cool, it will take a little longer. Very few births are scheduled.

 

[TempletonPeck]

Ah, ok! Does the chick look ok in the photos?

 

[-Shade-]

The chick looks fine. It is unadvised to make a safety hole, especially on day 21. Chicks hatch when they are ready, not when they are due. I have had chicks pip on day 21, and not officially hatch until late day 22.