Day 23 and surviving eggs aren't showing any signs of pipping or anything! What do I do?!

[margaret1657]

Update: it's day 24 and the chicks still haven't hatched or even pipped, but i have seen a couple eggs vibrating a little bit while they're just sitting there. Should I be worried or is the vibrating a sign that they'll pip soon?

 

[Laodicia]

Update: it's day 24 and the chicks still haven't hatched or even pipped, but i have seen a couple eggs vibrating a little bit while they're just sitting there. Should I be worried or is the vibrating a sign that they'll pip soon?

It's a sign that theyre still alive. Thats about all you'll know unless you hear cheeps or see pips.

 

[margaret1657]

It's a sign that theyre still alive. Thats about all you'll know unless you hear cheeps or see pips.

Okay, yeah I'm getting really worried because they seem to be alive and everything, but just won't pip or make any progress

 

[margaret1657]

Does anybody have any more advice/opinions? Should i just leave them alone or should i try and help them? Will they actually pip if i just leave them, should i maybe create a pip??? Sorry I'm super worried!

 

[margaret1657]

Anybody have any ideas/answers to my previous post??? I'm super worried!!!

 

[oregonkat]

Well, they are late. I would pick up one of the vibrating ones and gently tap on it. If you hear anything, like tapping on the inside, put the egg back and wait.... again! There is the water test that you could do. Place the egg in a glass of 90deg. water and watch it. If it wiggles around without any prodding or help from you then you have a live chick in there and you need to get the egg back in the bator asap. and wait...... again! Be absolutely sure to use warm water for this test.....

 

[Hufflefluff]

I'm so sorry this is such a stressful hatch for you. Are they still just 'vibrating'? I really wouldn't recommend creating any pips- when chicks don't hatch, it's generally for a reason, and the risk of creating a pip incorrectly is high enough that I, at least, wouldn't risk it. Also, opening the incubator at all will lose vital humidity- crucial in all hatches, and it seems like you should try to provide as stable as a climate as you can to eliminate any outside problems for the chicks.
If you really want to help with pipping, and are pretty sure they won't make it if you don't help, I'd do as much research as you can about the process and not attempt it until at least tomorrow morning- give them as much time as you can to let them pip by themselves. At some point tomorrow, if you decide to risk opening the bator, you could check for internal pips, which would give you a better idea of if they'll make it.
I really hope it works out for you. Sorry I can't be more helpful.

 

[margaret1657]

I tried tapping

Well, they are late. I would pick up one of the vibrating ones and gently tap on it. If you hear anything, like tapping on the inside, put the egg back and wait.... again! There is the water test that you could do. Place the egg in a glass of 90deg. water and watch it. If it wiggles around without any prodding or help from you then you have a live chick in there and you need to get the egg back in the bator asap. and wait...... again! Be absolutely sure to use warm water for this test.....

but didn't hear anything, but i did the water test and two eggs were definitely moving. Do you think they'll be okay?

 

[margaret1657]

I'm so sorry this is such a stressful hatch for you. Are they still just 'vibrating'? I really wouldn't recommend creating any pips- when chicks don't hatch, it's generally for a reason, and the risk of creating a pip incorrectly is high enough that I, at least, wouldn't risk it. Also, opening the incubator at all will lose vital humidity- crucial in all hatches, and it seems like you should try to provide as stable as a climate as you can to eliminate any outside problems for the chicks.
If you really want to help with pipping, and are pretty sure they won't make it if you don't help, I'd do as much research as you can about the process and not attempt it until at least tomorrow morning- give them as much time as you can to let them pip by themselves. At some point tomorrow, if you decide to risk opening the bator, you could check for internal pips, which would give you a better idea of if they'll make it.
I really hope it works out for you. Sorry I can't be more helpful.

Yeah they are still doing that. I'm getting really worried, but i guess i might just need to wait it out. I'll definitely make sure the bator stays closed as much as possible, i can get a little bad about that because i feel the constant need to check on them.

 

[oregonkat]

Are you absolutely sure you have your days right? Unfortunately one of the things that happens with these really late chicks (I know because I had one hatch on day 23) is that they have trouble with their knees. The joints get stuck because they cant straighten out in the shell so if these do hatch be prepared for some issues. I am not an expert at this by any means and there may be other issues that happen, or there may be none and the chicks will be fine. Look for the 'assisted hatch' posts on here. Somewhere there is a description of getting into the air cell to check for movement and to assist the chick. I understand how awful this is, I really do. Take a deep breath, do some more reading from some of the experts here and make a decision about what to do, or not to do