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

[margaret1657]

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

Thank you, i really appreciate your advice! Unfortunately this might just be a part of hatching eggs for the first time , but i will definitely keep a close eye on them and possibly look into helping them if i need to.

 

[margaret1657]

Update: they still haven't hatched and today is day 24/25. I still see the one egg that keeps "vibrating" though. Should I help them at this point??? I want them to have the best chance at living

 

[margaret1657]

Anybody know if i should just create a pip at this point??? I feel like I'm waiting too long and i might have a better chance if i intervene now. Please help!

 

[cottontail farm]

I thi k with a temp of 99 degrees you're just having a really slow hatch. It seems like things are progressing fine just very slowly. I wouldn't intervene in any way.

 

[cottontail farm]

Let me clarify. If the chick had already pipped and zipped and got stuck somehow I would intervene but no way would I do a pip. Chicks would have to be positioned correctly, pipped internally and be ready to hatch. Not to mention you'd have to pip in the correct spot without damaging the chick. If they don't hatch on their own it is for a reason sadly.
Don't worry, they'll probably all pip and zip the first time you leave the house. I swear they can tell when you're not looking

 

[margaret1657]

Update: the other egg i did pip into because it was showing no signs of life, and it looked like it had died a few days ago. It looks like it died trying to absorb the yolk sac, it wasn't breathibg or anything so now i only have one possible survivor who is still moving around inside the egg. Since it didn't work out with the other four and i just have this one left, should i just try and help it before it's too late????? The one that died today was moving a couple days ago but i feel like it died because i waited too long. Any advice is appreciated! I want this one survivor to live!!!

 

[margaret1657]

Anyone have any ideas please???

 

[bobbi-j]

If it hadn't absorbed the yolk sac, it wouldn't have survived even if you had helped it. That's the thing - if we try to "help" too soon, they'll die anyway. You have no way of knowing if that last one has absorbed the yolk or is in position to hatch.

 

[margaret1657]

If it hadn't absorbed the yolk sac, it wouldn't have survived even if you had helped it. That's the thing - if we try to "help" too soon, they'll die anyway. You have no way of knowing if that last one has absorbed the yolk or is in position to hatch.

Okay so should i just leave the last surviving egg alone and see what happens???

 

[bobbi-j]

Okay so should i just leave the last surviving egg alone and see what happens???

That's what I would do. With the low incubation temperature, it could be that it's just not gong to hatch. I'm sorry.