Day 24 CHIRPing 24 hours

[Belfast backyard]

My hen has been sitting on her clutch of 10 (with additional ones from other hens I’d remove daily). 5 hatched day 21. 1 day 22. 2 were not fertilized and one died at 15 days. (I stupidly moved them daily to check if they were edible or the fertilized eggs.

This last one has been Chirping/peeping for at least 24 hours, ever so tiny a POSSIBLE pip JUST now. I helped a tiny bit of shell come off. Egg ISNT super warm under the hen who I’m surprised is still hanging out with the egg. Should I take it inside and keep it moist/warm? I don’t have an incubator. I do have time. Should I let nature take its course?

 

[CabritaChicks]

My opinion is let nature take its course. The hen should know what to do- ehr- sometimes not. But it could be developmentally challenged (is that the politically correct term?). Nature- nature. Not human nurture.

Its like an oven- if you keep opening the door- the bread will never bake properly.

 

[Belfast backyard]

Thank you. I feel responsible for the problem as I’ve been handling the eggs everyday without regard to the 19 day rule. So it might be erroneous nurture that messed with nature!

 

[Belfast backyard]

How long can a chick peep without having pipped? (Are they using the oxygen inside the egg or can they peep without oxygen)?