Day 25, not pipped but still alive

[Farmgrl86]

First time ever hatching eggs. 4 hatched on time and are doing great but this last egg is still there and it's Day 25. I candles it this morning and 1/3 of the egg looks empty and only 2/3 dark where the chick is, but I can see and feel it moving and heard a faint peeping sound. I'm surprised by how little space it looks to be taking up in the shell. Could it just be underdeveloped and too weak to hatch? Should I just let it keep sitting in the incubator and let nature take its course?

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

Sometimes late hatchers have problems that interfere with their ability to hatch normally...and sometimes they're fine but take their time hatching. I'm the "hands on" type and will assist whenever possible, if I believe it's necessary.

If it's peeping, it's likely internally pipped. You may want to consider making a tiny "safety hole" to ensure that it has plenty of air so it can take its time hatching. I strongly recommend reading Pyxis's detailed guide to assisted hatching before trying to help, if you decide to go that route.

Best of luck!