Does this chick need help hatching?

[squirrelgirl01]

Hello all! After encountering some issues during incubation (which I posted about recently here) once of my chicks is finally hatching. However, I'm pretty sure something isn't right. The last time I candled several days ago, this egg had a large air cell that dipped way further down on one side. The chick started chirping inside the egg last night, and around 2:30pm this afternoon I noticed it had finally pipped the egg shell, but the white membrane underneath doesn't look like it has a hole. I'm also not sure whether it even pipped inside the air cell as it's pretty low on the egg. The chick has been chirping and pecking and squirming all day and hasn't made any progress as of nearly 7:30pm. How long should I wait before considering it might need intervention? If I do need to help, what exactly should I do?

 

[Pierre duck drake]

I would wait, chicks can take 24-48 hours or more to hatch!! It will more likely harm a chick then help a chick to help it this early.

 

[preciouschick]

Hello all! After encountering some issues during incubation (which I posted about recently here) once of my chicks is finally hatching. However, I'm pretty sure something isn't right. The last time I candled several days ago, this egg had a large air cell that dipped way further down on one side. The chick started chirping inside the egg last night, and around 2:30pm this afternoon I noticed it had finally pipped the egg shell, but the white membrane underneath doesn't look like it has a hole. I'm also not sure whether it even pipped inside the air cell as it's pretty low on the egg. The chick has been chirping and pecking and squirming all day and hasn't made any progress as of nearly 7:30pm. How long should I wait before considering it might need intervention? If I do need to help, what exactly should I do?

I would wait as well. It needs time to absorb the blood in the veins from the egg wall and absorb the egg. "helping" it out early could cause it to bleed out and die. I learned my lesson the hard way. You could check the air cell quick if absolutely necessary. Give it some time.

 

[squirrelgirl01]

I would wait as well. It needs time to absorb the blood in the veins from the egg wall and absorb the egg. "helping" it out early could cause it to bleed out and die. I learned my lesson the hard way. You could check the air cell quick if absolutely necessary. Give it some time.

Oh I fully understand that! It keeps struggling against the white/outer? membrane (it has been for several hours now) but isn't getting anywhere, I read that eggs with air cells like that can get stuck so I guess I'm just panicking haha. I don't want to lose the chick, it's the only one hatching so far.

 

[preciouschick]

Oh I fully understand that! It keeps struggling against the white/outer? membrane (it has been for several hours now) but isn't getting anywhere, I read that eggs with air cells like that can get stuck so I guess I'm just panicking haha. I don't want to lose the chick, it's the only one hatching so far.

did it pip? if so it has air. I had one pip on the inside ring of the air cell. I stupidly panicked and "helped", it lived thank God, but i wont help ever again. it could of been a disaster. I learned a valuable lesson on patience.