Don't know egg age in incubator

[DKFarms]

I guess there's always that idea of making a safety hole in the end with the air cell too... but I never know about losing too much moisture... but he'd be able to breathe.... Just an idea tho.

 

[Impatient]

I was doing that with a flashlight most of the night off and on, was getting responses, then nothing starting around 5am. My paranoia got the best of me and I broke the lockdown rule after no movement or chirping all day. My heart sank as I saw no movement and realized it did indeed pip, but an 1/8th from the air sac. I thought it must've drowned, but then, I saw some movement, not much, but enough to confirm life and hastily put it back in the incubator. Waited a few minutes, shined the light and the wobbles started! Now my question is, since it missed the air sac with its first pip should I try to assist or just wait it out? Going on 12hrs no progress, definite external pip, but BARLEY and no chirps, no internal pop so it can't reach the air. I think it's too big for the egg. Even though it has started wiggling, it's not as strong as it was last night...

 

[WVduckchick]

I suggest waiting it out. If that shell is cracked, then its getting air.
Missing the air cell, they actually need more time. Remember, they are usually breathing the air in the air cell for 24 hours (ish), and then another 24 hours after breaking the shell. Skipping that first step can mean it might take a little longer.

But...if you feel its necessary, just chip a small tiny piece off at the pip. Take a straight pin, and barely lift at the pip, and flick it off. Make sure the membrane is pierced, put it back in, and wait some more.

 

[Impatient]

I decided the best course of action was to leave my house and get dinner with a friend or else I'd end up intervening and probably ruining it's chances more than breaking lockdown. Before I left I put a soundtrack of chick chirps on a loop, so my cats are going to hate me, but the chick really responded to the sounds by wiggling, trying to coax it a bit. If when I get back there's still no improvement I'll probably try to open the pip a tiny bit to make sure it's getting air.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

OMG OMG OMG I think it's happening!!! Was getting ready for bed and thought I'd check on little eggy and pretty sure I see external pip! [I Started...] chirping at it and it started wiggling up a storm. However it's not chirping? Little concerned because the pip looks lower than I recall the air cell being, now I'm going to be up all night monitoring this egg >.<

Hang in there and keep up the relative humidity. I hope that your post will dissuade some chicken keepers from setting overly small clutches of eggs. Your eggs will definitely hatch sooner, better, easier, and with less effort if there are other pips in the nest or incubator peeping to or encouraging the other chick(s) to emerge.

The correct position at hatching is with the chicks head underneath its right wing. If that position is lacking I am not sure if there is any hope for your chick.

 

[Impatient]

So still nothing, I've noticed a couple more pip attempts, but nothing breaking through and still missing the air cell. Considering an assist by way of coaxing it through the air cell, there's still no chirping, but still movement in egg when candled, looks like its trying to find the air cell. When I came home my humidity had dropped to 35% so I'm super concerned it got shrink wrapped, but I've bumped the humidity back up. At this point it's over 24hr no progress and feeling it's only possible chance is an assist.

Update: slow assist has been initiated. Entered through air sac, membrane over chick still intact, my fears of shrink wrapping confirmed, chick however still alive, appears properly oriented and attempting to break membrane, when moistened membrane still showed active red veining so I left it intact and placed egg back in incubator with moist paper towel over assist hole. Chick has obvious fatigue, hoping the moistening and access to air if it gets through the membrane is enough to initiate a healthy hatch, chances looking grim though. It's beautiful black chick, looks like I might have a pure blue copper maran.

 

[theuglychick]

Following!

 

[theuglychick]

I've assisted a few of mine after 24 hours of no or very weak progress. So far, all chicks assisted are thriving members of my flock. If you do it SLOWLY it should be fine. I do it over a 12 hour time frame.

 

[Impatient]

Thinking I should put a disclaimer for any newbies who might one day find this thread:

This is an extenuating circumstances hatch, do not do what I've done such as breaking lockdown and beginning an assist until you have exhausted all other options; waiting is always the best course of action, no matter how tempting it is to try to help, especially during your first hatch. As another user mentioned, chicks hatch best when they are not alone because they sense and encourage each other which keeps their spirits up. I have had single eggs hatch fine, but I would say they were exceptions to the rule and took substantial external encouragement from either soundtracks or constant supervision with verbal interaction. Most importantly, accept that there will be some chicks that just won't make it because they weren't meant to make it and that is not on you.

Essentially, don't do what I'm doing unless you are completely out of options and RESEARCH chick assists before attempting to intervene. If you must, GO SLOW, it will give the chick the best chance.

 

[Impatient]

Update on the assist:
Just took the egg out again (5hr since beginning assist) to see if there was any progress and there wasn't, but chick still alive and I figured out the problem and why it wasn't pipping in the right places and didn't have enough strength to actually break through the egg. So while I thought it was oriented correctly, I was was wrong. I was trying to be quick with starting the assist and didn't examine as much as I should have after wetting the membrane and establishing proof of life. My initial concern of the chick being too big for the egg to properly orient seems to be correct. The chick isn't breached though...it's diagonal sideways like it was trying to position and got stuck with its mid back to the air cell and head tucked up weird, not under wing. Anyhow, it's been trying to puncture the membrane with no luck because of its positioning, so just above the beak movements I can see where it's trying to get to the membrane, I made a little puncture for it to establish breathing and I'm hoping that might jump start it trying to hatch on its own though I don't think it can. It's still not chirping though, even when I play chick soundtracks or talk to it, instead it makes this clicking sound with its beak, this is incredibly strange and I've never heard of this before. Basic plan right now is check on it every couple hours and when I see that veining in the membrane has gone down enough I will begin trying to "force" hatch it. I don't know what kind of chance this chick has considering it's positioning or if it has caused any deformities, but at least the yolk appears to have been absorbed, of course I also just might not be able to see it.