External pip too low

[Jennifer Cappi Williams]

I put my Silkie eggs in the night of the 9th just after midnight (so actually the 10th) and one is already pipping and working hard. I noticed the other one next to it has pipped what looks too low. I had the eggs big end up the past couple of days. What do I do? Can I help? What time frame before it suffocates if that is what is going to happen? I have assisted hatchings and can do slowly as I know it must be done extremely CAREFULLY but I don't want to if I don't have too or too soon.

 

[Jennifer Cappi Williams]

I didn't expect pipping to start today. Today was going to be the last day I turned them. I turned the one that is pipping normally and saw it had started this morning at 8 Am and quick set it back down and closed the lid. I then added more water to get the humidity up from 55 to close to 70 and reposition that egg since it was not like it was when I first picked it up. I am now thinking even though the egg next to it is big end up, I must have moved it without realizing it. I have to go to work tomorrow at 8AM and will be home after 4 so I have tonight, early morning and when I get home to correct any damage if possible...

 

[cmom]

Don't worry about the pip. Most likely it will hatch ok. I have had chicks pip the pointy end of the shells and hatch ok. Good luck and have fun...

 

[cmom]

They are only a day or two early If you set them on the 9th they should hatch on Sunday and if they were set on the 10th their hatch day should be on Monday. If the temperature ran a little high they would probably hatch a day or two early.

 

[Jennifer Cappi Williams]

Thank you. I am going to try REAL HARD not to stress this time. I have ENOUGH stress going on at the stable. (we took on a GORGEOUS palomino rescue horse that was lame this month and the vet and the farrier said his founder is too progressed and must be put down...so I am heartbroken beyond belief)

 

[Jennifer Cappi Williams]

My actual plan for THIS MORNING for the eggs was do the thing where you draw the line where the air sack is. That did not happen... I really truly believed I had a full day of not having the little knot heads try to break out.... Glad I have been had them propped up with the big ends up for the past 2 days at least.

 

[Jennifer Cappi Williams]

And that one last night figured out to pip higher and JUST NOW exploded from the shell yelling its little head off. Looks like a BLUE SPLASH silkie!!! Now the first one though has not made it any further so I am hoping this new little EXTREMELY active loudmouth will get it working a bit more...

 

[Jennifer Cappi Williams]

The one that pipped early died. Its membrane around the pip turned an ugly brown and was getting no further than the same exact spot so I took the egg into the steamed up and hot shower room and chipped a half circle and carefully ripped the thickened brown membrane where there was no vessels and put it back to kick out on its own. It finally did but it was obvious that its little legs and toes were turned bad (it also may have been malpositioned) and I decided I better get ready to do some more "chick shoes" soon but he only lived another hour. It looks like he may have snagged his yolk sac when trying to get out. It would have been a beautiful Silvery white one with jet black skin. When I hatched duck eggs last Spring the same thing happened and I did NOT help it get out and it drowned in the yolk. The membrane around the pip had turned an ugly brown where all the others were white as they came out. In any case, the 5 I have now are white, silver, blue, and one possible partridge (but I have no idea where that color came from) Here is one of my vaulted headed ones...