today my first well second egg started to hatch, first on couldn't get out to air and died.' this one couldn't get out either, after several hours of watching and hoping my daughter freed this animal from it's prison. I don't advise it but it seems to have worked. It is alive, moving around and peeping. the umbilical cord still attached. We made sure not to hurt that I knew it must be left alone. here is a pic at 21/2 hours old.Should I move it to the brooder to finish drying
It appears that this chick was not ready to hatch--pre-mature----I would leave it in the incubator. Just for info it "can" take 1 to 2 days for a chick to hatch---after pipping. I have had eggs to hatch a few minutes after pipping and I have had it to take 3 days.
I don't attempt an assist until at least 18 hours after pip and then only to widen the air hole enough to make sure there isn't a problem. Unfortunetly I have to agree that this little one probably wasn't ready yet by the look of the membrane. Personally I would leave it in the incubator. I hope he/she makes it, but honestly if he's 21 hours old and still just lying there like that, I wouldn't hold out much hope, but I do hope I am wrong. After an egg pips it is not unusual, rather in my experience the norm that they do not start zipping till 12-18 hours, sometimes 24. If there is no sign of trouble (maleposition, shrinkwrap, ect) it is best if they hatch on their own. They use this time to absorb the yolk, for their membranes to dry and just to rest from all the work they've been doing just to get to this stage. It's hard being patient and yes, sometimes you loose chicks mid hatch and think if you'd help they would have made it, but many times helping can hurt. Good luck with the rest and this little one.
X3 on leaving it in the incubator. It most certainly looks that it wasn't ready to hatch. As the above posters said it takes many hours for chicks to hatch. I personally don't even open the incubator untill hatch is complete no matter what is going on in there. A good 24 hours is usually the case I then may help any stragglers that are in distress. But then again I'm of the thinking if they can't hatch themselves they will not make good strong healthy flock members in the future. Hatchng is the first real test for them. Good luck with the rest of your hatch
