Four days since first hatch. Should I open up this egg?

[Oncoming Storm]

I have an egg that still hasn’t hatched. I think it might be dead but I keep hearing ghost chirps. They’re very few and not often, like two chirps and done. I’m not sure if they’re actually from the egg or I’m hearing things. My mom thinks she heard it too and when I candled the egg, there was a star shaped crack near the air cell. It’s been about four days since day 21 and they say to give it about five days. Should I wait and give it a chance or maybe try to crack it open to see what’s going on?

 

[yakitori]

I would say yes... but that’s just me. I would start gently from the star shaped pip, chipping away at the shell in the air sac end first. and slowly work from there

 

[Oncoming Storm]

I would say yes... but that’s just me. I would start gently from the star shaped pip, chipping away at the shell in the air sac end first. and slowly work from there

My mother swears she heard a cheep while I was outside and she said it sounded very weak. I would say I need to do it now. I would hate to lose it if there’s a chance.

 

[Oncoming Storm]

I would say yes... but that’s just me. I would start gently from the star shaped pip, chipping away at the shell in the air sac end first. and slowly work from there

It looks like it’s gotten a little bigger since I checked. What do you think?

 

[Oncoming Storm]

Didn’t realize that one was so blurry

 

[yakitori]

It almost looks like she tried to pip internally, but hit just below the air cell. I would start gently chipping a small hole in the air cell just above the crack (since it’s below the aircell). just a hole big enough to see the membrane. a bit of coconut oil on the membrane will show you the veins and hopefully beak...

 

[Oncoming Storm]

It almost looks like she tried to pip internally, but hit just below the air cell. I would start gently chipping a small hole in the air cell just above the crack (since it’s below the aircell). just a hole big enough to see the membrane. a bit of coconut oil on the membrane will show you the veins and hopefully beak...

Is there an alternative to coconut oil? We don’t currently have some at our house.

 

[yakitori]

Is there an alternative to coconut oil? We don’t currently have some at our house.

Any kind of plant based oil would work. But, coconut oil is great for its anti bacterial properties. make sure to work with really clean hands and tools

 

[Oncoming Storm]

Any kind of plant based oil would work. But, coconut oil is great for it’s anti bacterial properties. make sure to work with really clean hands and tools

Thank you!

 

[yakitori]

oh, I want to add incase it was unclear, and say that would want to open up the *outer* member and the shell in the aircell portion to access the *inner* membrane. Don’t pierce the inner membrane! It’s the inner membrane you want to apply the oil to... just a little bit on a q tip... be very gentle

once you can see where the beak is, you should be able to make a small air hole in the inner membrane, avoiding any blood vessels.

honestly, I would worry that even if she did hatch, she would have other health issues. I had a late hatcher that pipped early, but for whatever reason took forever to zip. she eventually did make it, but is evidently much weaker than the others.

Now it’s been 24 hours, and she’s still not quite dry very sleepy as well.