Hatching 911 (possibly)

[0wen]

I have 4 (remaining) shipped eggs set that were due to hatch 4/22. 1/4 pipped sometime between midnight last night and 8am this morning and has since hatched successfully and is up and about in the incubator (Brinsea Mini Advanced). 2 of the eggs seem to have stopped developing and are nowhere near to mass of hatching. I still have the eggs in the incubator - "just in case" they come on, but I expect them to have expired. Final egg seems to have developed, but due to shipping, is in an egg with a 'saddle' shaped air cell. I did a quick candle and noticed some movement, but it doesn't appear that the chick has pipped internally - the air cell is quite large despite running recommended humidity throughout the hatch.

Question is - when (or if at all) I should consider assisting the chick. I haven't done anything other than the quick candle - temp and humidity recover almost immediately in the Brinsea Mini so that shouldn't be an issue. The humidity obviously spiked earlier when the one chick hatched, but has since returned to normal levels. Should I give the chick another day or two, or do I need to start making preparations to assist?

Thanks..

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I have 4 (remaining) shipped eggs set that were due to hatch 4/22. 1/4 pipped sometime between midnight last night and 8am this morning and has since hatched successfully and is up and about in the incubator (Brinsea Mini Advanced). 2 of the eggs seem to have stopped developing and are nowhere near to mass of hatching. I still have the eggs in the incubator - "just in case" they come on, but I expect them to have expired. Final egg seems to have developed, but due to shipping, is in an egg with a 'saddle' shaped air cell. I did a quick candle and noticed some movement, but it doesn't appear that the chick has pipped internally - the air cell is quite large despite running recommended humidity throughout the hatch.

Question is - when (or if at all) I should consider assisting the chick. I haven't done anything other than the quick candle - temp and humidity recover almost immediately in the Brinsea Mini so that shouldn't be an issue. The humidity obviously spiked earlier when the one chick hatched, but has since returned to normal levels. Should I give the chick another day or two, or do I need to start making preparations to assist?

Thanks..

There is really nothing you can do until the chick makes a pip. Before this happens (and actually, for hours after) the membrane is heavy with veins that if severed could make the chick bleed out. Some people will tap a "safety hole" into the air cell if the chick has internally pipped and hasn't made an external pip by 24 hours later. But assisting before it has pipped and been pipped at least 18 hours, usually, will do more harm than good.

 

[0wen]

Noticed an attempted pip in the side of the shell this morning but not a complete breakthrough. Candled and see it now possibly pipped internally into air sack. Tapped and chick tapped back. Holding pattern, observing, and hoping for the best at this point.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Noticed an attempted pip in the side of the shell this morning but not a complete breakthrough. Candled and see it now possibly pipped internally into air sack. Tapped and chick tapped back. Holding pattern, observing, and hoping for the best at this point.

That's great! Between now and 24 hours you will probably see the external pip. Good luck!

 

[0wen]

Update 1:45 pm est

Definitely into the air cell. There's still a crack (but not a hole) from the pip attempt in the wall well below the air cell - do I need to wax this over or is it ok? Also, I can hear the chick 'peeping' from inside the egg. Leave it alone still?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Update 1:45 pm est

Definitely into the air cell. There's still a crack (but not a hole) from the pip attempt in the wall well below the air cell - do I need to wax this over or is it ok? Also, I can hear the chick 'peeping' from inside the egg. Leave it alone still?

The crack is good. It's the attempt at an external pip. That should become more pronounced as it continues to try to break through.

 

[0wen]

The crack is good. It's the attempt at an external pip. That should become more pronounced as it continues to try to break through.

Where the crack is, isn't where the chick currently is. It looks like it tried to pip below the air cell and formed a crack that looks like it should, then it looks like it got sorted out and is now pipped internally in the air cell, but hasn't pipped the shell yet. So what I have is the start of an external pip below air sac (this is what I'm wondering if I need to wax over) and a chick who is evidently pipped into the (saddle) air cell, and is 'peeping' and such, but no progress towards pipping. Do I still leave it alone or do I need to start thinking about helping out? If I leave it alone for now, what is the timeline to become involved?

 

[RubyNala97]

I would not wax it!! If anything it may be helping the chick get some oxygen.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I would not wax it!! If anything it may be helping the chick get some oxygen.

xs 2 There's no reason to cover the crack. It may not be in the air cell and it'll pip again higher most likely now that it is in the air cell, but having the crack in the shell below the cell isn't going to hurt it either. (Great internal pick pip, btw.)

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I would give it 24 hours since internal pip before considering putting a safety hole in the air cell. And if you do that, that is all I would do until the chick progresses on it's own.