A chick had started pipping around 5 Am this morning and it has made a lot of progress! Around an hour ago I could see its head and its body moving. However, a when I came to check on it a few minutes ago it had stopped pipping (it would pip every 10-15 minutes) and it managed to turn its egg over facing down in the incubator. It also looks like it stopped breathing. I don't know what do. oh, this is my first hatch as well.
Hatches are always stressful, especially your first one. Make sure your humidity is good, so the chicks do not become "shrink-wrapped" in their egg (too low humidity) or drown (too high humidity) I like to keep my humidity between 65 and 75 % during "lockdown". Also, it can take up to 24 hours for a chick to hatch from first pip to finally getting free of the shell. Give him some time. Please update us on how your hatch went! What kind of 'bator are you using?
X2 A lot of people won't open the incubator no matter what during lockdown but if it were me, I would just open it enough to reach my hand in and turn him over, carefully, and shut it. I have had a couple drown because they pipped upside-down or got kicked over by another chick. The humidity was also a bit high then too, so that was a factor. If the humidity has been good, they can still hatch fine upside down. So it's up to you if it's worth the risk. If no other chicks have pipped, you are really only risking the one that has pipped so you just have to weigh the possible repercussions. If you do turn him, you will be able to observe him better for breathing and movement. They do rest quite a bit during the whole process so it's not abnormal for them to have long periods of quiet. You can try talking to it or playing a youtube video of chicks chirping, it seems to encourage them or at least they will often respond so you know they are ok. Good luck! Let us know how it works out!
