Help a chick or not?

[Nutterly_uts]

I have an egg that pipped this morning that has done nothing since. The chick has made a 2mm diameter circle in the egg and got rid of the shell, but has the membrane left. My humidity is sitting at 81% and I'm not sure quite what to do now? Do I leave the chick and see what happens? Or do I try and help? And if so, how? This hole was there when I got up at 7am and hasn't changed since. Am 90% sure the chick is still alive

 

[chick4chicks]

I don't know what to tell you i have never hatched, but i sincerely hope someone comes along soon to help. My thoughts are with you and the baby chick.

 

[pbjmaker]

They can take up to 24 hours to hatch after the first pip. Just keep an eye on it for now.

 

[DawnSuiter]

I feel for you....

I watched 6 zip & hatch each within an hour of the zip...
I woke up to my only blue zipped, but no action. nothing... still.
it's been 6 hours since I first saw it, I guess it's dead.

if I had seen it zip, and then stall for a while, I probably would've helped.

Good luck with your decision

 

[lowcountrypoultry]

You can help it, but Its hard for me to help chicks out because whenever I do they are always so weak and end up dieing..

But its really up to you. Good Luck.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Resist the temptation to help... I've had chicks pip a full 24 hours before busting out. They pop the hole so they can breathe, and then they rest. How long? Only they know. I've had quail eggs pip 3 full days before hatching. If they die in the egg, then there was likely something wrong with it. The only time I help now is if they're almost completely out and for some reason they get stuck and are struggling to get the shell off.
You can do it... just keep yourself busy elsewhere and don't open the incubator!

 

[penelope77]

i had a couple that pipped and then did nothing till the next day. sure is nerve wracking.

 

[donnap1967]

Try to resist helping and don't open that bator! After they pip they will rest. During this time they are still absorbing the yolk sack and they are learning to breathe air. Let them rest up and I am sure as soon as the little one has enough strength it will zip and pop out to great the world.

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Even though I have helped chicks before, I wouldn't even think of helping until they have been pipped a full 24 hours. There are actually 3 stages of pipping. 1.) internal pip...into the aircell where they learn to breathe 2.) Star pip...that little tiny star shaped pip 3.) full pip...when the star is pushed open, the outer membrane is pipped and shell begins to fall away.

From the time of a star pip, I wouldn't recommend intervening for at least 24 hours.