Help... Don't know if the hatching chick is taking a break or... well

[urban-bird]

Hi,
This is the first time I've tried hatching chicks. There are 18 eggs in the incubator. Today is the 21st day.
This morning, I heard chirping in several eggs. One of them poked a little hole at about 8 this morning. The crake is very close to the small end of the egg.
The membrane is broken. So I guess she can breath. However, it is 4:00pm now. The size of the crack on the shell is still the same. And I have not seen the egg moved at all this afternoon.
I am not sure if she is resting or... well, about to die. Is there anything I should do?

 

[Tuffoldhen]

I've never had one pip at the small end but from what I have heard alot of them make it out...just have patience, it can take 24 hours for them to pip and zip out of the shell...Good luck...

 

[justusnak]

Sit by the incubator if you must....but SIT ON YOUR HANDS!

Some times they take quite some time to get out completely. I would guess it is resting. Thats hard work getting out of that shell. If in the morning....the chick is not out...you might get a warm moist wash cloth, and take the egg out to candle it. Make sure the chick is still alive. I bet in the morning you will have a few fuzzies in there. Good luck on the hatch...take a deep breath...relax ( if that possible)

 

[austinhart123]

oh, well i have had a few eggs pip at the small side wait 24 hours from when the egg first piped and if it hasnt moved, help it so that it is not out all the way, but enough so it can do it itself later

 

[urban-bird]

Thank you, Tuffoldhen, Justusnak and Austinhart123!
It's sort of hard not to help though! But I'll sit on my hands!

One of them broke free from the shell about 10 minutes ago!

The very first time!

 

[urban-bird]

Austinhart123 -
Might if I ask what happened to the ones comming out from the small end? Did they survive? Do they usually end up needing help to break free from the shell?