Help! Help! Do I need to intercede?!

[AuntieMim]

It's been 18 hours.
So I'm hatching out a batch for my mom (Little Giant incubator) and yesterday (a day earlier than I thought) I had a pip! The little guy has an eraser sized hole it's breathing through (it's beak is just hanging out there like it's resting) and while it was chirping last night, now it's just breathing and hanging out. It kind of looks like it's breathing fast, but I don't know if it's labored or just tiny lungs taking tiny breaths. It's also like, nibbling?, at the edges of the hole.
I have no other pips so far.
The incubator is reading 99.5F and is at 75-77% humidity. I'm viewing the egg through the porthole things on top of the incubator.
Thank you in advance!

 

[SilverBirds]

What day are they on? If he's nibbling and making chewing sounds he's still absorbing the yolk. I can't tell if that is a chicken, duck, or turkey?

 

[AuntieMim]

What day are they on? If he's nibbling and making chewing sounds he's still absorbing the yolk. I can't tell if that is a chicken, duck, or turkey?

I'm sorry. It's a chicken, and today is day 21

 

[SilverBirds]

Then I'd bump the humidity down to 60%. It can take 24 hours for them to go from pip to zip so don't do anything just yet.

 

[AuntieMim]

Then I'd bump the humidity down to 60%. It can take 24 hours for them to go from pip to zip so don't do anything just yet.

Thanks so much. I get so nervous, lol!

 

[abenardini]

Thanks so much. I get so nervous, lol!

I'm glad you asked before assisting - day 21 is way too early to assist after pip, but I can definitely relate to wanting to do so. I had a chick on very late day 22 that pipped but never zipped (talking very late, morning really of day 23 after midnight) and I finally threw in the towel to help it out. I was able to get it out but lost it and I still wonder if I'd left it alone if it would been able to get out on its own. I've assisted several over the years successfully but it is very tricky. I question sometimes if it's better to let them sort it on their own vs trying to assist. Keep us posted on the little one!

 

[AuntieMim]

Oh my gosh it made it! No help needed at all.

Thank you everyone for your advice!

 

[SilverBirds]

Oh my gosh it made it! No help needed at all.

Thank you everyone for your advice!

Yay, congrats!