help turkey hatch?

[kjoiner]

We have about 15 eastern wild turkey eggs in incubator (first time hatchers). two began to hatch yesterday around 3:00 pm, about 10 PM that evening they made very little progress. We were told we could 'help them out a bit' by cracking enough of the egg to allow them to poke out their heads. Early this AM one had died with maybe a little more progress than when we left them that evening. The other may be dead by the time I return home from work. How long will it take for them to come out on their own? Should we help or not? Why would they not make progress? the incubator has water and is about 98 degrees. Pointers? Should we just let them be, let them die if they can't get out of their eggs?

 

[judsenn]

I just had to help out my ONE surving turkey .(one out of 4...3 i had to eggtopsy, but were clearly dead) He/she pipped yesterday evening and absolutely no progress all day, I cracked a little bit of the top where the pip was and it popped it's head out. Now for pretty much the entire day I've been glued to the incubator window watching it wiggle around and make its way out. Right now it's completely out of its shell, looks like its still connected by a teeny tiny vessel, but the yolk is completely absorbed. It's resting, just waiting on it to gain some energy and dry off.