Help! Why is it taking so long for my chicks to hatch?

[jenschickenhut]

Oh I hope someone has some good insight for me!!! Each time in the past when I have hatched eggs, I do not recall it taking this long!

I have several eggs which pipped about 3 days ago. I can see the chicks working at the shell, one shell is even half off but the chick has not broken out yet.

I candled all of the eggs, discarded the non-fertile and was left with about 38 fertile eggs. So far, one hatched and is drying, 3 others are pipped -- one of which is half out of the shell, and the others have not made much progress.

I feel really stumped here -- anyone have any suggestions or insight? It would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Gypsy07]

Wow. They pipped three days ago? I've never heard of anyone having the patience to sit on their hands and not interfere for three whole days. Well done! But I think it really sounds like now would be a good time to start.

Your chicks may be shrinkwrapped - stuck in the shells and unable to turn round to zip due to low humidity. What was your incubating humidity, what is your lockdown humidity, and have you managed to keep it stable?

Are these shipped eggs? Sometimes detached aircells can be what causes the shrinkwrap problem.

I think you should quickly take out the pipped egg that has made the most progress, and have a close look at it. Be ready with warm water and a q-tip to moisten the membrane. If it pipped three whole days ago I'd expect that it would have fully absorbed the yolk and that most of the blood vessels in the membrane will be dried up, so if it does look shrinkwrapped, pick away little bits of shell and moisten the membrane as you go. if you see any blood, stop and put it back in the bator for a few more hours, then try again. Chances are with a bit of moistening, the chick will just plop right out of the shell!

They may not be shrinkwrapped, but I think it's the most likely thing from your description.

Good luck!

 

[ncrolka8]

I understand your frustration. We are 2 days over due. 2 days ago they were making noise, now nothing. Humidity is high and temp is solid. I do not know what else to do.

 

[jenschickenhut]

Gypsy07: Thank you so much for the advice! I will try the Q-tip method. They are not shipped eggs, they are eggs from my own flock. I do not have a humidity reading device so I have been keeping water in and the temp set at 100.5.

ncrolka8: have the eggs pipped? If not, they should anytime now -- mine were rolling around for a couple of days then pipped. Once they pipped....well, like I said in my first post -- it has been taking so long for them to get out (not the norm) so I am going to try the advice of Gypsy07! I will keep you posted!!

 

[ChooksChick]

I'm guessing you need to up the humidity and I'd turn down the temp for your next batch to 100.

Do this: take the a big loosely wadded bunch of paper towels soaked in hot water and plunk them on the wire- through a window if you have an LG. That will raise the humidity well.

I'm really concerned it may be too late for that to work, though, as it sounds as if they are well stuck. I'd get in a hot steamy bathroom and start chipping away using warm water to release them.

 

[Gypsy07]

Well, any update for us yet? How are they getting on?

 

[jenschickenhut]

I will let you know as soon as I get back home -- at work at the moment -- hopefully I will be pleasantly surprised!