I have been hatching eggs for a long time but I am always trying to figure out when exactly is the time I should crack a hole in the shell when I can hear a chick chirping inside? I can see when I candle the egg that the chick is breathing hard, and he has been chirping in the egg since 6 am. I would hate to leave it in there and it die because it did not pip in time. Any suggestions?
I have limited hatching experience, but I have read that from pip to hatch can take 24 hours. If chirping and cannot make a pip I'd not assist. I believe in letting nature decide who lives/dies. Everyone has their own decision about whether to assist...just thought you might like to hear this. There are many on BYC who will assist, and many who won't assist. I hope the little one can make it out!!!
From internal pip to external pip can take a few hours, so don't rush to open unless it's clear the chick needs a little help. I know this is the hardest part! If it didn't make progress long after pipping internally, you can candle and check where the beak is and make a little hole near as possible to where the beak is to help the chick breathe and encourage it a little. Keep in mind the chick will need time to absorb the blood in the membrane and the yolk sac now. They do this after pipping, so it's important that they have time to complete this process before coming out. Crank up the humidity a bit once you've made the hole so the chick can stay damp and not get shrink wrapped in the egg. As the above poster said chicks can take up to 24 hours to hatch, some even longer, so be patient and give the little one time. Sally Sunshine wrote an excellent article on assisted hatches that explains the process and how and when to help, what to look for etc. Assisted hatches can be successful! Have a read through here and good luck: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching
