Is it alive?

[conquest780]

Well this is my first time incubating. I had a bantam egg which has internally pipped and it is day 17. Now the question is that it is not chirping but it is moving inside. Is it alive and if it is alive how much time to external pip.

 

[bobbi-j]

If it's moving, it's obviously alive. It can take 24 hours or more from the time they start. Just let it be - that's the best thing. Too many people jump in too soon and end up killing their chicks.

 

[donrae]

It it's moving but it's not alive, you're hatching the first Zombie Chick I've ever seen on these boards

Just leave it be. Like bobbi-j said, more harm is done by impatience and trying to help. Chicks have been hatching for thousands of years, they get it right more often than not.

 

[conquest780]

I got the first external pip. It is very small. It happened 12 hours after the internal pip. I think it will be outside the egg in the next 24 hours.