Is my chick sleeping?

[GoldpartridgeHen]

Hello all

I have incubated eggs hatching
One egg has been worked at for 13 hrs and was making good progress until it suddenly stopped
The chick's beak is visible and it is breathing regularly, and the beak opens and shuts rapidly every 5-10 mins.

Do chicks go to sleep at some point in the pipping stage, or has something else happened
I never thought chicks drifted off to sleep in the middle of pipping, but maybe its a regular occurance...?

I am a novice at incubating, so suggestions will be welcome.

 

[Jbently28]

If its beaks is opening and closing it means that it is still absorbing the yolk. They will take a long break between pipping and zipping. During this break they regain their strength for zipping.

 

[casportpony]

When did it pip externally?

 

[GoldpartridgeHen]

About 8.00am, so nearly 24 hrs.
If I gently tap on the incubator lid it responds with cheeps

 

[GoldpartridgeHen]

It's almost as if its given up the will to break free from the egg

 

[Jbently28]

No need to intervene just yet. Some chicks just take longer to absorb the yolk. They also have to wait for the blood vessels to recede before zipping. Assisting too early can and will be fatal. If it hasn't hatched within 48 hours of pipping, than it will probably need some help.

 

[casportpony]

@WVduckchick , @Pyxis , can you help?
@BielefelderHen , you should read this:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

 

[WVduckchick]

Has it hatched yet?

Once they start to zip, and I mean make at least an inch or two of progress, actually trying to zip, they should continue and finish within an hour (possibly a bit longer). If they stop in mid-zip, I pop the cap off for them, and let them push out on their own.

If it isn’t really an actual zip yet, then it could just be resting.

 

[GoldpartridgeHen]

I decided to help, couldn't stand it just appearing helpless to break out of the shell whilst cheeping loudly. I took the egg under the heat lamp, with a damp cloth wrapped round it, and broke off a lot of the shell to give the chick a easier job, then put the egg back in the incubator. The chick made the last thrusts for freedom by itself!

It was very active at first, racing around the incubator, but has settled down now and nothing appears to be wrong with it so far. btw it is a partridge cochin

Thanks for your support!

 

[WVduckchick]

I decided to help, couldn't stand it just appearing helpless to break out of the shell whilst cheeping loudly. I took the egg under the heat lamp, with a damp cloth wrapped round it, and broke off a lot of the shell to give the chick a easier job, then put the egg back in the incubator. The chick made the last thrusts for freedom by itself!

It was very active at first, racing around the incubator, but has settled down now and nothing appears to be wrong with it so far. btw it is a partridge cochinView attachment 1756814 View attachment 1756818

Thanks for your support!

Great job!