Is this considered piping? I AM FREAKING OUT

[Chosen Chickens]

I have one of my chicken eggs that has been wiggling and I couldnt see any piping... I then shined a flashlight down through the clear window and I can see a small triangular crack and nothing has changed for like 4 hours.

So my question is.... is this considered piping or not... he isnt sticking his beak through... nor is there a hole... just a triangular crack... but I do hear chirping in there... how long do I wait before helping out?

 

[FortWorthChicks]

wait to give them all a chance. You dont want to open the incubator. It can take up to 24 hours or more from this point.

 

[duck&chickencrazy]

hes fine...hes just taking a break...its alot of work...i dont ever help until at least 24 hours after they pip and have not gotten any further...

 

[onthespot]

yes, that little crack is a pip. An internal pip is when they break the air cell and can breathe inside the egg before they make that little crack to the outside air.

 

[Chosen Chickens]

So is this internal or external piping?

 

[momreda]

How long will the air inside the egg last them?
Quote:

 

[TriciaHowe]

Quote:
A crack on the outside is an external pip. When they initially break the aircell on the inside of the egg that is an internal pip. As long as your air exchange is good in your incubator the air in the shell is sufficient until they make the external pip.

 

[Chosen Chickens]

Okay so they were moving a ton this morning and I could hear one of them chirping but now for the last 6 hours there has been nothing... no movement no chirping... the one hole that I said was piped doesn't look like any air can go through.... I am freaking out worrying that the chicks are dying and I am doing nothing to help them.... it is almost day 22 and I only have 4, and its my first time, and its in an LG and they were shipped eggs and so many things are against it working that I am not sure I can wait much longer before at least making his little hole a little bigger to breath through

 

[Ban seabhag]

Breathe in...breathe out...They rest quite a while after they pip sometimes, and can be quiet. This is hard work from a really cramped position!

 

[onthespot]

they can breathe for a whole day or more without ever even cracking the shell. After they crack the shell a bit, they can breathe even longer. Don't worry. have a glass of wine, if you are old enough and me saynig that is not contributing to the delinquency of a minor.