@orrpeople,I understand now and I have great respect for doing things that way. Too many folks want to have their hormone and chemical filled chicken breasts packaged in foam and then pretend they don't know how dinner happened.
Crazy-hatch update: the little newbie peeper from last night is dry, fluffy and cute and is a dark grey. This one looks much more like the ones produced by the pair (Mima, mama who is brooding patiently). But again, she wouldn't have been laying while brooding (?)
I know there are a few species that have the ability to keep a fertilized embryo in stasis until they perceive timing is right or at least better to have young to care for. I've raised sugar gliders and I know for a fact that they can do this. One time a female had a joey more than 3 months after the male was neutered!
Has anyone heard of this in chickens/eggs?
Another question/issue: This morning I checked all the eggs for pips. One egg had a pip in the center rather than in either end. There was what looked like a toenail just outside the shell enough to recognize what it was (I'd hoped it was a beak). I lightly tapped the shell and heard no sound, felt no movement. Is this already a done deal? as in no chance to help because it already died? Or is there something suggested I can try?
Thanks much!
So, that was a foolish mistake of anatomy. Most folks reading this, I'm thinking, already knew what I didn't know. It Was NOT a toenail (Unless I wear my pants on my head).
It was a beak. Stuck.
I read through the link posted below which was very helpful. Unfortunately in this case it helped me wait. I should not have waited.
I'm not trying to beat myself up. No human can play God or know what/who is alive, dead, in need or doing just fine.
But I waited and the chick--if it was still alive when I first saw it pipped--was no longer alive a few hours later when I got up the courage to attempt to assist.
I feel like I've just joined the ranks of some secret fraternity (or sorority) that I wish I didn't belong to.
I don't believe I'll be mistaking a beak for a toenail any time soon again.
I also know that I, as most humans, have the tendency to want to swing broadly to the opposite side of my decision/s today. I suddenly want to get in there like a superhero and "rescue" the other 7 eggs...they need rescuing alright, but it's rescuing from Me that they need.
Made even more challenging by the crazy-hatch state of this, timing "impossible", a week late, one chick followed 2 1/2 days later by a 2nd and 3rd chick...I know I couldn't have known.
It just doesn't make it feel any better to have lost one like that.
I did follow the directions (including to wait which most of the time would have been the perfect thing to do). I am terrible at candling plus it was daytime. I brought out a cardboard box to fake a dusk lighting, taped a cardboard cut-out to the light end of a flashlight and tried to see inside. Just because I didn't see veins didn't mean there weren't any. And truth be told, if I'd reacted too soon and killed the chick because of that, it wouldn't feel any better.
It was totally perfect but not alive. I'd guesstimate the yolk was approx half absorbed, no visible vessels in the membrane. Getting the shell off while keeping the membrane intact was too easy.I went slowly but regardless of what I did or didn't do, I was too late and it had already died.
I get the natural selection of things of course. But just BOO.
Regarding the other eggs in there, again I see air sacks. I see dark where I assume the chicks' bodies are. I can't tell the difference between seeing movement because I'm tilting the egg or because there is a live chick inside. There are a few similar odd marks on a few of the shells as the place that looked odd in the shell I opened today. It looks like a speck of white dirt/poop/something that came off one of the other hatched eggs. At least that's what the odd marks look like to me. But they don't scratch off.
I know full well that nobody can jump through my computer screen and go out with me to check the eggs and give an expert (read Correct) assessment.
So...
My mind is like an overly scrambled egg right now. I've even had the insane thought of trying to "trick" Mima the mama broody into staying on the nest (mind you 3 chicks are hatched, 7 eggs remain) for Another 21 days and set the rest of the silkie and OE eggs under her.
Don't worry folks. No need to call for the loony bin attendants (Yet).
This is a vent, not more, not less. In saying that, I am also ALWAYS open to all constructive criticism, suggestions, commiserations etc.
And thank you very much for listening.
Despite the eggs being shipped (different sellers but were received within 3 days of each other), I'm still expecting a decent hatch. 
So many things I want to say, but here's a long distance hug, and try not to beat yourself up. You have some sweet new babies and a mama bird who's doing an outstanding job with the odds against her. I know it's easier to say than to do, but you have miracles happening - don't let this one steal your joy. 
