My Cochin Bantam Is Broody....

[radiodog]

She was sitting on an empty nest so I added fertile silkie eggs and frizzle eggs a generous lady gave me. The hen was cooing and ahhhing while re-arranging & tucking this goldmine under her. Fingers crossed the eggs hatch. What is pipping? thanks, dee

 

[ADozenGirlz]

"Pipping" is when the chick uses its beak to poke through the inner membrane and shell. It's cause for major celebration and much nail-biting!

Here is one of my girl's eggs juuuuust beginning to pip (between one and two o'clock on the egg):

More pipping:

And THIS is "zipping" (when they crack the egg around its circumference ):