Need help please! Malpositioned chick pipped side of shell, not in air sac, what should I do? It’s still trying to zip but not making much progress.

[Hobbshouse14]

Help please! This is our first time hatching chicks without a broody hen to do the work for us. The chicks that have hatched this morning rolled this egg aground and it looks like the chick is malpositioned and pipped the side of the egg, not into the air sac. It is still breathing and trying to zip, but not making progress. What should I do? How long should I wait? Thanks in advance! We have 4 hatched, the chick that is having trouble, two zipping and not sure about tue last egg...

 

[pennyJo1960]

So did you help it out already ?

 

[Hobbshouse14]

No, I just posted a few minutes ago. Should I try and help it?

 

[pennyJo1960]

Okay so how long has it been there

 

[Hobbshouse14]

Okay so how long has it been there

Maybe 2 1/2- 3 hours with no progress other than it’s beak sticks out further occasionally

 

[pennyJo1960]

Give it a day as long it is breathing and trying go outside do whatver but do not help yet

 

[Keeperofmunchkins]

It could be that the chick has pipped through the side of the egg, or it could just have been the air cell drew down quite a lot on that side. Did you candle earlier in incubation and if so did the air cell look normal? Are these shipped eggs?

The important thing is is that the chick made it this far on its own so its chances are good. After first external pip it can be up to 24 hours or even longer until the chick is hatched fully. I have found it commonly takes around 12 hours before the zipping begins in earnest and after that it can take up an hour to be fully out.

How long since it first externally pipped? Whatever you do don't open the incubator at this point unless you have committed to assisting this chick because once the humidity drops it is very likely to have trouble completing its hatch.

 

[Hobbshouse14]

Give it a day as long it is breathing and trying go outside do whatver but do not help yet

Okay, thank you so much for helping!

 

[Hobbshouse14]

It could be that the chick has pipped through the side of the egg, or it could just have been the air cell drew down quite a lot on that side. Did you candle earlier in incubation and if so did the air cell look normal? Are these shipped eggs?

The important thing is is that the chick made it this far on its own so its chances are good. After first external pip it can be up to 24 hours or even longer until the chick is hatched fully. I have found it commonly takes around 12 hours before the zipping begins in earnest and after that it can take up an hour to be fully out.

How long since it first externally pipped? Whatever you do don't open the incubator at this point unless you have committed to assisting this chick because once the humidity drops it is very likely to have trouble completing its hatch.

I have resisted opening the incubator since other eggs are still hatching. It’s so hard to watch and not help. I did not see it pip before the four hatched. Ever since then, the hatched chicks are playing dodge ball with the unhatched eggs

 

[Hobbshouse14]

I

I have resisted opening the incubator since other eggs are still hatching. It’s so hard to watch and not help. I did not see it pip before the four hatched. Ever since then, the hatched chicks are playing dodge ball with the unhatched eggs

I candled at day 7,10,14 and 18. They are shipped olive egger eggs from cackle hatchery. I did not pencil the air sac until the last candle at the start of day 18