Noticed pip last night around 8 pm...

[sanchoman]

I noticed my EE had pipped last night but nothing has changed since 8 pm. this 20 hours is killing me....

I can see through the little hole and see the chick moving around so I'm hopefull...

How long should this pip & chirp for before busting out into this world of ours?

 

[Katy]

It can take well over 24 hours from the time they pip until they zip and hatch.

 

[marquisella]

I never let chicks go that long. They will be dried and stuck in the shell. I go in after about 4 hours if nothing is progressing.

 

[sanchoman]

Argh!?!

I'm heading out to some fancy pants Christmas party with my DG.

Hopefully, she'll be ok when I return and if nothing has changed I will help her along.

I used tweezers and pulled back a little bit of the shell and can see her in there breathing and moving around a little.

 

[marquisella]

Put a damp washcloth over the top of the egg to keep it moist until you return.

 

[debilorrah]

Sanchoman, please wait the 24 hours before investigating further. 4 hours is WAY too soon and you could end up injuring the chick. If you do decide to help, after 24 hours, peel LITTLE TINY pieces, slowly.

ETA: Also, stop opening the bator. Each time you do, it dries out the membrane a little bit more.

Edited more: What breed are these? If they are silkies, leave them be for a lot longer as they can take forever to zip and pop out.

 

[greathorse]

4 hours??? I seldom, and I mean seldom see one hatch from first pip to hatch in four hours. It happens of course but if you go in after four hours, odds are the yoke is not absorbed and you will cause bleeding. 48 hours with very normal hatching is not unusual at all.

 

[PurpleChicken]

Quote:
You must kill a lot of chicks that way.

If chicks are dry it's because your humidity is too low, most likely from opening your incubator too often.




Sanchoman, hatching chicks is God's way of teaching is patience. Like others have said, give it at least 24 hours before intervening and then do is gently.

 

[marquisella]

Quote:
In 5 years of hatching, I have not had one that the yolk wasn't absorbed.

As with anything, if its early, there will be blood, and then its too early and one should wait. But she has waited 20 hours already. As I said, it has been my experience that waiting that long is too long. Everyone has their own experiences, breeds are different. The chicks that I most often go in & help are Marans, they are notoriously hard to hatch.

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
In 5 years of hatching, I have not had one that the yolk wasn't absorbed.

As with anything, if its early, there will be blood, and then its too early and one should wait. But she has waited 20 hours already. As I said, it has been my experience that waiting that long is too long. Everyone has their own experiences, breeds are different. The chicks that I most often go in & help are Marans, they are notoriously hard to hatch.

If it works for you, then you can keep on doing it that way. I personally feel it is irresponsible information to pass out to the masses. Good luck with your hatches!