Pekins Pipped on Day 24, no activity in the past 19 hours

[mamatomany33]

Hi all ... 4 of my pekin eggs pipped last night around 10:00 pm and upon waking this morning, there were another 9 that had pipped. Still have 3 that have shown no sign of pipping.

But, there has been NO activity since then. I have read every thread and article I can find about the time from pip to hatch (this is my first time with Pekins -- just hatched 21/24 chicks for the first time a few weeks ago, so good hatch rate). I have read anywhere from 2-48 hours, and up to 4 DAYS! ... Gaaahhh!!!

But I am losing my mind!! They seem to have just stopped! ... Yes, I am sitting on my hands ... The temp has been holding at 98.5 to 98.9 and humidity between 70-74% since I put them into lockdown last night when I saw the 4 pips. But after almost 19 hours I am seriously getting anxious.

What is the longest any experienced Pekin hatchers have seen between pip to hatch (or zipping for that matter!!)

Thanks so much for anyone who can help calm my nerves

EDIT: as I was writing this post, one of the eggs DID make a bit of progress -- I have a duckling that has pipped on the SIDE of the shell (nowhere near the air cell), and a bit more of the shell seems to have popped off and I can see a small tear in the membrane. This one is a whole other can of worms, so I won't get into it here ;-)

THANKS!

 

[duckman150]

Just put the eggs against ur ear u should hear tiny pips inside, then u will know for sure.

 

[mamatomany33]

I am so afraid to open the 'bator! lol ... If, after supper tonight, there hasn't been anything further, do you think it would be okay to sneak in and give them a listen?

 

[duckman150]

Once eggs start pipping the chick have fully developed there is no harm in checking them. I am telling y from experience, I listen to all my eggs, u will hear the chick pipping at the shell or even a chirp, when pipping starts temperature should be reduced to about 30°c and humidity raised to about 70% to avoid shrink wrapping. Hopes this help

 

[Orca5094]

You will lose humidity fast if you open the incubator to check them, I suggest leaving them be and waiting for the magic to happen. They most often rest about 24 hours (sometimes a little more) between each of the stages of hatching (internal pip, external pip, then "unzipping" out of the shell). You have plenty of time, so no worries! It is only day 24 after all.

 

[mamatomany33]

Thanks @duckman It does help! ...

@orca -- that's what the fear was; losing the humidity.

I think I'm going to sit on it for a bit longer before I totally panic. I just looked through the viewer window and the "side pipper" is moving, so I'm going to try to relax.

 

[duckman150]

Depends on what type of humidifier u have in the incubator. My incubator has a heating element which boils water within about 10 seconds and the vapor humidifies the entire incubator very quickly, it is of course controlled by a humidity controller so any lossof humidity is quickly compensated. Not boasting or anything but the temperature and humidity in my home made incubator stabalizes within 5 mins so there is no negative effect to the hatch rate. I posted some pics of my incubator loaded with eggs...

 

[mamatomany33]

Wow! That sounds like a great incubator!

 

[duckman150]

That's my incubator. She's not pretty but she puts out.

 

[Bryam]

Wow, it looks cool!