Pip hours ago, is no peeping ok, first time incubating and a real mess

[Loveoursilkies]

I see that it can take forever from pip to hatch, or at least waiting, we did see the little beak move once, but not since, the hole is small, nothing sticking out yet. Is this normal? This is our first ever hatch, what can go wrong has and we have lost every single fully developed chick so far, a real mess. This one has been in lock down for 3 days and appears it is ready to go, just hope it progresses, it pipped some time after 4 today, so it has been 4 1/2 hours with this little hole and we only saw it move once. Do they rest this long? It is gonna be a long night, after losing 20 chicks who were live at lockdown, we are so hopeful for this one and the few more left that could hatch. (I messed up by having staggered age chicks, not good hygrometers or temperatures, too much humidity, then too little, a temperature spike, opened the incubator, etc., all first time mess ups by not reading anything before trying this). So sad to see all of our beautiful little silkies fully developed that didn't make it on the day of hatch. Please give us hope that this first pip that we've seen, is normal. My daughter is already gathering more eggs to try again, but if one of these don't make it, I don't know if I can take this again. We had 100% fertile eggs to start, only 2 had red rings, the rest made it to hatch (and never internally pipped).

 

[JonnaMomma]

Good luck! Any news yet. I've had a hard time hatching silkies. They are such sensitive creatures. Mine took over 12 hours after pip to break free. Also had one that waited til day 23 to hatch. The rest around day 22. Seems they just need more patience than other eggs which is hard when your so ready and worried for them. Its well worth it though. I have 3 chicks I just hatched and they are adorable!!!

 

[Loveoursilkies]

Thanks, nothing yet, don't see any movement, hopefully it is sleeping or resting to try again, I've heard they can, about 6 hours now and nothing further, we screwed this all up, eggs were set each day they were laid, I do have up to 5 more that were alive at lockdown and this time, we did lockdown, but with temp. dropping, humidity is more of a challenge, so hopeful to have a surprise in the morning, shoot, may end up sleeping next to it.

 

[JonnaMomma]

I did the same thing. Don't beat yourself up too bad. Incubating and hatching is a big learning process. Its just a bummer when we have to learn by mistakes! Let me know if you get a chick! Im expecting silkies today too so I feel your anticipation!

 

[Pele]

I'm sorry the hatch didn't go well. The little guy still is operating in the normal timeframe though. Usually they relax or take a nap after all that effort to get to fresh air and acclimate their lungs to it. If he's still not doing anything by hour 12, then I'd suggest that you gently chip away at the hole he's made.

Be very careful doing this, and stop immediately at any sign of bleeding. Let it rest for two hours, then try again. Repeat as necessary until he's got a clean exit, but don't pull him out. Just set him back in and let him do the rest. If he can't finish that much, he's got something wrong with him, and extending his life isn't a kindness.

 

[doziergang]

So my chic peeped, and after 6 hours of waiting, I opened the top half of the egg. It didn't bleed, and was chirping and seemed fine. The white membrane was really white and tough, so I was worried the chick couldn't get out on its own, plus my humiity was under 70. After I took the top half off, I waited about two hours and took the rest off. My chick did bleed a lil where the membrane was, but turned out fine. It is now over a month old and totally healthy, and I basically hatched it myself. I am hatching more silkies today. One just hatched naturally a few minutes ago without my help at all and it bled just as much as when I helped the older chick. So i think a liittle bleeding is normal, and in my opinion, mind you I am no expert, helping very slowly is okay as long as they are 21 days.

 

[Pele]

So my chic peeped, and after 6 hours of waiting, I opened the top half of the egg. It didn't bleed, and was chirping and seemed fine. The white membrane was really white and tough, so I was worried the chick couldn't get out on its own, plus my humiity was under 70. After I took the top half off, I waited about two hours and took the rest off. My chick did bleed a lil where the membrane was, but turned out fine. It is now over a month old and totally healthy, and I basically hatched it myself. I am hatching more silkies today. One just hatched naturally a few minutes ago without my help at all and it bled just as much as when I helped the older chick. So i think a liittle bleeding is normal, and in my opinion, mind you I am no expert, helping very slowly is okay as long as they are 21 days.

You have to be very careful with the bleeding, it means that their circulatory system hasn't fully retracted from the membrane. If too much bleeding occurs the chick can die. That's why you stop when you see blood, let it rest for two hours so it can retract into the chick, then try again. Sometimes it can take several tries. There's no rushing hatching, it happens on it's own schedule.

 

[Loveoursilkies]

Well, waited 24 hours, nothing, we took it out, candled it, it was dead, we opened it up, maybe it piped too early, still had quite a bit of yolk left, althought I realize that the struggle would have made it go inside. Not sure what happened, didn't appear shrinkwrapped, seem all are dead. We'll try again.

 

[doziergang]

No good! I'm so sorry :-(

 

[Loveoursilkies]

Yes, very sad, my daughter is collecting eggs again. We learned the hard way as newbies. Thanks everyone.