Pip - then nothing

[cracking up]

Today is day 26 - I thought it was day 29 until I just looked it up. I have white Chinese that were set on the 8th of Feb. This morning one had a little 1/4 inch line that looked like a pip. When I would shine a light on it it would wiggle. We left for about four hours and now it doesn't wiggle and it hasn't done anything else. I know it takes them a long time to hatch but is it normal to just have a little line for a pip?

I'm getting nervous about it hatching. This is my first time incubating geese.

Thanks.

 

[Jenifer Kraus]

I would leave it alone. What is your humidity running? If it is low, put some sponges soaked in hot water around the egg.

 

[arherp]

I would help it tomorrow if it is still alive. Bump up the humidity big time in there.

 

[2468Chickensrgr8]

Leave it alone ....I had a goose that took a long time to hatch last spring ....and that is what my chicken / goose mentors told me also ...walk away ...

 

[cracking up]

Thanks, It started out in a Brinsea and I put it in a genesis to hatch. I added warm water through the hole in the top today and I tapped on the lid earlier and it wiggled a little. Don't know if it's just resting? I have another one in there that I set at the same time and it's not doing anything. I candled both of them last night before the pip and there was a lot of movement in both. I'm starting to think this one pipped too early?? I'll add a sponge tonight - I keep forgetting everything I know. Can't believe I get this stressed.

 

[msdoolittle]

Leave it be. I know it's really hard, but they pip first, then likely overnight, they'll enlarge the hole, then they should zip out by tomorrow afternoon. If no progress, then and only then should you intervene. Very easy to tear the inner membrane and kill the poor things. I bet by tomorrow, you'll have a chick or two.

 

[TennesseeTruly]

They can take up to 48 hours to hatch once they pip. They are a lot slower in hatching than chickens and ducks. Give them time and find something to do.

 

[2468Chickensrgr8]

Anything happening?

 

[cracking up]

I was gone all day today and they are still wiggling. I'll leave them alone for now.

 

[2468Chickensrgr8]

Yes leave it alone ...
trust me:/
Last year I was given 6 embden eggs....i put them in the bator and faithfully watched the humidity and temperature and when I candled them I had three that were alive ...when the day came and went for them to start pipping I became a basket case ...and then one pipped ...and nothing happened after that so I thought I could be mother nature ...ohhhh it was awful ..just thinking about it .....I cried ....why did I do that after listening to everyone ...I phoned the people that gave them to me and he said DONT touch the other two ....just let them be ...let mother nature take its course ....its alot of work and tiring for the little darlin's......so I did ...and they hatched out perfectly two days later ...Keep us informed ...living my hatching excitment through the board this spring ...well goose/duck eggs...