Day 20, 6 am this morning first pip, 4:30 pm today a hard crack, now we are just waiting, waiting and waiting, There is peeping going on and the little one is working that spot. A little worried because the pip is a 1/3 up from the wrong end. It's so hard just to watch and not help. I just need to know how long till the zipping starts................ Is it normal for the chick to be working at the pip this long???
Welcome to BYC You say there is a hard crack? It sounds like the little guys is going to get on with the zipping soon And don't worry, with hatching there is averages, but "normal" covers a whole range of things! I've had chicks take up to 18 hours to progress from external pip to zipping and then take it's time with the zipping too. I've had chicks pip, zip and hatch in what felt at the time like 5 minutes, though it must've been longer. As long as there is progress at some stage all is good. Best of luck with the hatch and please keep us posted?
Do make sure the pip is a big enough hole for air to get in. The only issues I have ever had with chicks pipping away from the air cell is them not cracking that membrane and suffocating.
in a normal hatch if you hear peeping then it will be about 24 hrs until there is a hole at the large end. then when there is a hole at the large end it could be another 24 hrs before the chick hatches, and some times the egg doesn't move in this time period. they are not suffocating they are resting. when the chick pips the pointy end they don't have the air cell to breathe for 24 hrs before the outer pip. this means the yolk is not absorbed and they may need 48 hrs to absorb all in their egg. make sure the chick is getting air then wait 48 hrs before doing more.
