pipping but not hatching, need the experts help

[Scout23]

I have 2 that pipped over 24 hours ago. They made good progress yesterday but have not made much since then. I see them breathing and hear them peeping and do see them pecking and kicking at the already loose shell. I know this may not be helpful, and I'm not sure about you but it does make me feel better that I'm not the only one having issues and being nervous and such. This is my first time hatching chicks, attempt #2

 

[Sagenovese]

I have 1 external pip. Nice starter hole but little progress in 24 hours. Only day 20. Though my previous 3 hatches arrived early.

For now, my plan is to be patient. Tomorrow is day 21. It seems trying to assist this first egg would put all the other eggs at risk.

I am confused about extreme differences in advice about humidity. I have done dry incubation and only add water at lockdown once I have an internal pip. Hatch humidity suggestions vary wildly from 30% up to ?? 68%? Someone else said never above 50% and that 45% is ideal. I add water to increase humidity and it can easily jump. So, when hatch isn’t progressing I’m mostly worried about humidity.

I’ve been trying to hover just under 50%. It’s worked for 3 previous hatches. But this pipping/lockdown period Is always an anxious and exciting time.

 

[Fairview01]

A 7 year old thread resurrected multiple times.

 

[Sagenovese]

It’s a great thread!
I love all the info.

I have assisted one so far. She made a side door and broke she’ll but only small beak hole in membrane and it was drying and you could see her try to push through it but it wouldn’t tear. Another egg hatched and shot up humidity so I took advantage of moment to quickly grab “Side Door”.

The membrane was hard and leathery and separate from shell to I broke some shell and slit hard dry membrane to give her a chance to push more than her beak through. I set her back inside and she hatched a minute or so later. She’s doing great. No blood.

 

[Anethema]

Ya just to add to the pile we help fairly often too. Our incubator kind of sucks so it's hard to regulate humidity.

If they internal pip but no external pip after a few hours, we help it with an external pip. If they are moving breathing and peeping with their external pip we mostly just leave them. After over 24 hours we reassess and if they have made absolutely no progress we will enlarge the pip hole. Once we can see the internal membrane you can get an idea if the blood has been absorbed by how veiny it looks etc. If it doesn't look veiny, we start the zip for it a bit. If you see almost any amount of blood, we stop. Give it another few hours and re-check. Maybe try again. If any blood STOP.

If this kind of thing happens we are checking fairly often. If the chick stops moving around much or anything then we basically help it regardless.

For whatever reason, we seem to have had to help a chick or two from every hatch. We have yet to lose a chick from helping it. You just have to be careful and make sure they are ready but actually need help.