Pipping egg taking a long time.

[BrinJame]

Morning! We have had 4 hatchlings of button quail. 3 were hatched 2 days ago, 1 hatched yesterday.

We still have 6 eggs in the incubator. We heard some faint chirps last night & were hopeful the chick would've hatched by now. We can still hear chirping but don't see what egg it is. We are concerned that it might need assistance.

How long should we wait? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated as we've had one chick not make it out of an egg already.

Thanks- Jamie & Brinley

 

[Nabiki]

It can take up to 24 hours between pip and zip.

If the egg has pipped from the wrong end (pointy end), then it will probably need assistance. If it has pipped and is not zipping but just making the hole bigger, it probably needs assistance.

IF you choose to assist, be aware that chicks that have problems hatching usually have problems for reasons. Even if you get the chick out of the egg, there is a very good chance that the chick will not make it, or worse, need to be culled.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

 

[CovidtimeQuail]

Just helped a chick out of an egg a few days ago. By the time their crying gets really loud from within the shell, it usually means they're asking for help. Be prepared. Many don't make it, and some have to be culled or die after a few days anyway. Get one of these suture scissors ahead of time in case you need to assist.

I've found I can break away the egg without harming the chick because of it's unique shape and end hook.