Please help! Starting day 23-only one chick and no pips yet!

[babymakes6]

I had 11 eggs that were developing just fine. Friday was day 21 and only one chick hatched. I have 2 that I know are still alive because I can hear them if I tap on the egg but they have not even pipped yet. Has anyone ever hatched a chick that was NOT pipped? I am afraid if I let them go they will die. They are Silkies.

 

[rbseggs]

if you can hear them then keep them incubating and leave them be. They will hatch when ready. If they do not hatch then there was something else wrong with them that you would not want anyway. it seems if you know your days are correct, then there must have been something that went wrong with the incubator at some point. at this time I would just wait and hope.

 

[babymakes6]

This is my first (and Last!) time incubating. I borrowed the bator from my cousin and I didn't have any way to check humidity, so I don't know what it was at. One of the eggs had pipped last night, but it hasn't gone any further yet. Still waiting.

 

[chicklady63]

I hope that things go well. If you ever do decide to hatch again yourself - get a hygrometer and keep an eye on the humidity level. It's really a must in order for you to keep the moisture in the range where it should be.
Good luck!

 

[chicklady63]

P.S. Oh, and I would go ahead and try to add some water even without being able to check the humidity level because it is probably too low. It's usually more of a problem to keep it up to correct levels than hhaving to lower it in the small, styrofoam incubators. (At least that's been my experience.)

 

[babymakes6]

I do have a mug of water that I added last night.

 

[chicklady63]

Good, that can't hurt - just make sure hatched babies can't tumble into it and drown. (I've done many things wrong & I did that once, too! What a terrible shock & feeling of guilt to lose a healthy baby that way.)
Anyway, it's really more the surface space than the depth of the water. A clean, wet washcloth (use warm to the touch water) is a good idea, or sponges, cotton balls, etc. You want more surface area damp than depth in other words.
I really do wish you luck.

 

[chicklady63]

Good that can't hurt - just be certain the newly hatched little ones can't tumble into in and drown. (I've done many things wrong in my years with poultry & that was one of them. To have a healthy chick died because it drowned is an incredible feeling of guilt.) But what you really want to increase humidity levels is area of surface space, not depth. You could add a clean, wet washcloth, or several, a damp sponge, wet cotton balls, etc. (use warm to the touch water of course). In other words, you want more area moist.
I really do wish you luck.

 

[babymakes6]

Thank you so much for all your help and taking me "under your wing!"