Safety Hole? Concerns

[Fosterheather]

Yes, baby is internally pipped, or around day 25 / 26. Do a safety hole if you’d like - this will not hurt your baby. If you did it right, the babies that passed after the safety hole were not your fault.

Personally, I think after a safety hole, you should wait 24 hours and then, if there’s no progress, do a partial assist, not 48 for a full assist. It gives the baby more air, so less likely to suffocate, lets you see what’s going on properly, etc.. not a problem if you moisten the membrane.

Ok. Safety hole placed, about the size of a thumb tack. Wait 24 hours before additional assistance?

 

[KathiQuacks]

Ok. Safety hole placed, about the size of a thumb tack. Wait 24 hours before additional assistance?

Yes. You can technically wait a bit longer, but I really don’t like to. Ideally, baby should be okay until then. Here’s another article that talks about further assistance
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/
Essentially, you’ll want to gently chip away shell over the air cell just enough until you can find the bill. Moisten the membrane with coconut oil or Vaseline, but avoid the baby’s bill.
Then you can put baby back, make sure baby’s bill stays uncovered, re-moisten the membrane if needed, and watch for signs of being ready to hatch.

 

[Fosterheather]

Yes. You can technically wait a bit longer, but I really don’t like to. Ideally, baby should be okay until then. Here’s another article that talks about further assistance
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/
Essentially, you’ll want to gently chip away shell over the air cell just enough until you can find the bill. Moisten the membrane with coconut oil or Vaseline, but avoid the baby’s bill.
Then you can put baby back, make sure baby’s bill stays uncovered, re-moisten the membrane if needed, and watch for signs of being ready to hatch.

We have our first external pip. Fingers crossed

 

[My15Ducks]

We have our first external pip. Fingers crossed

Yay!!! Looks great

 

[KathiQuacks]

Oh, fantastic! For every pip, I reset the clock and wait at least 24 hours all over again. You may not need to assist at all

 

[Fosterheather]

Oh, fantastic! For every pip, I reset the clock and wait at least 24 hours all over again. You may not need to assist at all

I’m really hoping I don’t have to. I candled baby this morning, no progress. He seems to be pecking adjacent to the hole he made now. Still no peeping out of him. Hoping he’s just working hard and doesn’t have time to talk to me

 

[Fosterheather]

Oh, fantastic! For every pip, I reset the clock and wait at least 24 hours all over again. You may not need to assist at all

Ok so we are almost at the 24 hour mark and no progress. About an hour ago I peeled the small peice of shell he pipped from away since it was just hanging there. His head isn’t anywhere near that original pip hole now. He is pecking at another area of the shell now but has been since this morning with no progress. I can see a bit into the shell from the hole and his beak is practically sitting on the shell in that area, he is really far down into the air cell.

What should be my next move? Should I continue to wait and see if he can make it through the new area where he is pecking? I don’t want to hurt him if he isn’t fully baked

 

[Fosterheather]

Ok so we are almost at the 24 hour mark and no progress. About an hour ago I peeled the small peice of shell he pipped from away since it was just hanging there. His head isn’t anywhere near that original pip hole now. He is pecking at another area of the shell now but has been since this morning with no progress. I can see a bit into the shell from the hole and his beak is practically sitting on the shell in that area, he is really far down into the air cell.

What should be my next move? Should I continue to wait and see if he can make it through the new area where he is pecking? I don’t want to hurt him if he isn’t fully baked

 

[KathiQuacks]

When pipping, ducklings will push / whack their bills against the shell. If he’s just sitting there, I’m guessing he’s resting and still absorbing everything. As long as he can breathe, it’s fine to wait and see if he’ll make more progress. Hasn’t it only been 18 - 19 hours?

 

[Fosterheather]

When pipping, ducklings will push / whack their bills against the shell. If he’s just sitting there, I’m guessing he’s resting and still absorbing everything. As long as he can breathe, it’s fine to wait and see if he’ll make more progress. Hasn’t it only been 18 - 19 hours?

He is pecking and has started chirping here and there. He pipped (that I noticed) around 7:30pm CST last night so we are close to the 24 hr mark (I updated the thread later in the evening). I can still hear him breathing and clicking. No signs of distress that I know of (just pecking at the inside shell)