Should I help?!

[Lilchickmomma]

I have a chick that pipped in the middle of the egg this morning. It's currently evening and it hasn't made much progress. It's beak is out and it is peeping. Im afraid it will get too tired. Should I just leave it alone and let nature take its course?

 

[Pyxis]

Does it look like it managed to internally pip into the air cell before it pipped the outer shell?

If it looks like it got into the air cell before it pipped, then you need to allow at least 24 hours before you start to worry and think it needs help. If it didn't get into the air cell, then it needs even longer, maybe up to 48 hours.

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

I just saw you have another thread going with a picture in it. That picture makes it look like it did NOT pip into the air cell. So, it probably still has quite some time left before it starts to hatch or needs any help. You can read the above article so that you know what to do if it does need help.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

Leave it alone... it needs to rest and finish absorbing it's yolk and such. If you wanna help after it's zipped and almost there... MAYBE. But not right now, it doesn't usually help.

If you're on day 21... have you got other pippers? Keep that bator closed.

 

[Lilchickmomma]

I dont know if it internally pipped bc I didn't want to open the incubator and lower the humidity. We're on day 22.

 

[Lilchickmomma]

Yes I do have one other that hatched out yesterday (I only had two eggs). Im anxious to get that one into the brooder but I haven't taken it out bc I haven't wanted to open the incubator.

 

[Pyxis]

I dont know if it internally pipped bc I didn't want to open the incubator and lower the humidity. We're on day 22.

You can open the incubator without causing any problems, especially if you don't have other chicks pipped. Even if you do have other chicks pipped, as long as you're quick and make sure the humidity goes back up it won't hurt anything.

Looking at the picture in the other thread, I think it probably did not internally pip. If you want to open the incubator quickly to take out the hatched one and candle the one that has pipped in the middle to see if it got into the air cell, you can.