Should I help?????

[dusky]

I'm sorry for bombarding you guys with newbie questions.. :\\ I have three extremely large eggs that are at day 21. Two have been rocking since day 19. This morning at about 8 am the third egg that wasn't rocking pipped. Up until about 6 pm, it didn't get much further than widening the hole a bit. I see the beak occasionally and sometimes it will peep very shrilly, like when a chick can't find the other chicks and will do a distress peep. It has been 16 hours now and it has not zipped further than that 1/2 inch wide hole. Should I help it? About 5 hours ago the other two finally pipped.

I don't know what the humidity level is in my forced air genesis hovabator, but the plug is in, both wells are full, i just filled a smaller well, and squeezed in slivers of sponge through the vent. The membrane on the first pipped egg doesn't look dried out, though the pipped area on one of the later eggs looks papery. I've covered the seam of the incubator where the cover meets the bottom with wet paper towels in case of air loss through there.

I'm mostly worried it's too big to hatch since it hasn't progressed much since morning. I read the Intervention thread on this forum, but what are the signs to step in and help? How many hours since pipping and not further progress in hatching? I had noticed some blood on the membrane in the morning, but that seems to have disappeared now. I know a lot of folks are advocates of letting nature take its course but I sure spent a lot of the time the past month to get to this point for three eggs.

Maybe I'll just sit and wait till morning and hope for the best, then step in if it hasn't progressed further.

 

[chkinut]

i've heard to give them 24 hours to hatch after the pip.

 

[Chickie15]

Yep, definately 24 hours unless the membrane is looking really dry. In that case we take the entire incubator into the bathroom and have the shower running so there's a lot of steam built up. Then you have to move as fast as you can and grab the egg out and help it a bit, then put it back in and hope for the best. Hope I helped!

Ashley

 

[dusky]

Thanks sooo much for the advice.. got up this morning to check expecting the worst (had terrible dreams of helping an egg and seeing an expired mushy chick unfold before me

), and the first egg has hatched! Looks like an Amercauna mix. He's resting currently. The other two eggs have not changed at all (one still hasn't broken through, just the little crack in the pipped area, the other has the papery membrane showing and a small tear but nothing else), but if they're like this particular chick, it might be another half day before they change any further. Happy to see he hasn't knocked them around! I'm thinking I might have to take him out which will endanger the other eggs.. so nerve-wracking. ._. It seems he made the final push after i piped in more water into the surrounding trays and stuffed wet paper towels all around the edge of the bator - can my humidity be that dry??? Both wells filled, plus a small3x3 inch well, slivers of sponge, and part of a side well? Just a hint of condensation has formed on the edges of the incubator.

 

[Seeing Silkies]

Yea I would wait, I have had them pip & nothing for 16+ hours and with in a half hour be zipped and out, I am no pro this is just something I have had, I have also had to help when it was just to long & dry, when helping it takes hours, there is nothing fast about it, I am talking about silkies, & I hear they are a little tricky. Wish you the best of luck.. if you can see its beak & are hearing peeping that is good, it will help. The other chicks hear the peeping and they will try that much hard to get out. Wishing you the best & please keep us updated

 

[dusky]

Sheesh I'm a worrywort! Since the first one has burst out, its peeping and kicking and jostling about has really encouraged the last two to attempt exploding out of their shells! The one in the super thick shelled egg is zipping out really jaggedly, the pieces aren't coming off in small pieces but big chunks. I've taken some video footage and pictures.. maybe I'll post later.

 

[chkinut]

Quote:
yes, please do! we love pics!!!

 

[Seeing Silkies]

Quote:
So glad to hear

would LOVE to see pic's

 

[5acrehome]

Every time I have helps chicks out of their shells I wish I hadn't because they are a weak chick. I feel bad for not helping but they probably will not make it in the world if they can't make it out of the shell. A bit harsh but nature really does select in the end.

 

[Mrs. Feathers]

Quote:
I agree!
I think my ability to not help depends on how maternal I am feeling at the hatching

I have had one that I have helped where I am glad I did so... chick had pipped at the small end and could not turn around to zip. When I helped it the shell practically flew off it was so tight in there.
Sadly, others I have helped have either had deformities or have died shortly after. I try to make it my policy to never help but that is easier said than done