I'm fairly new to hatching eggs. I recently built a cooler-bator using plans found on this forum. It's a SUCCESS---with two successfully hatched chicks! Two more are in the hatching process. PROBLEM: One chick has broken through with his beak on the tail-end of the egg (large end). His/her full beak has been sticking out for about 3 hours. Its alive, but not much movement. The other chicks all broke through in the middle and worked their way around the width of the egg. Not this one. Is it stuck? Did it get into the wrong position and break out at the wrong point? Should I push its beak back in? Should I gentle help it crack out of the egg? I'm guessing I should just leave it alone, but this was one of my Barred Rocks and I'd HATE to see it die when its so close to freedom/life.
It can take up to 24 hours after a chick has pipped for it to zip and hatch. Some do it quickly some slower.
Don't help it just yet. Sometimes they take a break after breaking the internal membrane. Some times it takes 2 or 3 days from pip to hatch. Give him another day, chicks usually take a while. If he is not strong enough to get out on his own then he was not meant to be. There s an exception to that rule like up side down pippers ext.
I generally wait twenty-four hours before helping chicks out unless there's bleeding or something else that leads you to suspect the peep needs help immediately. That gives the chick some time to resolve the issue him or herself and also allows the other chicks some time to make progress. If you do decide to open your incubator, use this trick to keep the humidity level: https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=45777-incubation-tip Good luck! Oftentimes the babies just fall asleep while hatching and don't make any progress for a while. If twenty-four hours passes and still no more progress, though, then I think it's appropriate to interfere.
If its been several hours and its looking pooped/drying I do intervine...usually its cuz your humidity is off. Just flick the shell of (like you would a hard boiled egg) and then GENTLY unzip the membrane...you may see blood and if you do STOP and put the chick back in the bator. Ive saved MANY chicks by helping them...i dont ever take one out of the egg...I just help get the lid off. Good LUCK!
I'm probably not the person to answer this because I have had to help a lot (not going to reveal numbers lol) of my chicks over the past month which goes against what most people feel is a "good thing" in hatching. User error, incubator error - a lot of both - but I helped and they all lived. I tried to give them 12 hours but mostly I went with my gut like I do with everything in life.
I usually wait 10 hours, unless I think something is wrong. Peel off the shell, wet the membrane a bit if it looks dry (it becomes very tough when it's dried up) and let it get out of the membrane itself. That works most of the time
Before...you start helping..DO NOT...peel off shell..the chick is in a curled position..when they hatch themselves out with no problem..their legs strengh out along with neck & head...if you remove shell chicks neck will still be curled head hanging down...for the most part these dont correct themself will be have to be culled......if you have to help..peel most of shell..but..not completely ..if membrane is dry..set egg on warm wet rag & moisten membrane. chick needs to absorb yolk before hatching..if not done you will have problems of still attached..yucky navel.. also blood ....some times using best judgement is to let nature do what it will.
