Time to help hatching chick?

[Sivory]

Hi Everyone,
I am currently incubating Pekin bantam eggs, today is day 21, I have 12 eggs but yesterday (day 20), one hatched (healthy and strong), and two others pipped in the afternoon, #2 at 1pm and #3 at 3pm. It is now 9am and #3 is hatched and healthy & strong but #2 is still in the egg.
she is chirping loudly and has made a big hole in the egg, as in her head is nearly sticking out, but she didn’t zip, she has just been working away at that hole. I’m worried she is starting to look a little shrink wrapped and exhausted, is it time for me to give her a hand so she can finish off?
I know some people think it’s best to not intervene and I entirely respect that perspective, but my perspective is that this is an artificial environment of my creating, so if I have done something to cause this with humidity, temperature etc, I’d very much like to give her a fighting chance where I can.

Thanks so much for your help

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Guide to Assisted Hatching for All Poultry

 

[Ruby Rogue]

It's been only 8 hours since she pipped externally? Do you have pics?

Have you read this Guide to Assisted Hatching?

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Sounds like she's stalled trying to zip. Are you saying this chick externally pipped at 1pm yesterday?
@MGG

 

[Sivory]

Hi,
It’s been 20hrs since she pipped, I’ve attached a photo for you.
Thanks again

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Three days is my new rule. Granted, i am VERY new to this, with only a half dozen hatchings behind me, but I've done more damage assisting a hatching and accidentally causing a blood vessel to be ruptured than I have by waiting. If the chick can breath, they can go days - and the shrink wrapping can be delayed significantly by periodic application of a drop or three of warm water on the membrane.

My last hatching, my final duck was assisted out after two days with bill thru the membrane so it could breath, but no other significant progress. I removed about a third of the shell by gentle tapping on day three. By day four, even with warm water drops, the membrane was becoming quite leathery and completely white. Day five, I gently broke out the back of the shell, and the duck exited ass end first, basically fell out of the egg. Happy and seemingly healthy now - though obviously the runt, as its mates started most of a week earlier at the feed bowl.

 

[Sivory]

Sounds like she's stalled trying to zip. Are you saying this chick externally pipped at 1pm yesterday?
@MGG

Hi, she externally pipped at 1pm yesterday, so it’s been 20 hrs, I’ve attached a photo

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Hi,
It’s been 20hrs since she pipped, I’ve attached a photo for you.
Thanks again

Her beak is cleared from anything blocking it, so that's good!
I'd gently moisten the membrane and check for any remaining veins. Remaining veins is a vital part of deciding to intervene or wait. If the chick did this to the shell, I still feel like it's having trouble zipping and it'll need a little help. I am certainly not the expert here. One of mine that zipped like this was able to free herself but she had some issues at hatch I believe from the straining, this happened overnight and I didn't think she'd even hatch at all. The other one I was awake for and assisted. They get angry and frustrated sounding, in my experience

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Hi, she externally pipped at 1pm yesterday, so it’s been 20 hrs, I’ve attached a photo

Based on photo, I'd be comfortable waiting - that chick is far further ahead than my last duck was, or the little chick from the hatching prior. Its position is poor, I think, which may account for its struggles some, but it should be able to finish the task. Long rests between efforts have not been unusual in my (LIMITED) experience.

/edit if you can't stand to leave it alone - and I understand, I intervened too early in my first two hatches, just tap around the existing hole to help crack the shell - most of the damage I've done has been lifting bits of shell away and having a sharp edge cut a blood vessel.

 

[Sivory]

Her beak is cleared from anything blocking it, so that's good!
I'd gently moisten the membrane and check for any remaining veins. Remaining veins is a vital part of deciding to intervene or wait. If the chick did this to the shell, I still feel like it's having trouble zipping and it'll need a little help. I am certainly not the expert here. One of mine that zipped like this was able to free herself but she had some issues at hatch I believe from the straining, this happened overnight and I didn't think she'd even hatch at all. The other one I was awake for and assisted. They get angry and frustrated sounding, in my experience

Thanks so much! I think I’ll give her another few hours, and then help but in the meantime I’ll put something on the membrane