My husband called yesterday while I was at a horse show and told me to get home ASAP as my eggs were starting to pip and he could hear chirping. Yesterday was day 1 and I wasn't expecting any action until today (Monday). I left before lock down, so the incubator was not prepared for the hatch (removing the egg ring and putting in a paper towel). I have a Brinsea Mini Advance (manual humidity control). My question is: Is it too late to take off the lid, remove the egg turning ring and put a paper towel down to help the chicks get traction (and keep the incubator cleaner)? My husband did lift the lid on day 1 in order to fill both sides of the water reservoir, but it has not been lifted since. I don't want to shrink-wrap any chicks. Can I do what needs to be done without jeopardizing my hatch? Or should I just forget about it and wait to see the outcome? Also, several eggs have started to pip -- just small bits of shell pecked away, with one egg having a hole to the outside (I think that's the one that is peeping). Should I worry that there has been no progress in the last 8 hours? This is my first hatch and I don't want to do anything wrong!
