Two Pipped the morning of day 19??

[delladolittle]

Hello. Noticed two of 4 silkie eggs pipped morning of day 19. I put them in incubator on oct 28 at 9am. I have been very diligent with temps steady between 99.5 and 100.2 with humidity 38 to 45% a few times I woke up to find the humidity at 19%. On day 18 I put humidity up to about 68%. I check it every two hours and have not let it drop below 65%. Only opening for a quick second to add water with a syringe. This morning is day 20 and zero progress, when should I worry that they are stuck? The larger egg has chirped more often and louder. The smaller one not as much or as loud but still a bit of chirping? This is so stressful

 

[Xouie]

The stuff you have done looks right. I gauge when to assist on the individual chick, by asking myself questions like: “has this baby been pipped for a couple of days already?” “Has there been any progress in the past 24 hours?” And “does the peeping/struggling/rocking seem to be getting weaker?”

I don’t feel expert enough to tell you what to do, but looking at the picture... I feel like I would be getting the oil and qtip ready and looking for evidence of stuckness.

have you assisted or dealt with stuck chicks before?

 

[delladolittle]

The stuff you have done looks right. I gauge when to assist on the individual chick, by asking myself questions like: “has this baby been pipped for a couple of days already?” “Has there been any progress in the past 24 hours?” And “does the peeping/struggling/rocking seem to be getting weaker?”

I don’t feel expert enough to tell you what to do, but looking at the picture... I feel like I would be getting the oil and qtip ready and looking for evidence of stuckness.

have you assisted or dealt with stuck chicks before?

Thank you so much for writing!!No this is my first time. What are the signs of stuckness? Oil is safe? What kind? I have read here the someone used coconut oil. I wondered how I would tell the chick was dry if it was oily? I did remove a bit of shell only. I cannot tell that there are two layers of membrane though.
Thank you so much!!
Della

 

[Kiraeh]

The spots where the membrane is brown/yellow are definitely dried. Have any chicks fully hatched yet? If you want to do something that may help and won't do harm, taking a qtip and some liquid oil - coconut is good, almond is good, anything mild and without additives- and moistening the exposed membrane is quick and easy, and then you can see if there are still veins.

You're still a day early, so I would wait on actually assisting beyond that. Sometimes the eggs that pip early aren't really ready that much sooner than the others, they still have to absorb yolk and blood.

 

[Fallenone05]

Mine have pipped on day 19 and sometimes hatch out by day 20. I've had to assist with a couple babies during hatch but it's usually after the membrane they've broken is dried and they haven't made much progress after a few hours. I never help more than I have to though, and usually just get the dry out of the way suuuuper slowly in case the bits closest to the egg shells are still moist and have blood in the membrane. I've helped some enough that way that they're able to get out on their own, but one got stuck over night and I had to completely assist that one out of the egg.

Just keep a close eye on their progress! Take lots of pictures every hour or so and compare the progress they've made on the membrane and shell. If you notice that they're not moving and the membrane is dry, assist, but only a little at a time.

 

[delladolittle]

The spots where the membrane is brown/yellow are definitely dried. Have any chicks fully hatched yet? If you want to do something that may help and won't do harm, taking a qtip and some liquid oil - coconut is good, almond is good, anything mild and without additives- and moistening the exposed membrane is quick and easy, and then you can see if there are still veins.

You're still a day early, so I would wait on actually assisting beyond that. Sometimes the eggs that pip early aren't really ready that much sooner than the others, they still have to absorb yolk and blood.

Kiraeh, thank you!!! None have hatched yet just the two pipped. Now the one on the right has been really working the last hour and now has a leg out. Chirping strong too. I’m not sure I should do anything now??

 

[Kiraeh]

Yeah! The looks like the start of a zip. You're safe to assist now, if he seems like he gets stuck on some of the dry membrane. That can happen, but he wouldn't start to zip if he wasn't ready to be out.
Edit: if that is a leg, he'll definitely need help.

 

[delladolittle]

Mine have pipped on day 19 and sometimes hatch out by day 20. I've had to assist with a couple babies during hatch but it's usually after the membrane they've broken is dried and they haven't made much progress after a few hours. I never help more than I have to though, and usually just get the dry out of the way suuuuper slowly in case the bits closest to the egg shells are still moist and have blood in the membrane. I've helped some enough that way that they're able to get out on their own, but one got stuck over night and I had to completely assist that one out of the egg.

Just keep a close eye on their progress! Take lots of pictures every hour or so and compare the progress they've made on the membrane and shell. If you notice that they're not moving and the membrane is dry, assist, but only a little at a time.

Fallenone05, thank you!!! See my previous reply, that one on the right has made progress just in the last hour!! I noticed they piped Monday at 7am. So now is over 30 hours since pip . This is not for the faint of heart!!

 

[delladolittle]

Yeah! The looks like the start of a zip. You're safe to assist now, if he seems like he gets stuck on some of the dry membrane. That can happen, but he wouldn't start to zip if he wasn't ready to be out.
Edit: if that is a leg, he'll definitely need help.

Yes one leg out and kicking. Figured the was not good leverage, it is hatched now. Very strong little one. Had zipped completely around with a neat pattern of tears in the membrane but the membrane was real tough, once I put a some coconut oil on and opened some it got thru the rest thank you

 

[Kiraeh]

Yeah! That'll encourage the rest. We'll done the both of you. :3