Weird guinea egg... day 18

[FunnyfarmMidwest]

Thank

It's so hard when you're unsure of the hatch date and even harder when you don't have other chicks hatching to gauge it by but since you've hatched ducklings before that will give you an advantage on what to look for but I'll share some pictures. It's very difficult to see anything as far as the chicks position right before hatch, the membrane will draw down around the chick and take on an odd shape right before internal pip. This first image was right before the chick pipped internally, you can see where my pencil line was on day 17 and how much it changed by day 20/21 (chicken timeframe obviously, lol). The two images following that are a peachick and turkey that were internally pipped and you can see the triangle shadow where their beak came through. When a chick is malpositioned you typically won't see as deep of a draw down on the membrane. How much fluid are you still seeing around the chick where the light can still penetrate?

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Thank you so much for your help. I appreciate it very much. There is now barely any fluid around and the keet is taking up almost the entire egg. There was still areas that were visible as of 2 days ago so I don’t know if that helps.

 

[FunnyfarmMidwest]

Funnyfarm posted this candling picture on Monday of this week, so 3 days ago. It looked drawn down enough that I expect that the keet needs to hatch soon, maybe very soon.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/weird-guinea-egg-day-18.1410299/post-23176778

From the timeframe you described and from the looks of the image from 3 days ago I would say if you're going to assist then you're probably quickly approaching the necessary time to do so. I would use triple antibiotic ointment without pain relief to moisten the membrane because it lasts much longer than other things and because you don't know the exact timeframe. Since you mentioned having experience with assisting I'm assuming you already know the basics on how to open the air cell and avoid the internal membrane with the blood vessels correct?

Mb go candle it now and get a photo?

I will say that the air cell has been lower on one side since I originally put it in so I’m not sure if that’s just the shape of the air cell or if it’s a drawdown. The keet has not entered the air cell as of now. I can get a picture of the egg when I get home.
Yes I am experienced in assistance if I need to do so. I’m just hesitant I’ll do jt too early.

 

[FunnyfarmMidwest]

Omg! I just got home and the egg had externally pipped into the small end (air cell)! I'm so excited it just did this in the last couple hours.

 

[FunnyfarmMidwest]

I'll get some pictures in a minute.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Omg! I just got home and the egg had externally pipped into the small end (air cell)! I'm so excited it just did this in the last couple hours.

Oh that’s really great news! I hope it hatches on its own. Due to the pyramidal shape of guinea eggs, they few I’ve had pip on the narrow end need assistance to get out because there was not enough room to turn... Not sure if anyone else has had keets hatch by themselves from the narrow end?

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I'll get some pictures in a minute.

How did it go, FunnyFarm?

 

[FunnyfarmMidwest]

How did it go, FunnyFarm?

Sorry I couldn’t reply I have been away from home. My friend was watching the eggs and had texted me that that guinea egg had pipped on Friday when I posted and I got really excited. Turns out that it was a little bump in the top of egg that was already there and she thought it was a pip ( IT WAS NOT). I didn’t realize this till she sent a picture. I haven’t been able to update because I’ve been really busy. The egg HAS NOT hatched but I am back at home now. I had business to attend to at my farm and was there instead. Anyway very sorry about the mixup but I do have a question... the egg started rocking today and that means it is close right? Should I open the air cell of the egg? Should I wait? I just got went back through all the days and it seems like my guinea was sitting on the eggs for only 4-5 days before I put these in the incubator. This egg has me all confused... That would probably make this egg lie on day 24-25 ish. Should I start assisting? Make an air hole in the air cell?
(AGAIN VERY VERY SORRY ABOUT THE MIXUP) My friend didn’t realize that the egg had a bump on it already because I forgot to mention that. I feel really dumb right now about being off on my days and failing to mention that the egg already had a bump. My brain has been all scattered lately.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Sorry I couldn’t reply I have been away from home. My friend was watching the eggs and had texted me that that guinea egg had pipped on Friday when I posted and I got really excited. Turns out that it was a little bump in the top of egg that was already there and she thought it was a pip ( IT WAS NOT). I didn’t realize this till she sent a picture. I haven’t been able to update because I’ve been really busy. The egg HAS NOT hatched but I am back at home now. I had business to attend to at my farm and was there instead. Anyway very sorry about the mixup but I do have a question... the egg started rocking today and that means it is close right? Should I open the air cell of the egg? Should I wait? I just got went back through all the days and it seems like my guinea was sitting on the eggs for only 4-5 days before I put these in the incubator. This egg has me all confused... That would probably make this egg lie on day 24-25 ish. Should I start assisting? Make an air hole in the air cell?
(AGAIN VERY VERY SORRY ABOUT THE MIXUP) My friend didn’t realize that the egg had a bump on it already because I forgot to mention that. I feel really dumb right now about being off on my days and failing to mention that the egg already had a bump. My brain has been all scattered lately.

Well your egg is indeed unique! I would follow the previous advice of @CluckNDoodle :

From the timeframe you described and from the looks of the image from 3 days ago I would say if you're going to assist then you're probably quickly approaching the necessary time to do so. I would use triple antibiotic ointment without pain relief to moisten the membrane because it lasts much longer than other things and because you don't know the exact timeframe. Since you mentioned having experience with assisting I'm assuming you already know the basics on how to open the air cell and avoid the internal membrane with the blood vessels correct?

 

[FunnyfarmMidwest]

Well your egg is indeed unique! I would follow the previous advice of @CluckNDoodle :

Ok thank you. It indeed is. This egg has thrown me for so many loops it’s not even funny!
@CluckNDoodle do you think I should go ahead and open up the air cell or how do you think it’s gonna pip? Will it do any harm making a safety hole? It has not internally pipped. I notice that it seems to be facing towards the bottom of the egg whereas it wasn’t yesterday... I swear this will be the egg that drives me to go crazy!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Ok thank you. It indeed is. This egg has thrown me for so many loops it’s not even funny!
@CluckNDoodle do you think I should go ahead and open up the air cell or how do you think it’s gonna pip? Will it do any harm making a safety hole? It has not internally pipped. I notice that it seems to be facing towards the bottom of the egg whereas it wasn’t yesterday... I swear this will be the egg that drives me to go crazy!

If it's facing toward the bottom of the egg then one of two things will happen, it will either pip regardless of the lack of air cell or it won't be able to pip and will pass. I can't make these decisions for you because it's impossible for me to get a genuine feel for what your looking at over the computer unfortunately but I'll do my best to walk you through if you do decide to assist.

I wouldn't do a safety hole, it's not going to do anything if the chick isn't in the correct position or internally pipped and you risk potentially drying out the internal membrane without being able to apply ointment through a tiny hole and being so unsure of the chicks timeframe.