What is Zipping/Pipping? The order....

[gitlost80]

I keep seeing all of these references used to describe occurrences that happen before and during hatching.Can someone please tell what they are, and the order they happen in,and what they all mean...Rookie here with eggs in the incubator...Thanks in advance.

 

[LilBizzy]

Pipping is when the chick pokes a hole through the egg. Some time after pipping ( And it could be a few hours, or many hours later) they start zipping- which is breaking through the shell in a line around the egg. it kinda looks like a zipper opening slowly. I have had some take only 20 minutes to zip, and others take 24 hours.

 

[mbrobbins]

pipping is when the chick starts to make it's first pip or hole in the egg.Usually on the 20th day, you will hear the chick peep and attempt to break from the shell . He uses the tip of his beak, known as the shell tooth, to start on the inside of the egg until you sometimes see the tip of his beak peck out from a tiny crack. sometimes several hours before it hatches. it will start from that point, and the chick turns in the shell, will pip completely around or until the top half of the egg breaks loose and he pushes it off, which is sometimes referred to as zipping.good luck and happy hatching


Sorry Lilbizzy- I sent my reply before I noticed you had already replied. You did a better job of explaining it in a shorter answer.

 

[Rainwolf]

Quote:
yup!
and some are even hard to see the zipping as they crack the shell rather then break chucks.. then you suddenly have a chick!