When to assist in a hatch (possible bad orientation)

[Battlepants]

Hello all,
Assisting a friend who is currently hatching chicks and we could both use some advice here. About 24 hours ago we had a pip, but it looks like no zip has started. The beak will occasionally peak out of the shell and will cheep a bit.

One main concern in the zip process is that it appears to be working on the narrow end of the egg and we are thinking it might not be able to turn to properly zip.

So the question comes - To assist or to give it more time?

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Hello all,
Assisting a friend who is currently hatching chicks and we could both use some advice here. About 24 hours ago we had a pip, but it looks like no zip has started. The beak will occasionally peak out of the shell and will cheep a bit.

One main concern in the zip process is that it appears to be working on the narrow end of the egg and we are thinking it might not be able to turn to properly zip.

View attachment 3145644

So the question comes - To assist or to give it more time?

Pips in the narrow end usually need 2 days to hatch, after that you can chip some of the shell back if it hasn't hatched by then.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Give it more time. I had a couple hatch from the pointy end this year without issues.

 

[Battlepants]

Update - she ended up helping just a little bit while I was away from my computer and the chick busted out the rest of the way on its own. It's now happily running around the incubator!

 

[kcult]

I had read if you want the birds for breeding, that you shouldn't help them, because you only want the strongest for your flock.

I've read a lot of stuff in my life, and did the complete opposite. In fact, I helped two of my last hatch to freedom.

I'm no Ivan Drago.