when to assist.. *sigh*

[chickienewbie88]

I have been incubating 8 silkie eggs and yesterday, on day 20, 4 hatched. Today another one has. I realize the remaining three still have time, but no one has even pipped yet so im trying to plan ahead.. at what point should i consider giving them a hand (creating an external pip/view hole? I know some would probably just leave them but id really like to do everything i can to get all 8 successfully hatched. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[Rowsdower]

I would wait until this evening and then maybe try candling within the incubator to see if they've pipped internally. Try not to move them when you do. I know a lot of folks would say "NO, NO, don't open", but I've lost too many chicks that I am sure I could have saved if I hadn't just waited it out. If no one is pipped in the 'bator you should be able to get the humidity right back up without disturbing anything too much.

 

[chickienewbie88]

I didnt have any current pips so i did as you said.. plus humidity is really stable, even when i open it there isnt a big change at all
only one is internally pipped.. what now?

 

[Rowsdower]

Are they moving? If so, I would wait it out until morning.

 

[Rowsdower]

I didnt have any current pips so i did as you said.. plus humidity is really stable, even when i open it there isnt a big change at all
only one is internally pipped.. what now?

I see that you are in Wva. I'm in Ohio. If your weather has been anything like ours, you almost have to keep the humidity from going to high. lol

 

[chickienewbie88]

No, i didnt see any of them moving in there.. nor have i seen the egg rock, heard anything, etc..

 

[chickienewbie88]

I see that you are in Wva.  I'm in Ohio.  If your weather has been anything like ours, you almost have to keep the humidity from going to high. lol

Oh yeah, earlier in the incubation i just wasnt losing fluid because i couldnt keep the humidity down.. but its been perfect for incubation because I could get in there as many times as i wanted to (im not, but just saying) without giving the humidity a second thought.. its steady at 70%, even when i removed my hatched chicks.

 

[chickienewbie88]

Sorry, perfect for lockdown is what i meant lol

 

[JJSS89]

I never assist anything that isn't externally pipped. Even then, I am not going to assist until it's been pipped for well over 24 hours. At that point break the top of the egg and look at the membrane. If the blood veins on the top of the inner membrane are light pink still then put scotch tape over the hole and leave it alone because that chick isn't ready. The scotch tape prevents the membrane from drying out.

 

[scflock]

I never assist any more, for any reason, at any point during the hatch. People do it, and some are successful. There are threads dedicated to doing it successfully. I have done it 5 times, and 4 of the 5 had to be culled later. I would rather let nature take it's course than have to cull another fluffy chick. That's tough. Now I'm thankful for the healthy ones that do hatch, and look at the others as natures way of culling