When to help an egg hatch.

[russNchris]

1st time on here and I am a little lost. I need HELP and can't find my answers.

I have 2 eggs left and the beaks are peeking thru.

** How long should it take once you see the beak for the chick to hatch?
** when should you help hatch the chick or is that not a good thing to do?

The last clutch we had , one was peeking thru. I left it not sure if I should help and it died in the shell.

 

[silkiechicken]

Try reading this sticky at the top of incubating and hatching eggs:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=9316


I personally wait at least 24 hours post pip to think about helping, but normally let them go do it on their own, or wasn't meant to be for some other type of defect that may be hiding. However, if you did open the bator a few times and these were last, there is a chance they are stuck because of drying out. The sticky should give you a better idea what to do.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Pips to zipping out can take 24 hours or longer. Did you have others hatch out already? If you have opened the bator and taken chicks out you sometimes risk losing humidity and temps for the rest of the eggs to hatch out.

 

[jvls1942]

I do not recommend helping.

newbies tend to help too soon//
there is a time to help, and that is waaay after your patience is used up..

If your chicks tend to die after pipping, start looking for the reason and correct it..

the cause is usually in low temp from many days prior to hatching or/and too low humidity at the time of hatch..

before setting any more eggs, get yourself an accurate thermometer and hygrometer..