Help, please! It's been 24 hours since first pips

[KailuaSilkies]

I'm a newbie with silkies and just had my first one hatch in the incubator!! (From my silkie hen's very first eggs). I am a bit concerned about the other two eggs that have pipped but no progress. They both pipped yesterday morning, and one poked a hole through so I was hopeful and thought that one would hatch first. but it's still just sitting there with no progress. Should I be assisting at this point? I"ve been reading a lot, including the article someone had posted about intervening but since I am so brand new to this - I really feel unsure. Some say to go ahead and candle then decide.... so, I'm close to making that decision. any good advice welcome please

 

[Terrible Ted]

I have; you have to be careful. I have seen them die after breaking a hole so I intervein now but real slow. I have given some a little water and vitamin fluid that seemed to help. Then i make scrambled eggs for their first meal.

 

[Slothinc]

The one that poked a hole through - did it make a pip and then some time later make the hole bigger but not zip around the shell? When I have had that happen, they are usually stuck (shrink wrapped or otherwise) and need help. I have found that in that situation where they have tried to get out by making the hole bigger but are too restricted to actually zip, then they are usually ready to hatch and I haven’t had an issue with blood veins or the yolk being unabsorbed.

If you want to help that one or both of them, just gently take tweezers and pull off tiny pieces of the shell around the hole. Continue until you have taken off all of the shell covering the air cell. Then, make sure the membrane is wet with warm water or coconut oil so you can see the veins well and if there aren’t any large veins pull back the membrane. At that point the head and shoulders and wings should be free and I put them back in the incubator to finish hatching out when they are ready to do so.

 

[KailuaSilkies]

I have; you have to be careful. I have seen them die after breaking a hole so I intervein now but real slow. I have given some a little water and vitamin fluid that seemed to help. Then i make scrambled eggs for their first meal.

mahalo! they've actually all hatched successfully now. I will give them scrambled eggs later this eve. for now, I will let them stay warm and cozy and rest in the incubator. they have space since it was just the three of them.

The one that poked a hole through - did it make a pip and then some time later make the hole bigger but not zip around the shell? When I have had that happen, they are usually stuck (shrink wrapped or otherwise) and need help. I have found that in that situation where they have tried to get out by making the hole bigger but are too restricted to actually zip, then they are usually ready to hatch and I haven’t had an issue with blood veins or the yolk being unabsorbed.

If you want to help that one or both of them, just gently take tweezers and pull off tiny pieces of the shell around the hole. Continue until you have taken off all of the shell covering the air cell. Then, make sure the membrane is wet with warm water or coconut oil so you can see the veins well and if there aren’t any large veins pull back the membrane. At that point the head and shoulders and wings should be free and I put them back in the incubator to finish hatching out when they are ready to do so

Turns out I didn't need to help at all (super grateful about that). I went to intervene and noticed that she was in the middle of unzipping!! so, I carefully put her back in the incubator and watched in awe as she emerged perfectly on her own.

 

[KailuaSilkies]

The one that poked a hole through - did it make a pip and then some time later make the hole bigger but not zip around the shell? When I have had that happen, they are usually stuck (shrink wrapped or otherwise) and need help. I have found that in that situation where they have tried to get out by making the hole bigger but are too restricted to actually zip, then they are usually ready to hatch and I haven’t had an issue with blood veins or the yolk being unabsorbed.

If you want to help that one or both of them, just gently take tweezers and pull off tiny pieces of the shell around the hole. Continue until you have taken off all of the shell covering the air cell. Then, make sure the membrane is wet with warm water or coconut oil so you can see the veins well and if there aren’t any large veins pull back the membrane. At that point the head and shoulders and wings should be free and I put them back in the incubator to finish hatching out when they are ready to do so.

Thank you so much!

 

[Slothinc]

mahalo! they've actually all hatched successfully now. I will give them scrambled eggs later this eve. for now, I will let them stay warm and cozy and rest in the incubator. they have space since it was just the three of them.

Turns out I didn't need to help at all (super grateful about that). I went to intervene and noticed that she was in the middle of unzipping!! so, I carefully put her back in the incubator and watched in awe as she emerged perfectly on her own.

Oh that is wonderful! Congratulations on your beautiful babies

 

[Sondraa]

Congratulations!!! Nature prevailed this time. Yeah! Send pics of your new flock when you can. It's a special time.

 

[KailuaSilkies]

Congratulations!!! Nature prevailed this time. Yeah! Send pics of your new flock when you can. It's a special time.

I don't have the best pics bc there's a glare every time I try to snap one. but this is the best I could do for now!