Malposition chick in egg

[mhchickenluv]

Hi,

Thank you for welcoming me to this community. Today is 4/10/25. My chicks are on day 19 of incubation, and one of my eggs has pipped on the opposite end of its air cell. She/he has been pecking at it for about 8-10 hours, and only has a very, very small air hole. She is chirping occassionally. When do I assist, if at all? I don't want to open the incubator unnecesarily.

Thank you for your advice!
M

 

[zippy722]

Hi,

Thank you for welcoming me to this community. Today is 4/10/25. My chicks are on day 19 of incubation, and one of my eggs has pipped on the opposite end of its air cell. She/he has been pecking at it for about 8-10 hours, and only has a very, very small air hole. She is chirping occassionally. When do I assist, if at all? I don't want to open the incubator unnecesarily.

Thank you for your advice!
MView attachment 4095153

I have a chick in the very same situation right now, looking forward to any advice offered to you.

 

[Debbie292d]

Hiya, and welcome to BYC!

The important thing: They are getting air now.

It can hatch that way. Let it keep at it from the point it pipped to 24 hours later. If it's not out after 24 hours, or not making some progress, you can consider assisting it.

Here's an excellent article how best to do that:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

Wishing you a great hatch!

 

[chrissynemetz]

Welcome to BYC! Best of luck with your hatch!

 

[MountainWoman73]

When chicks pip outside the air cell like that, they need a longer interval between pip and zip. Think of it this way: instead of an internal pip, they had to make an external pip. Internal pipping usually happens 12-24 hours prior to external pipping. So they need that extra 12-24 hours to rest and finish absorbing yolk before they are ready to hatch. They may hatch on their own, but often they need help because the membrane gets too dry or because they are positioned in a way that makes it hard to zip out.

I had one that pipped outside the air cell in my last hatch and she made it. I enlarged the hole just barely when she had been pipped for 24 hours, saw blood and stopped. Then waited another 12 hours, and peeled away a little more. Then waited a few more hours, and peeled away about half the shell. We put her back and she pushed out the rest of the way on her own.

Good luck to both your chicks.

 

[OrpingtonManiac]

Hi! Welcome to BYC

 

[muddy75]

 

[sourland]

Good morning and welcome to BYC. Good luck for a successful hatch.

 

[janiedoe]

Welcome to BYC. You've already recieved great advice. I had a hen who laid very round eggs. Her chicks were always slow to hatch and occasionally I'd have to peel back the membrane. It takes a lot of patience to wait. Good luck with your chick!

 

[CurlyChickenGirly]

Welcome to BYC! Hope you got good advice.