# What should I do?



## Gemma (Oct 3, 2020)

It is my first time hatching chicken eggs in an incubator. The first egg pipped this morning and has made a small hole, about a cm. It hasn't made any progress in 8 hours. I can see it moving around inside the egg. What should I do?


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## Biring (Sep 24, 2020)

Nothing! It takes about 24 hours from pipping to unzipping. Check the temp and humidity levels are correct and wait.


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## Gemma (Oct 3, 2020)

Thank you. That's what I thought, but I just wasn't 100% sure!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

If baby is stuck it will let you know. It will give off cries of distress.

But what Biring said, chicks can take quite a bit longer to hatch once they make the pip hole than game species. If it gets quiet or stops moving don't get overly worried they stop to rest.


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## Gemma (Oct 3, 2020)

Thank you!


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## Biring (Sep 24, 2020)

And don’t forget to upload some photos once they’ve hatched!


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## Gemma (Oct 3, 2020)

Just hatched!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Congrats on the one that had you so concerned showing you it was fine. 

Now it's time to start pulling for at least one more to hatch. A single is always unhappy being alone. Carrying them around in a pocket without forgetting they're in there really restricts activity.


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## Biring (Sep 24, 2020)

It will be able to hear its broodmates pipping so it shouldn’t be lonely. Tomorrow morning you will likely have a few chicks.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

Thanks for the picture! What breed of chick?


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## Biring (Sep 24, 2020)

How many have hatched now?


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## Frank Alvarez (Oct 3, 2019)

I know someone objecting but this is what I have done with good success.I kept having chicks that would start pipping but not progress to hatch and would die. So now when I see the initial pip , I enlarge it with a knife or razor until I can see the beak and make sure they get air. If they keep making noise( you can hear them before they pip) for hours but do not pip, I will candle them and find the air cell and create a pip so they can get air. Then after hours(4-6) if there is no progress, I will enlarge the hole around the egg slightly. I repeat this until they hatch. So far doing this, I have not lost any that do start peeping. Good luck and enjoy the little ones. 







These are my garden vultures waiting to attack my garden.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

Ah, a rare photograph of the multi-colored garden vultures in their natural habitat. Neither netting nor PVC nor pallet nor cattle panel can stop their path of wanton destruction!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Frank Alvarez said:


> I know someone objecting but this is what I have done with good success.I kept having chicks that would start pipping but not progress to hatch and would die. So now when I see the initial pip , I enlarge it with a knife or razor until I can see the beak and make sure they get air. If they keep making noise( you can hear them before they pip) for hours but do not pip, I will candle them and find the air cell and create a pip so they can get air. Then after hours(4-6) if there is no progress, I will enlarge the hole around the egg slightly. I repeat this until they hatch. So far doing this, I have not lost any that do start peeping. Good luck and enjoy the little ones.
> View attachment 35808
> These are my garden vultures waiting to attack my garden.


It works for you. It's not something I would suggest someone do that hasn't hatched enough to be comfortable waiting on peeps to hatch. It's a timing thing.

And there's something wrong with PJ so ignore him.


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## Frank Alvarez (Oct 3, 2019)

The bird netting over pvc frame secured over screw heads top and bottom does work well to keep them out of the beds.


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