[gillian62]

Is there an average time between pipping and hatching?  We have 2 eggs that started pipping on Friday afternoon, and still haven't fully hatched.  The eggs are about 1/2 cracked but the membranes are getting very dry now.  The other 6 eggs haven't pipped at all yet.  Any help would be appreciated.

[Thingy]

2 days, thats a long time for them to hatch

Are they still alive in the shells. Keep humidity quite high

You can help them if you like. I helped some of mine hatch and they were ok but it is personal preferance whether to help or not

To help them GENTLY start to pull the shells off. I use a cocktail stick and a pair of tweezers (try not to poke the chick with the cocktail stick cos you could damage). Try not to disturb the inner membrane. This will help the chicks push through in there own time. All the blood vessels dissapear into the chick when the egg starts hatching so be very carefull. If fresh blood appears at any time, stop! Do this bit by bit untill the chick hatches. Don't keep the eggs out of the incubator for too long though .

This is how I did it with my strugglers and they are all ok

In the other eggs do you hear cheeping? Can you see them rocking? Candle them if they are way overdue. Is the airsack ok? can you see movement? If candling shows it is all ok then replace eggs, they may just need more time. If you hear cheeping, you can help eggs along by putting a tiny hole in the shell but try not to pierce inner membrances.

Let me know how you get on.

[Nails]

i would start to help them out, if the membrane starts to bleed then pop them back in the inncy for half hour and then have another go, i normally take off the top and then let them push themselves out of the shell