Should You Help a Chicken Hatch? 5 Critical Things to Consider

Watching eggs in your incubator approaching day 21 is like waiting for Christmas morning You’ve been patiently turning eggs, maintaining proper humidity, and eagerly anticipating fluffy little chicks But what happens when a chick pips through the shell and then… nothing else happens? The anxiety sets in as you wonder should you help a chicken hatch?

As someone who’s hatched hundreds of chicks over the years, I’ve faced this dilemma many times. It’s one of the most stressful parts of incubating eggs. Today, I’m sharing what I’ve learned about when (and when not) to assist a struggling chick.

The Great Debate: To Help or Not to Help?

Let’s address the elephant in the room first There are two strong camps in the chicken world

1. The “Never Interfere” Group – believes natural selection should take its course
2. The “Help When Necessary” Group – believes certain situations warrant assistance

I respect both positions, but I fall into the second camp. Here’s why: most hatching difficulties aren’t due to weak or defective chicks but rather incubation issues like improper humidity, temperature fluctuations, or positioning problems.

In my experience raising thousands of chicks only a tiny percentage of assisted hatches had actual developmental issues. The vast majority grew into healthy productive chickens that hatched their own chicks normally.

When Should You Help a Chick Hatch?

Before grabbing your tweezers, it’s crucial to understand the natural hatching timeline and know when intervention is appropriate.

The Natural Hatching Timeline

A normal hatch follows this general pattern:

• Day 19-20: Chick internally pips (breaks through inner membrane and takes first breath)
• Day 20-21: External pip appears (small hole in shell)
• Next 12-24 hours: Chick “zips” around the shell and pushes out

It’s completely normal for a chick to rest between stages. After external pipping, many chicks will rest for several hours before continuing the exhausting work of zipping and pushing out.

5 Critical Signs a Chick Needs Help

Here are the main criteria that indicate a chick might need assistance:

1. 24+ Hours Since External Pip – If a chick has pipped but made no progress in 24 hours, it may be stuck
2. Shrink-Wrapped Appearance – The membrane looks dried and tight against the chick
3. Other Eggs Have Hatched – If other eggs from the same batch have successfully hatched
4. Weak Chirping – Chirping that’s becoming weaker rather than stronger
5. Visible Struggling – You can see the chick trying to move but unable to progress

What Causes Hatching Problems?

Most hatching difficulties stem from these incubation issues:

• Humidity Problems: Too low during incubation causes shrink-wrapping; too high creates “sticky chicks”
• Temperature Issues: Inconsistent temperatures can cause development problems
• Improper Egg Turning: Eggs not turned properly during the first 18 days
• Opening Incubator During Lockdown: Sudden humidity drops can cause membranes to dry and stick
• Shipped Eggs: Shipping can cause positioning problems

The “Hands-Off” Humidity Fix

Before attempting a full assist, try this less invasive approach:

If you suspect shrink-wrapping (dried membrane stuck to the chick), you can try increasing humidity without opening the incubator:

1. Place a clean sponge under a vent hole during lockdown
2. Insert a straw through the vent hole until it touches the sponge
3. Use a medicine dropper to add warm distilled water through the straw
4. Remove the straw after adding water
5. Watch to see if the increased humidity helps loosen the membrane’s grip

This method helps avoid exposing other eggs to dangerous humidity drops while potentially helping stuck chicks.

How to Safely Assist a Hatch

If you’ve determined assistance is necessary, here’s my step-by-step process:

What You’ll Need

• Small sharp screw or drill bit
• Tweezers
• Cotton swabs
• Coconut oil or bacitracin ointment (without pain reliever)
• Paper towels (dry only)
• Styptic powder (optional, for bleeding)

Step 1: Create a Safety Hole

If the chick has been internally pipped for 18-24 hours with no external pip:

1. Candle the egg to locate the air cell
2. Using your screw or drill bit, gently twist to create a small hole in the air cell area
3. Make the hole just large enough for the chick to breathe – don’t widen it
4. Return the egg to the incubator and wait

Often, this safety hole provides enough air for the chick to continue on its own.

Step 2: Assess Membrane Condition

If 18-24 hours pass after the safety hole with no progress:

1. Carefully chip away shell ONLY over the air cell area
2. Apply coconut oil to the exposed membrane
3. Check for active blood vessels – if you see them, the chick isn’t ready
4. If the membrane looks dry and stuck to the chick, it’s likely shrink-wrapped

Step 3: Carefully Free the Chick

If the membrane shows no active blood vessels and the chick is moving/chirping:

1. Gently peel the membrane away from the chick’s head
2. Allow the chick to push itself out if possible
3. If needed, carefully chip away more shell, always checking for blood vessels
4. Be patient – this process can take time

Step 4: Handle Unabsorbed Yolk

If you notice the yolk sac isn’t fully absorbed:

1. Gently place the chick back in the lower half of the shell
2. Put the shell with the chick in a small cup to keep it upright
3. Keep it in the incubator until the yolk is absorbed
4. The chick will become more active when ready to come out

When NOT to Help a Chick Hatch

Some situations where intervention might not be the best choice:

• Chick has been externally pipped for less than 24 hours – Be patient!
• Chick has obvious deformities – Sometimes nature selects for a reason
• You’re not prepared for special needs chickens – Some assisted chicks may require extra care
• Chick has no signs of movement or chirping – May have died in the shell
• No internal pip by day 23 – Likely not viable

How to Open an Incubator During Lockdown (If You Must)

Opening an incubator during lockdown (days 18-21) is risky but sometimes necessary. To minimize risk:

1. Take the incubator to a bathroom
2. Run hot shower to create steam and humidity
3. Use a hygrometer to monitor bathroom humidity
4. Wait until bathroom humidity matches incubator humidity
5. Open incubator quickly, assist, then close
6. Keep incubator away from water for safety

My Personal Experience with Assisted Hatches

I’ve helped hundreds of chicks hatch over the years, and most have grown into healthy birds. My most successful assists were with shipped eggs that had positioning problems and with Call ducklings (who often struggle due to their short beaks and necks).

Last spring, I assisted a Black Copper Marans chick that was completely shrink-wrapped. After careful assistance, “Lucky” grew into a beautiful rooster who now fathers chicks that hatch perfectly on their own.

Remember that mother hens often help their chicks hatch in nature! I’ve seen my broody Orpington hen carefully pick away shell when a chick was struggling.

Final Thoughts: It’s Your Decision

Whether to assist a hatch is a personal choice that depends on:

• Your comfort level with intervention
• Your willingness to care for potentially special-needs chicks
• Your understanding of the hatching process
• The specific circumstances of the stuck chick

If you do choose to assist, do it with knowledge, patience, and gentleness. And be prepared that not every assisted chick will survive, despite your best efforts.

I believe in respecting both approaches – letting nature take its course or providing careful assistance. What’s most important is making an informed decision based on the welfare of the chick.

Have you ever assisted a chick hatch? I’d love to hear your experiences in the comments!

Quick Reference Guide: Should You Help a Chick Hatch?

Remember, every hatch is different, and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Trust your instincts, watch closely, and make the decision that feels right for you and your flock.

Happy hatching!

You should only help a chick hatch after waiting at least 24 hours from the initial pip (the first crack) and if the chick is showing no progress and is weak, but still alive. Before intervening, increase humidity and sterilize any tools to prevent infection and membrane dryness. If you see blood, stop immediately, as the chick is still connected to the yolk and can bleed to death.

A pipped chick can stay in the shell for 12 to 24 hours or even longer, as long as it can breathe through the pip hole and is resting. The entire pipping and hatching process is a staged event that requires the chick to rest and absorb the remaining yolk before hatching.

Chicks may not hatch after pipping due to several factors, including low humidity causing them to stick to the shell membrane, malposition within the egg preventing movement, a weak chick lacking strength, or insufficient oxygen if the air cell was improperly formed or ventilation was inadequate. You can help by carefully moistening the membrane and removing pieces of the shell, but only after 24 hours of no progress, and always try to keep the incubator closed to maintain humidity.