eggs hatching?

[Emily]

My pigeons, Ernie & Lolita, are about to become parents! They have successfully incubated their pair of eggs for the last 18 days, and even in the cold Toronto winter, the eggs are starting to hatch! About 12 hours ago I first noticed a small crack in each egg but there has not been much progress since then. I can look inside the hole and the babies are still moving around. Should I help them hatch or does it usually take this long for them to make it out on their own?

Thanks!
Soon-to-be-grandma
Emily

[Pigeonpal2002]

Hi Emily,

No, you don't need to help them hatch. It normally takes them 8-24 hrs to hatch. If it goes beyond 30 hours and they haven't hatched yet, THEN you can help by only partially removing some of the shell but don't pull the baby out. It just takes time for them to break out of their egg on their own. They should be fine without any aid from you.

Brad