Hatching! (1st timer)

tao chick

Songster
6 Years
May 20, 2015
1,701
204
211
Herkimer County, NY
Ok, my staggered hatch started yesterday and is getting pretty active right now. I'm trying not to mess with the incubator temp and humidity, but I worry. All the chicks are gooey and taking quite a while to fluff up. I did dry incubation and humidity has jumped to 77% during all this hatching. Temp has been between 100* and 102* F the whole time (don't ask me why I can't ever hit 101* F). Is there anything I should change? Some sliminess is normal, right? How high of humidity is too high? I have vents on the LG still air open.
Also, one pipped externally at the more narrow end. It seems fine and might even be zipping. Is it possible for it to hatch on its own?
 
Ok, my staggered hatch started yesterday and is getting pretty active right now. I'm trying not to mess with the incubator temp and humidity, but I worry. All the chicks are gooey and taking quite a while to fluff up. I did dry incubation and humidity has jumped to 77% during all this hatching. Temp has been between 100* and 102* F the whole time (don't ask me why I can't ever hit 101* F). Is there anything I should change? Some sliminess is normal, right? How high of humidity is too high? I have vents on the LG still air open.
Also, one pipped externally at the more narrow end. It seems fine and might even be zipping. Is it possible for it to hatch on its own?
If you have condensation in the incubator at any point than your humidity is too high. I run 75% for hatch and often it shoots up past 80% when they are actively hatching. It will take longer for chicks to dry in fluff in the bator with the higher humidity though. I find my chicks fluff better and faster in the brooder under the light.

Yes, malepositioned pippers can and often do hatch out on their own.
 
If you have condensation in the incubator at any point than your humidity is too high. I run 75% for hatch and often it shoots up past 80% when they are actively hatching.  It will take longer for chicks to dry in fluff in the bator with the higher humidity though. I find my chicks fluff better and faster in the brooder under the light.

Yes, malepositioned pippers can and often do hatch out on their own.

Thanks for the reply! The chicks still seem sticky. Because my humidity has been high (condensation) I've been taking chicks out to fluff in the brooder. Amylynn I have read through many of your posts to help me through this process, so thank you so much. Humidity was too high for the first few days so I started dry incubation at that point. I aimed for 75% at lockdown and it jumped again to 80%. What does your temperature run during hatch? Can temperature adjustment help humidity at all?
The malpositioned pipper expired. I went to assist it today and it was already dead. Luckily I have an egg that had an airsac that was off to the side and it pipped in the perfect spot.
 
Thanks for the reply! The chicks still seem sticky. Because my humidity has been high (condensation) I've been taking chicks out to fluff in the brooder. Amylynn I have read through many of your posts to help me through this process, so thank you so much. Humidity was too high for the first few days so I started dry incubation at that point. I aimed for 75% at lockdown and it jumped again to 80%. What does your temperature run during hatch? Can temperature adjustment help humidity at all?
The malpositioned pipper expired. I went to assist it today and it was already dead. Luckily I have an egg that had an airsac that was off to the side and it pipped in the perfect spot.
Sorry to hear about the malepositioned pipper. That's one of the hardest parts of hatching in my opinion, deciding whether to and when to assist. I move my chicks to the brooder as they become active. I don't adjust my temps down for hatch I leave it at the 99 ish range, but, because I do open the bator frequently during hatch it usually ends up more in the 98F range. I don't like it going below that 98 though. Lots of people do adjust down one degree at hatch time. I've found, at least in the styros, that as the humidity goes down, the temps start to go up. When I am incubating and I see my temp start to climb the first thing I do is check my humidity and usually find that it is dropping and I need to rewet a sponge if I am using it. When I can run completely dry and my bator stays around 30% I don't see as much fluctuations temp wise. It all depends on what kind of incubator you are using as to what point you will have condensation. Mine can go up past 80% w/o any forming. I've seen smaller homemade cooler bators look like a rain forest at 75%.
Congrats on the ones that have hatched and best of luck on the others.
 
So far so good. I really appreciate your help! I'm using a LG still air and it has taught me a lot. It took a lot of time to get it right. Removing chicks to the brooder quickly has been quite helpful. 25 have hatched. 11 to go.
 
So far so good. I really appreciate your help! I'm using a LG still air and it has taught me a lot. It took a lot of time to get it right. Removing chicks to the brooder quickly has been quite helpful. 25 have hatched. 11 to go.
That's awesome! Congrats!!! I believe that humidity creates moisture quicker in the still air as well. Good luck on the rest. 25 in the lg for a new hatcher is impressive.
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Thanks! So far 27 have hatched. 1 perished after hatching because it had some injury or deformation that made its neck look like an n. I set 45, so I'm at about 60% now (only 38 made it to lockdown). I'm going to try water candling tonight (9 left unpipped on Day 23). I'm a meddler, so your posts have been the most helpful in teaching me what works.
 
Thanks! So far 27 have hatched. 1 perished after hatching because it had some injury or deformation that made its neck look like an n. I set 45, so I'm at about 60% now (only 38 made it to lockdown). I'm going to try water candling tonight (9 left unpipped on Day 23). I'm a meddler, so your posts have been the most helpful in teaching me what works.
I judge my incubations based on what goes into lockdown and what comes out. 27 is great! I'm glad it's been helpful. Meddlers have to stick together.
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