How long should chicks look wet?

[alli]

It's our first time hatching chicks. We have a Hovabator with a dry thermometer no humidity measure. The first chick we helped out and probably shouldn't have. His head was in the small end and I'd read that makes it nearly imposible for them to get out and since he was our first we didn't want him to die in the shell. We didn't realize he was actually early as it was the beginning of the 21st day. We let him break through his own membrane and he actually came out while we were at baseball practice. His sack was still attached and he dragged it around for a while. He stands and walks but now that we have 3 more he still looks like he is a little more clumsy than the others. He hatched about 6:00 last night. Another hatched totally on his own overnight and two more this morning at about 9:45 exactly 21 full days to the hour the eggs went in. When should I take the chicks out of the incubator. I don't want them to get dehydrated before they start to eat and drink. I took out the first two but then worried because the first was still looking weak and neither wanted to drink so I put them back where the tempeture is controlled (100). Are they OK??? They still look damp and sticky but not slimy with egg shell sticking. When should they look dry and fuzzy? When will they want to eat and drink? I'm in Atlanta and I thought I had the feed in a sealed bag from the hatchery but it's actully a vitamin water additive so what can I go buy to feed them from the local Petsmart? Is it OK to put them on corncob in the box when I take them out? Help. Can someone tell me what should be their typical healthy appearance and behavior for the first 3-4 days?

 

[alli]

One more just hatched. It looks like when he came out the humidity increased in the bator b/c it got a little moisture on the top inside. I had already removed the plug for ventalation b/c the chicks still look wet.

 

[mudhen]

Hi allie, welcome to the site!

If you haven't already, go to the home page and click the link on "Raising Chickens 101", there is a page in there that talks about your issues that you really should read ASAP, just scroll down part way on the page.
I am not experienced in hatching chicks in an incubator, so someone more informed that me will have to help you with specifics.
What kind of chicks are you hatching?

 

[shadi]

when mine hatched and didnt dry right away I took them out a rubbed them with a dry wash clothe and put them back

 

[jimnjay]

In the incubator they take several hours to dry, sometime the look sticky untill they get up close and personal with the others. Mama helps the fluff up because of body contact. You will notice the humidity increase when they start to hatch.

Congrats on your hatch, I hope you enjoy them. I could not get anything done for days after my first hatch. Not much has changed but I do manage to function a little better now.

 

[silkiechicken]

Don't know if petsmart will have anything good for the chicks. See if you can find a feed store near by to get some chick or game bird starter. Don't worry about food and water for the first 24 hours or so. When I had unexpected chicks, I mixed up some rolled oats, some cracked grain and a random mix of stuff from the organic grain bins at the feed store. I also trained them to drink from a large rabbbit water bottle to keep things dryer. Good luck!

 

[ESofVA]

I had a few chicks like that and I washed them with a little soap. Then I blew them dry with a hair dryer being careful it didn't get too hot and the down that still looked like it wanted to cling I rubbed lightly between 2 fingers to separate it. They fluffed out perfectly and did great!