Late January Hatch?

[nowlifehappens]

Our 2nd chick hatched!!! This is the inside of the shell. Is that normal or should I be concerned?

Can't really see but mine had some dark green dried stuff and black stuff I think was from their feathers. Is your silkie chirping at all? I had one of mine have a thicker shell and struggle a little, but once the others hatched they knocked it around enough to "help." I hope your silkie babies keep pushing through and hatch for you soon!

 

[Knigge]

Can't really see but mine had some dark green dried stuff and black stuff I think was from their feathers. Is your silkie chirping at all? I had one of mine have a thicker shell and struggle a little, but once the others hatched they knocked it around enough to "help." I hope your silkie babies keep pushing through and hatch for you soon!

It is kind of a green/grey/yellowish thing sort of looks like the yolk of a hard boiled egg. Chick seems to be doing great so I guess it was just normal gunk lol. My silkie isn't really doing anything. I can't hear any chirping over the 2 babies that have hatched lol. Anytime I tap at the glass they chirp away. It is really cute. I am planning on leaving them in there until at least tomorrow morning. Having them in there will help the others hatch out so I don't want to take them out too soon, but I don't want them starving in there either lol. Tomorrow would be 24 hours for both of them basically.

 

[debosaurus]

It is kind of a green/grey/yellowish thing sort of looks like the yolk of a hard boiled egg.  Chick seems to be doing great so I guess it was just normal gunk lol.  My silkie isn't really doing anything.  I can't hear any chirping over the 2 babies that have hatched lol.  Anytime I tap at the glass they chirp away.  It is really cute.  I am planning on leaving them in there until at least tomorrow morning.  Having them in there will help the others hatch out so I don't want to take them out too soon, but I don't want them starving in there either lol.  Tomorrow would be 24 hours for both of them basically.

You can leave them a little longer than 24 hours if necessary and the gunk could just be poop from when it was hatching! And leftover umbilical residue. From what I've read anyway!

 

[Knigge]

You can leave them a little longer than 24 hours if necessary

and the gunk could just be poop from when it was hatching! And leftover umbilical residue. From what I've read anyway!

I think you are right. They have since moved the other chicks shell around and there is gunk in there too. So I guess it is normal. There are so many pips in there but no more babies yet. I won't help them because I don't feel comfortable doing it and I don't want to open the incubator to get them out. The humidity was super high so I pulled the 2 looking windows up real quick and wiped the condensation off of them. It was getting pretty bad and I think the small amount of ventilation will hopefully drop the humidity a bit. They were open like 2 seconds total. I think opening it for some ventilation won't hurt anything as the humidity is way high. once those 2 hatched it went up to 90%. I don't want anyone drowning.

 

[debosaurus]

I think you are right.  They have since moved the other chicks shell around and there is gunk in there too.  So I guess it is normal.  There are so many pips in there but no more babies yet.  I won't help them because I don't feel comfortable doing it and I don't want to open the incubator to get them out.  The humidity was super high so I pulled the 2 looking windows up real quick and wiped the condensation off of them.  It was getting pretty bad and I think the small amount of ventilation will hopefully drop the humidity a bit.  They were open like 2 seconds total.  I think opening it for some ventilation won't hurt anything as the humidity is way high.  once those 2 hatched it went up to 90%.  I don't want anyone drowning.

That definitely sounds like your humidity is too high! Are the hatched chicks fluffing up? I'd keep ventilation open for sure, as far as I know it's not supposed to be reduced even during lockdown because of how important oxygen is to be new chicks. But I suppose your mileage may vary! I had to help out both of my chicks because the bator was opened to help my girl who had been pipped for well over 24 hours (just dampened her membranes a bit and removed a part of the shell she had been bashing her beak against for 16 hours!) and she unzipped and was out in about 2 hours. Her membranes were brown though. Then I had another previously thought unviable egg that was 3/4 of the way through the zip process at that point (of helping) that then got stuck for 12 hours... Shrink wrapped in less than 30 seconds. so I helped her finishing zipping and she kicked her way out in about 15-20 minutes. She was also malpositioned and had zipped around the middle of the egg instead of the top!

 

[melnjerm]

Day 22/23 and only two pips from yesterday still working... thought one died for a bit as it went quiet and it was hard to see movement. Looks like I'm in for a pretty dismal hatch rate. One of the three that hatched on time has a curled foot and is a rooster. So far I'm on pace for 2 pullets out of 27 eggs...

I've ordered a thermocontroller to retrofit the hovabator for use on the next batch, hopefully more stable temps make for a more successful attempt #2.

You're lucky! 10 out of 12 hatched, and looks to be all boys for me! Again!!

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[Knigge]

That definitely sounds like your humidity is too high! Are the hatched chicks fluffing up? I'd keep ventilation open for sure, as far as I know it's not supposed to be reduced even during lockdown because of how important oxygen is to be new chicks. But I suppose your mileage may vary! I had to help out both of my chicks because the bator was opened to help my girl who had been pipped for well over 24 hours (just dampened her membranes a bit and removed a part of the shell she had been bashing her beak against for 16 hours!) and she unzipped and was out in about 2 hours. Her membranes were brown though. Then I had another previously thought unviable egg that was 3/4 of the way through the zip process at that point (of helping) that then got stuck for 12 hours... Shrink wrapped in less than 30 seconds. so I helped her finishing zipping and she kicked her way out in about 15-20 minutes. She was also malpositioned and had zipped around the middle of the egg instead of the top!

The hatched babies are starting to dry off but it's taking them a while. The vent holes are open but the humidity is way high. I know it gets higher once chicks start hatching but is it a good idea to crack the lid a tad for more ventilation? And to reduce humidity? What is too high? Should I open some of the smaller holes a little more? Could always tape over them next hatch.

 

[tishl]

Can you hear them pip while in the incubator?

 

[debosaurus]

The hatched babies are starting to dry off but it's taking them a while. The vent holes are open but the humidity is way high. I know it gets higher once chicks start hatching but is it a good idea to crack the lid a tad for more ventilation? And to reduce humidity? What is too high? Should I open some of the smaller holes a little more? Could always tape over them next hatch.

I tried not to let mine go over 80% when chicks were hatching and maintained between 65-70% when they weren't. Just because they can catch a chill.

 

[Knigge]

Can you hear them pip while in the incubator?

I can hear them talking but it's hard to tell who it's who with 3 babies in there now lol.

Deb I want it lower but it's not cooperating lol. I am at around 80 with 3 chicks in there so I guess I'm not doing too bad.