Questions concerning lockdown and humidity

[koris]

So yesterday was day 20 for my lil eggs. We seen a few start moving yesterday and this morning I heard a little peep!!! (first incubation) My question is I live in a dry climate (Colorado/ New Mexico border) and I have increased my humidity to 67. I have noticed that it is fluctuation between 65-67% and I have been having to add water to add humidity to keep it at 67%. With me being in a dry climate is this enough humidity so they wont be sticky in the shell?? I am worried about going to high and drowning them. Is it normal to have to add water durning lockdown? Or is it because I live in a dry area??
(no i am not opening the incubator, I have found a way to add water using a plastic tube and a medicine dropper)

Any info for me PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!

 

[koris]

Congratulations on your hatch!! I probably would try and save the scissor beak chick too.

Thanks! I am going to try and give him a life! I can't bring myself to kill him!! Cyclopes is just like the rest of the chickens, except he is even more special!!! (kids named him) I am going to try and help him eat until he gets a little older and can help himself. He is so darn cute, and like my 8 year old daughter said while kissing his head "I like him just the way he is"
None of the other chicks look like they are messed up. I had 3 eggs die before hatch too (they were alive at lock down). I don't think I will be hatching them to see what happened. I have had enough of being traumatized today! Mind you, I did a staggered hatch, so I have been hatching since Monday (I haven't had much sleep making sure the incubator was staying the right temp because we burn wood so the house isn't a consistent temp. And the last 4 nights have been the hardest making sure everything was going well! I can't wait to sleep all night tonight, HOPEFULLY) ... Last one hatched about 2 hours ago! I couldn't wait to get him out and shut it off!! I candled the 3 eggs that I need to discard of, and didn't see veins, or any beaks in the air sac... sad, but I am okay with the hatch I have!!!

 

[koris]

..........

 

[Little Wing]

It sounds like you are doing fine. The humidity should rise more when they start hatching. Don't try to lower it, just let it go.
GO YOU!

Good luck.

 

[koris]

It looks like it has a dry membrane around it! I guess it is too low, so I highered the humidity... IS that okay? also should i run a humidifier in the room since the room is dry too???? I don't want to lose these babies!!!!!!!!

 

[Little Wing]

Are there water drops on the glass? What is the humidity?

 

[koris]

Are there water drops on the glass? What is the humidity?

For the first 18 days I had it between 45-49%, than I raised it to 60-65%. Last night when I woke up to check on the chicks, around 4, the humidity was 63%. I boosted it up this morning around 6, and yes there were drops on the glass, but within an hour it drops again. After I seen the white, dry looking membrane I raised it to 70-75% but it wont stay there, dropped to 73% now. I am worried about the rest of the chicks that are suppose to hatch... am I at rise of them drying out???

Ps I live in a dry climate....

 

[Little Wing]

73% should be fine. How are they doing now?

 

[koris]

I have a few more wiggiling in the eggs. One more cracked shell around 5pm. I am hoping I will have about 4 chicks fully hatch tomorrow! I will keep update and pix

 

[koris]

So my lil chick hatched at 12am! He is so adorable. It is an Orphington (hen) and amerucana (rooster) mix. He is orange with black highlights throughout his feathers.
I have 5 more shells cracked, and I believe that 1 should be full hatched by noon today. Out of the 14 I had in lockdown (staggered start too) I will have 6 chicks that I can see so far breaking out of shell. I still have tomorrow to be day 21 for the last set of staggered eggs. I hope I get a few more to hatch, but I will be just fine with the 6, but there is a possibility that tomorrow that count could go up to 10!