4 More Chicks Hatched - Important Humidity Question Needs Immediate Answer

[Stewarts]

Well first, we really didn't get to bed till round 4:30 in the morning; after I put our cats in the porch and closed the door... The first chick was sleeping so we thought it was a good idea for us to do the same. I was up several times anyway to check the temperature and humidity though.

Up at 7 am and immediately checked the hova-bator where they have been hatching. 4 more chicks hatched with very clean births, same as the first but the humidity was up to 70 % because they were drying off and adding to the humidity already present. I opened the bator to take an egg away from a corner where one chick had just hatched but was penned in so she could not have escaped her shell on her own. Then I removed the shell from her and righted her as she was on her back.

We have 5 successfully hatched chicks.

Is the humidity, being at 70%, something to worry about for the other eggs?

Stephanie

 

[countrygoddess]

What did it come down to when you opened it to move the egg out of the corner? Are your plugs both out? According to my Hatching and Brooding Your Own Chicks book, hatching humidity should be as much as 10% higher than incubating humidity.

 

[Stewarts]

I've had the humidity up from incubating 55% to hatching 65%. Now its up to 70% because of the activity of the chicks and their drying off period. Is this ok for the other eggs or not?

 

[countrygoddess]

I'm inclined to say yes, that's fine. Let us know how it goes!

 

[Stewarts]

So far, 12 chicks hatched today, all clean births. Nothing clinging to shells, no blood, just a whole and complete chick from each. Because of the dampness inside the bator and when you get more that one chick hatched, the damp and humidity goes higher and the chicks don't dry, even after an hour... I've been taking them out of the bator when half dry and putting them under the heat lamp, watching closely. Only one chick had to be dried a little more in my hands before she would stop going too far under the lamp. All chicks are healthy, active and thriving. I put a mix of molasses and apple cider vinegar in their water to prevent poop butt. The largest and fluffiest I will be re-introducing to food and water tomorrow, she will be a good two days old by then. They are only interested in the heat lamp at this point. I left off the shavings for now and have them inside a secure cardboard enclosure with a cardboard floor with food on it so when they peck, it will be edible. A few of them have already pooped but I doubt its from eating, just voiding birth stuff. They settle in a ring around the heat lamp when dry and startle themselves easily while resting or sleeping.

I still have more eggs to hatch for tomorrow too. 13 chicks in all and in their brooder. Pictures are on my Facebook page @ Stephanie Stewart

 

[Stewarts]

We have four cats of our own and a barn cat that adopted us, they go into the porch at night so they don't bother the bators and I started them getting used to not being allowed in the spare room a week ago.