Bay Area BYCers!

[mycutekitties]

Out of the 100's of chicks I have hatched this was by far the most stressful! So as of this moment I have 2 healthy babies (dwarf and marans). They are doing great and running around. Then I have 2 that are very sicky in the incubator. They are covered in a honey like coating. Both are not moving around much and I'm not sure what's wrong (one isabar and one marans). Then I have 2 eggs that have not piped but are chirping in the egg (good sign!) so if the 2 sick ones make it and the 2 eggs peeping hatch I will have 2 isabars, 2 marans and 1 dwarf. I have never had a hatch like this! I usually get 95% hatch and are healthy. Anyway here is a pic of the 2 healthy ones on their way to the brooder.

 

[mycutekitties]

Quote:
Sorry for the huge pic!

 

[cherylcohen]

it's darling - well I thought I had kept them at the perfect temperature and they were rotated hourly, so I'm sorry if they aren't all making it

when I have sticky ones, I run them under some warm water and dry them with kleenex, all the while keeping them really really warm and draft free. One thing greenfire had mentioned that the dwarfs because they are so small are very temperature sensitive, so maybe they got chilled when you've been opening the bators?

 

[OrpingtonManor]

Yay, babies!!

I second the motion to clean the sticky ones under warm running water. I had a Barnie who couldn't stand or move a wing until I gave her a little itty bitty bath (even used a soft toothbrush) to get her unsticky. It worked like a charm. But, for sure, after the bath, get that baby back in the warm bator.

 

[mycutekitties]

Cheryl are u kidding! You did a great job taking care of them! I blame myself. I should have given them all to you and I bet you would have had a better outcome than I did. I only opened the incubator to grab the 2 sick babies and 2 healthy ones out. Then I added more water. Well I'm happy at least one dwarf made it. I love my little bantams!

I will keep u guys updated.

 

[jeremy]

Sticky wet babies may mean your humidity is too high, it could also explain why some of the chicks haven't hatched, too high humidity will cause chicks to "drown" in the shell.

I hope you get a few more babies!

 

[mycutekitties]

Quote:
That is so strange. I dry incubate and then on day 18 I add water. My humidity is at 70 right now. Is there anything I need to do? I still hear peeping in 2 of the eggs in the incubator.

 

[cherylcohen]

Quote:
In hindsight I probably should have stuck them all in the bator when they arrived and then the person that one them would just come get them, I hate having eggs sitting...but you never know. One thing about adding water mid stream....at least this is what I've found is that if the water isn't warm enough it will cause a dip...but you know what things still could happen...what's the pipped status now? If possible I'd take a few out and candle, but that's just me...Also if the outcome is truly not a good one I'll see if I can get Greenfire to sneak a few more out for you...they should be shipping me a batch of jubilee orp eggs soon.

 

[cherylcohen]

Quote:
That is so strange. I dry incubate and then on day 18 I add water. My humidity is at 70 right now. Is there anything I need to do? I still hear peeping in 2 of the eggs in the incubator.

My last 3 days hover between 65 - 70 degrees humidity and I've hatched crazy amounts so I would think you are fine - which breeds were sticky??

 

[mycutekitties]

One isabar and one marans. The one isabar is still not moving much and has heavy breathing but the other one that was not doing well (marans) looks to be improving. Walking around the incubator and chirping.

I am hoping when I wake up tomorrow I will have 2 (or more) little ones running around.