Chicks' fluff is glued down!

[lazyoranch]

I have had 2 chicks hatch today (day 18). When they dried off, all of their fluff was glued down. One of the chick's wings was glued down. I moistened it and was able to free the wing. Does anyone else have this problem? I want fluffy babies! I do a dry incubation around 35% humidity for the first 18 days and then up it to 65% during lockdown. However, humidity is now at 80% and holding. Thanks!

 

[SkyWarrior]

Sounds like they hatched very early.

Usually early hatch is indicative of higher temps. I can only think that the "glue" was due to the dry conditions.

 

[DANNY]

That's the reason I don't understand people using dry incubation when the rest of the planet uses wet. Dry incubation is messing up a lot of hatches for people because they really don't understand. Dry incubation is a term for don't add water unless you need to. If your natural humidity is adequate you don't need any extra moisture. But think about it like this, I live in the poultry capitol of the world and there are many hatcheries around. I have worked in one and know many people who work in others and they all use wet incubation even here in the humid south and they probably know a little about what they are doing.
Good Luck

 

[animalloverabh]

pics would help.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I shrink-wrapped one by opening the incubator to handle another problem during the hatch. The chick was still alive in the pipped and partially zipped egg when I took the others out of the incubator a day and a half later. The membrane and the shell was stuck to the chick. I soaked it in warm water for a few seconds and picked the shell and membrane off, then put it back in the incubator. When it dried off, the fuzz was stuck down in several places. I put it with the other chicks who were with a broody hen. She accepted it and it is alive and doing well today. It took about five or six days for the gunk to wear off with them living on the ground where the chick could dust bathe. I don't know how long it will take for the gunk to wear off in a brooder.

Most chicks are pretty tough. I don't think most people give them enough credit. Yours will probably be OK but they might not win any fashion contests for a week or two.

 

[gryeyes]

My formerly shrink-wrapped hatchling is all gucked up, too. (I got it out of the shell and most of the membrane yesterday evening.) There's also still a bit of dry membrane hanging off one shoulder.... which I was unable to pull off without hurting the chick, so I stopped doing that. It hasn't stood up YET but is doing plenty of kicking and rocking back and forth.

There's no way I can put it in the brooder with the other chicks. I held it very carefully this morning and gave it a drink out of a plastic bottle cap, then upped the humidity in the 'bator again and put the gunky little chickie back into the 'bator.

Should I try to wash it in warm/hot water - not dunking it, but carefully ... somehow.... this evening? So it will be ABLE to fluff up eventually?

 

[jt673]

I did a similar method in a Still Air and a Thermal Air w/ fan. The ones that hatched out of the Still Air yesterday did not fluff up until today! Their down feathers were glued down too. Give it until tomorrow and they should start fluffing up. The ones that hatched out of the Thermal Air with a fan, fluffed up quicker.I think the fan in that incubator helped. They hatched the wee hours of this morning but are starting to fluff a bit around noon except for one. The fuzz on her head is still glued down too, but it should be fluffy like the other ones by tomorrow.

BTW, they are out of the incubator in a styrofoam brooder with a heat lamp. They seem to take longer to dry and fluff when left in the incubator.

Hope this helps!


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[Celiandy]

I've had some that are covered in that stuff. I tried washing them but that never seemed to work too well, it would take a few times to get it off and they always look so pitiful. What worked good was brushing them with a toothbrush when it was all dry. It kind of breaks the stuff up and brushes it off. Good luck!