Chicks won't dry

[crnalaurie]

Hi all! New member long time reader
I hatching eggs from my flock in the incubator for the second time. We are having a problem with the chicks drying in the incubator. We have moved them to a brooder box with a screened bottom similar to the incubator with a heat lamp to dry. The temp is 90F but it is still taking quite a while for them to dry. The ones that hatched yesterday still have fluff on their backs that is not fluffy. Any advice?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Hi all! New member long time reader
I hatching eggs from my flock in the incubator for the second time. We are having a problem with the chicks drying in the incubator. We have moved them to a brooder box with a screened bottom similar to the incubator with a heat lamp to dry. The temp is 90F but it is still taking quite a while for them to dry. The ones that hatched yesterday still have fluff on their backs that is not fluffy. Any advice?

What was your humidity during incubation? Sounds like maybe a little high??

You can take a warm wet washcloth and just rub the sticky or "non fluffy" spots and it should dry a little fluffier.

 

[chickalicia]

Maybe take a warm wet paper towel and gently wipe them off. They could have some of the egg stuff left on them from hatching. Iam new also but that's what I ha to do w some of mine from incubator. Send pix

 

[crnalaurie]

What is the recommended humidity for hatching? I do think it was too high, it was condensating on the lid. It is 80% and gets higher with the liquid released when a chick hatches. This chick has been hatched over 12 hours.

 

[lazy gardener]

Just leave it alone. In due time, it will dry out and fluff out. Nice looking chicks.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

What is the recommended humidity for hatching? I do think it was too high, it was condensating on the lid. It is 80% and gets higher with the liquid released when a chick hatches. This chick has been hatched over 12 hours.

In my opinion condensation in the bator- humidity is too high. I run 75% at hatch and it goes up to 80% but I don't get condensation. The recommended is at LEAST 65%, but I prefer higher. I was asking what the humidity was during the incubation though. First 17 days. If the egg doesn't loose enough moisture during the incubation it can cause very wet and sticky chicks due to the excess moisture in the egg. (As well as chicks drowning.)

He's a cutie, even not fully fluffed. It doesn't hurt them to leave them like that, but you can wipe them off and get some of the stickiness off. Just don't keep them out from underneath the brooder light too long so they get chilled.

 

[chickalicia]

Aaw so v cute! What breed is he? I have mine from 65-70. I have read if condensation is there it is a bit too high. I have had it in 80s but they would dry off. I have had to wipe some chicks down also. It's like a wet sticky substance left on them. My recommendation is to wipe em off w warm paper towel Let us know k good luck

 

[crnalaurie]

I wiped them off with warm wet water. You are right in that they had dried but had a sticky residue. They are now cute and fluffy. There are nine out of 21 hatched. One did not get out and died and I still have eleven with no pip. I candled them and don't see any movement inside so who knows. I will give them a day or two more just in case. If I have a decent number of hens nine plus the five I hatched a few weeks ago will be enough to add to the 14 hens and a rooster I already have. Thanks for the input. I really appreciate it.

 

[crnalaurie]

Oh sorry forgot to say that they are Australorps. They are definitely my favorite of the breeds I have tried

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Good luck on the roo to hen ratio too...lol My last hatch I had 7 out of 12 be roos....lol