Drowning Chickens

[mistifier99]

Hello There,

I unfortunately had a chicken last night hatch, and fall into the water of the incubator (it is a little bit of a hard incubator to block the water access from the chickens) as I was sick last night, and couldn't check it throughout the hours of the night. Anyway, I was just wondering if it would be possible to wet a paper towel, or a towel, in the bottom rather than having water. So if the chickens do fall down, they won't drown. I figure it will be ok because there will still be humidity, though I figure I will just ask the experts what they think.

I have had a fairly good success rate (I have got 5 live chickens

out of 27) and there is still more hatching.

One egg cracked, and went rotten (I don't think it was fertilised) and the one chicken drown last night

so now I have 20 eggs left to hatch.

Thankyou all,

mistifier99

 

[Aphrael]

Pieces of sponge, or thick towel would probably work the best. Paper towels tend to dry out pretty quickly in the incubator in my experience. But, the answer is yes. You could put something in there to keep it from being just open water, so long as you keep it wet enough to maintain your proper humidity.

ETA: I'm so sorry about the loss of your new chick. I hope the rest do well for you.

 

[Candice W]

I put sponges in mine and I also put a small glass canning jar in there with a cloth in it and part of the cloth hanging out. That way you can fill the jar up and it lasts longer as far as having to keep adding water so often. The jar is too tall for the chicks to get into the water, but depends on your incubator if it will fit or not. But the sponges work well too. So sorry about your baby chick!!! I hope your hatch goes well!!!

 

[PD-Riverman]

Hello There,

I unfortunately had a chicken last night hatch, and fall into the water of the incubator (it is a little bit of a hard incubator to block the water access from the chickens) as I was sick last night, and couldn't check it throughout the hours of the night. Anyway, I was just wondering if it would be possible to wet a paper towel, or a towel, in the bottom rather than having water. So if the chickens do fall down, they won't drown. I figure it will be ok because there will still be humidity, though I figure I will just ask the experts what they think.

I have had a fairly good success rate (I have got 5 live chickens

out of 27) and there is still more hatching.

One egg cracked, and went rotten (I don't think it was fertilised) and the one chicken drown last night

so now I have 20 eggs left to hatch.

Thankyou all,

mistifier99

Mistifier, what kind of water set-up have you got that you can not form a wire cover over to protect the chicks?

 

[mistifier99]

It is a borrowed incubator and the brand is covatutto 24..