Drying new born chicks in a cooler incubator

[sumi]

A bold red circle? If you see any veins, stop what you're doing and put the egg back in the incubator. It's very easy to damage those vessels and the chick can bleed out and die if you hit the wrong one. During the hatching process there is a lot of active blood vessels in the membrane covering the chick, along with the yolk sac that the chick needs to absorb before it can complete the hatch. These vessels supplied the chick with oxygen until now and the yolk is it's "food" for the next 3 days. This absorption process usually takes a few hours, some take up to 20+ hours, so please don't help unless it's been 24 hours or the chick shows signs of being in trouble.

 

[DebbieParker]

Blood I mean, not bold

 

[DebbieParker]

I won't help any more for sure, I wanted them to be able,to get more oxygen, but now I'm trying to jack up the heat and prop something an all in the lid,to hold it open a little. That way,they are sure to get enough air. I hope I didn't hurt my babies. I feel bad.

 

[sumi]

If you hold the lid open, even a bit, you are going to battle to keep the humidity high enough and high humidity is important now. Aim to keep it at 65%+, so they don't dry out in there. It sounds like they are getting enough fresh air in there through some hidden hole somewhere Now sit on your hands and wait! Hopefully you'll get to see one hatch. That is something I'll never grow tired of seeing.

 

[DebbieParker]

Thanks sumi, I feel better getting advice since this is the first time I've hatched chicks! They are adorable!

 

[DebbieParker]

I've had five hatch, waiting on the last two! How long do I wait on the late bloomers before intervention?

 

[sumi]

Congrats! I wait 20-24 hours after they pipped before checking to see if they need help and are ready to come out.

 

[DebbieParker]

I just had one pip, and waiting on the last one! So exciting!

 

[DebbieParker]

Ok, so I had six chicks hatch and are healthy, but the seventh chick didn't even pip. I was scared that it would die so I made a pip hole and heard it peep. I left it alone for an hour or two and it still didn't start zipping and I didn't hear peeps. I didn't know what to do, so I slowly peeled the shell, trying to leave the membrane in tact. The membrane was white so I wet it. The chick moved a little. I left it for a while longer and then pushed the membrane around the chicks face to free the face. It moved a little and panted. I left it for a while,longer with still no movement. There were blood circles and big veins with blood in them so I left all that us disturbed. The chick is so lethargic I'm afraid that it's dying. Do you have any advice? I feel so bad that I may loose this precious baby due to my lack of experience.

 

[sumi]

Sorry, I only had time now to check in and catch up on the forum. Is the little one still alive?