Emergency: 2 day olds pecking just hatched. How long can I leave then in the bator?

[Crippledturkey]

I have a staggered hatch going on. The 2 day old chicks are pecking the just hatched ones. I have never seen this and have mixed week old hatchery chicks from the FS with day olds with no problems. Here in Missouri right now the humidity is so high even with a dry incubator the humidity is off the charts with hatching chicks, so with the first hatch 2 days ago I would put the semi wet chicks who hatched but were entergetic under the brooder light and they were fine. This hatch today I tried the same method and the dry ones are pecking the wet ones to point of bloodiness, ones winglet was half ate. (It is back in the bator entergetic and happy, just missing part of a wing.) My main question is how long I can leave them in the incubator without any harm? It is so humid in there they cannot dry, and what eggs are pipped are all that is left 3 eggs are duds. Can pipped eggs still drown?
Thank you for reading this and any ansers.

 

[Crippledturkey]

Anyone?

 

[Atomic Ranch]

No idea. I have seen two and three-days peck at newbs as well though. One of mine didn't make it; no obvious signs of trauma, unlike in your case, but I had seen them get at her. This is my first hatching experience, and it's just with a broody hen, so hopefully someone more knowledgeable than myself can chime in. Best of luck...

 

[CapricornFarm]

Usually if they are fed they don't pick on each other. Mash up a boiled egg and put it in there. If the chick is bloody, you need to separate it. Be sure they have water too. You can dry chicks with a hair dryer if they are not drying in the incubator. I take out all the chicks daily and put them in the brooder.

 

[Crippledturkey]

Usually if they are fed they don't pick on each other. Mash up a boiled egg and put it in there. If the chick is bloody, you need to separate it. Be sure they have water too. You can dry chicks with a hair dryer if they are not drying in the incubator. I take out all the chicks daily and put them in the brooder.

The first go round was eating chick starter within hours of their fluffiness, and there is plenty of water. I have two brooder rooms, it is too late at night for a hair dryer, the kid has to be at work at 4, and the OL well she is a good cook, and I would die of starvation. The pecked chick is seperated and thriving, I have named it "No Fly Zone." It is only missing the pointy part of the wing. I do have some boiled eggs in the fridge and will warm them in the microwave and mash them for the 2 day olds in the small brooder room, hopefully that meets their protein cravings.???? In the larger brooder room I have 2-4 and 6 week olds together and they never did this to each other. I have 2 week olds flocking with the 6ers, and four week olds mixing with the duecers. Chickens make no sense. Thanks hot.

 

[Crippledturkey]

I put in some dry paper towels to try to absorb the moisture in the incubator, and had 4 more hatch. No fly Zone is still bright eyed and jumped at me chirping wildly. Cupped him in my hands and he nestled down. Had to put him back which he did not like. Some have shown signs of drying but they have dried matted, I think they might be strong enough to get away from the 2 day olds. The pipped eggs are okay, and most are half zipped. I also removed the spent egg shells so the chicks in there could not get on one and burn themselves on the element. Is it okay to leave them all in the incubator until the morning? I have that cheapy Little Giant and the heating element is like inches from their heads and it concerns me.

 

[Crippledturkey]

Here are some pics.

this is the incubator windows pre papertowell

No Fly Zone is the yellow chick where you can see where his wing is the dark spot where he bled a little.


The paper towells worked here are the majority being transported to the brooder room. All whole eggs u see are pipped and alive.


I sat and watched for a little while, they did their few second, "we are dazed and confused in this new place," Thing and then they went for the water and food. Mabey it was just that their down was matted that sent the others off? But no fly zone has blood on him yet. He is a lively one. What to do with him? I learned some lessons tonight, and will be able to be more apt to respond to those who need to help in the future with these issues. Thank you to those who responded, and to those who will read this and mabey learn something for the future.

 

[kathyinmo]

I never leave chicks in the incubator for days. 24 hours is the max, and it is rare I would even do that. I get them out as soon as there are a few hatched. Otherwise the humidity climbs and the chicks don't dry and fluff like they should. I prefer they are mostly dry when I take them out, and usually they are.

Good luck with your chicks.

 

[Crippledturkey]

Thank you, I read a lot and have read a lot, but in then end nothing learns ya like expierience. I reintroduced No Fly Zone as a healthy and dry chick, one of the 2 day olds ran up and pecked at him and he got her back down right quick. Even with dried blood he is interacting normal now, as are the others to him. They scratch around, peck at the starter and dip their beak in the water, and then cuddle under the light. Living in a humid climate, I have learned some lessons not normally writen about, like adjusting for the ambient room humidity, and so on. I am from Central California by way of Minnesota residing in Missouri. This has been a good expierience for me, the moister your environment the less water ya add to the incubator. But still out of 40 eggs only 3 were duds, and I need to invest in a hygrometer so my mind does not freak out. I do hope No Fly Zone is a hen, but if he is a rooster he is exempt from the smoker rule, it is the coolest chick I have seen, he has survived a lot. I have hatched 4 clutches so far and this by far was the most stressful. Thanks again, sorry if i sounded like a pain, but you know how it is, we are aiding the creation of life, and when that goes wrong your heart sinks.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Sometimes you get a sticky chick and they need a bath to day out properly. I use antibacterial soap and warm water , then towel dry and put back in Bator to fluff. Food coloring can be used to disguise the red of blood, blue or green is ok just don't use red;-)