Extract the Troublemakers???

[BerrytangleFarm]

Five Serama chicks of 29 eggs hatched. 14 or 15 more eggs pipped.

The humidity spiked with all the hatches and is around 75%.

Can I safely get the troublemakers out of there or is that too dangerous??

 

[sourland]

Some will say yes, and some will say no. I think it's all about how quickly your incubator regains proper temp. and humidity levels.

 

[tandersphoenix]

I am usually one of the ones who would say No, don't help them hatch because they will be weak or cause future problems by breeding week genetics into your flock. And I believe that is true but if that is all you have you might have to help a few until you get your numbers up and then stop helping them to strengthen your line. Also too high of humidity at the hatch can cause them to drown before they can hatch but too little will cause them to stick to the egg and not hatch. So really you should do what you feel is the best decision for your situation!!

 

[dsqard]

I agree with sourland, if your incubator can recover very quickly you could chance it. You might want to run the shower in your bathroom until it is nice and steamy before opening the bator and then open the bator in there to get the five hatched ones out. You have to be so careful once you have those other pips.
ETA - BTW sounds like you are having a great hatch! Good luck with the rest of them!

 

[jvls1942]

Quote:
Travis? Jim....

 

[Diamond Wire Farms]

I remove chicks. I hacth in a Brinsea 20 and 24 eggs barely fit, but if you pass more than 15 into lockdown it turns into a zoo in there really quick.
If you are sure that the little hooligans are causing more harm than opening the lid:
Wait until there a few or no pips and then "hover" the lid. (Open like a clam shell. It helps to have two people.)
Add warm water to the reservoirs.
Grab the chicks and shell pieces.
Mist with more warm water.
Shut the lid.

That being said, if I had 14-15 pips there is NO WAY that I would risk opening the lid.

 

[tandersphoenix]

Hi Jim, Yes it's me. Finally made my way over here just today!

 

[BerrytangleFarm]

Thanks!

I did take the initial group out (they were getting caught all over the place with way too little space between the 29 eggs). Humidity has been fine -- too fine, really, I've been trying to keep it from going over 75%! All the hatchers are definitely playing havoc with the humidity! So much that I felt comfortable taking the second wave out also. I took the last plug out and have released a bit of humidity and it's still pushing 75%. I'm hoping the pippers aren't going to drown with their siblings creating such a sauna in there!

 

[Gypsy07]

If your humidity has been ideal throughout your incubation and your eggs have lost the correct amount of moisture, a humidity spike in lockdown is not going to cause them to drown. Honestly. This is not what causes chicks to drown. If none of your chicks so far has been overly soggy or mushy, the rest of them will not drown. I often run lockdowns at 85%+.

 

[BerrytangleFarm]

Quote:
Thank you, that's good to know! The humidity in the first 18 days was 25-40%, mostly in the 30's. I'm hopeful, given your comments and experiences, that the 75%+ now won't hurt the poor Silkies who have yet to zip.