First hatch

[jbuzbee]

I had a 33% hatch rate
I think my humidity might have been a little too low
48-50% day 1-14 temp 99.5-100.1
Then 62-65% day 14-21 temp 99.8-100.2
I had a few stuck in their shells
Should I have helped them out? I was scared to help them out and loose heat and humidity in the bator

 

[kingmt]

Sounds like it. You can soak a washcloth in hot water & put it in the corner to help get the humidity up. You can also add jars of got water to keep from losing your heat if you have to open.

 

[GitaBooks]

The humidity could have been too low, but sometimes its hard to be sure because incubating eggs can be complicated. Sometimes the eggs are too small or of the wrong shape, or the chicks were just too weak to hatch. I've unfortunately had a lot of chicks, in incubators and under their mothers, that couldn't make it out on their own.

As for helping chicks out of shells, we learned the hard way why this generally doesn't work. Chicks we've helped out of the shell have been eaten by their mother, died from being too weak or under-aged, or developed spraddle leg.

Still, when you hear them peeping but see no progress you can't help but give them a little assistance, and sometimes it does work! We use a needle to very, very carefully break away the shell around the beak area (where the chick would naturally break out). If the chicks haven't broken through the egg then carefully pick away the shell around where you guess their beak is (listen for the sound of tapping or cheeping), but try not to tear the membrane, as this can cause bleeding.
Wait about 10 minutes or so and test the membrane. If they bleed when this is poked (careful not to poke the chick) then you should wait a little while longer, to let them absorb the blood. Then you can help break a ring around the shell, as the chick would do if it were naturally hatching.
Let them do some of the work if possible, as it strengths them. Don't rush the process, but don't wait too long, as we have waited to long on multiple occasions and lost chicks because of it. Eventually they must not be able to get enough air or something and die, so make sure they can breath.
Chicks that can't hatch on their own shouldn't be bred, as they can pass this on to their own chicks, but they can make wonderful layers, pets, and even show birds.

Best of luck with your chicks!

 

[CaptainPooka]

I leave my temp at 99.5 the whole time. Day 1-14 I stay between 50-60%. After that I stay 60-70%. I'm not to picky what the humidity is, as long as it's within those 10 percentiles. Every way I've adjusted temp and humidity my chicks always hatch early, most hatching day 16. I've adjusted temp too high, too low, same with humidity (As people have suggested) and the hatches always came out the same. So I just stick with what I said in my first few sentences.

Last week I had to help two chicks out of their eggs. I noticed two of them pipped. A day later one still didn't make it out so I helped him. He's fine and growing fast. I waited another day for the second and I helped him out. His feet were curled in and he was stuck hunched over for a while, but eventually corrected himself. He's a runt now at about 4 days old. I think he was in his shell too long and couldn't get out. If I would have helped him after seeing he couldn't get out for a day maybe he would have been ok, but who knows. The one I helped the first day seemed like he had his head in the wrong side of the shell... that's why I helped in the first place.

 

[mchbett]

I kept mine at 100 with humidity between 50-60 and I keep a spray bottle of water in the bator and spray then a little if they seem to be getting stuck

 

[jbuzbee]

Just did another set of 24 and I've got 17 that hatched so far I'm on day 19

 

[GitaBooks]

Just did another set of 24 and I've got 17 that hatched so far I'm on day 19

My eggs just shipped! I'm so excited! I can't wait to get my Orloffs.