Had a chick hatch with a red bulb at his rear

[HR Patterson]

No; I don't know what kind it is. It was my gram's. I took some more water out, the temp. dropped to 94 degrees while I had it opened and trying to put wrap on the chick's bottom. He is far from pleased about it, I assure you. The humidity dropped to 60%. I'm hoping and praying it stays there and I didn't hurt the rest of the chicks.

 

[HR Patterson]

climbed back to 65% already and it's only 94 degrees yet. I'm afraid to open it again.

 

[HR Patterson]

It's back to 72% humidity but I notice another chick has pipped. I don't know whether to try to take out more water, though there doesn't seem to be a lot in there, and it's hard to do with all the eggs, the chick, and the screen to get to the water. Also, the temp. has only made it back up to 98 degrees. Should I wait till the temp recovers then try to take out more water?

 

[MandyH]

The temperature drop will not kill them. Mine gets really low when I'm candling 1200 eggs at a time so that's the least of your worries. When an egg is incubating and hatching it absorbs the humid air, thus causing a wet chick. The too humid air allows the egg to absorb more water than the chick needs and it hatches the way yours did. I am sure the chick doesn't like being saran wrapped but believe me it's better than his guts drying to the incubator and pulling his guts out when he gets up. I speak of which I know, believe me. That's one of those things that happens and you try NOT to let it happen again. I try to keep my humidity between 45-50% for all my chicks and have no problems. I also NEVER rely on just one hygrometer or thermometer. I have 3 of each in each incubator and hatcher. If you feel comfortable enough opening the incubator again, you can try to place the foil over the water pan as I suggested, if not you can see what else happens between now and then. That's one of those things that is up to you. I can tell you that I have hatched over 2000 chicks this Spring, and about 4000 last Spring, and by no means am I expert, but I have encountered just about anything that can go wrong and can only offer my advice.

 

[HR Patterson]

You keep it at 45-50% all the way through? I thought it was supposed to be higher after day 18. I've read and read and read, but I just feel frustrated and confused now. I've put saran wrap on that guy 3 times, and try and I might, I can't keep it on him, he keeps kicking it off. I'm afraid he won't make it.

 

[HR Patterson]

There's hardly any water left in the incubator at all now, but the cardboard cartons HR put the eggs in seem damp. The humidity has risen back to 69% already, but I guess there isn't much more I can do unless I take them out of the cartons.

It's almost 1:00 am, I guess I should go to bed and try to get some sleep. Hoping and praying all will be better tomorrow, the little guy that hatched will be doing better, and the others will still hatch, and be fine.

Thank you for your help; I really appreciate it. HR is on the road and I'm left to tend to the eggs. I'm a bit beside myself. We lost the last hatch-the one chick that hatched had the same problem this guy does, only it was longer, I think. He died 3 days later; the others never hatched; we couldn't get the humidity up. We moved the incubator to a different room this time, and now this. I guess the way you learn is through experience, I just feel badly that to get this experience, the chicks die. Makes me feel guilty, in a way, even though I'm trying my best. Trying to put it all in God's Hands and let His will be done.

 

[MandyH]

You can apply a dab of antibiotic ointment to the saran wrap to make it stay. I woudl definately look into another thermometer and or hygrometer before your next hatch.

 

[HR Patterson]

Thanks, Kristen. If, by some miracle, we get a hen out of this hatch, I'll tell HR we should name her after you!

 

[SangaChicken]

Totally unrelated (I hope your chicks make it! I did everything wrong on my first hatch and it turned out pretty good! So keep the faith!)..

But I wanted to say Hi to Kristen! You list your location as Elvis' birthplace. I'm from Memphis, and though 90% of people would attribute Elvis to us.. I'm guessing you're in Tupelo?

Nice to meet a relatively local!

 

[MandyH]

Yeah that's where I am LOL, most everybody sees Elvis'' birthplace and assumes I AM in Memphis. We come up your way quite often for one thing or another.