Hatch day fears

[Jotaylor]

It likes the thermometer and the other eggs. I sure hope they hatch too! The humidity keeps getting high, any suggestions on how to keep it lower? Less water? more holes in the bator (styrofoam cooler)? The temp is good and steady!

 

[gimmie birdies]

mine are homemade bators.

 

[Sparkypatriot15]

if you only have one give it a mirror to keep it company, and maybe a stuffed toy.

I agree- whenever I have a lone chick I give it a little mirror and a stuffed animal to snuggle with. Haha those two chicks look a lot like 3 of mine right now- what breed are they? I wasn't supposed to have and gold chicks they were all supposed to be black and white but I do so I am a little puzzled

 

[Sparkypatriot15]

It likes the thermometer and the other eggs.  I sure hope they hatch too!  The humidity keeps getting high, any suggestions on how to keep it lower?  Less water? more holes in the bator (styrofoam cooler)?  The temp is good and steady!

I hope your others hatch too! How high is the humidity?

 

[Jotaylor]

mine are homemade bators.

so far mine are just styrofoam coolers with the lid cut out and plastic wrap in place, a lamp, water thermometer and the eggs. What else do you suggest with homemade bators?

 

[Sparkypatriot15]

so far mine are just styrofoam coolers with the lid cut out and plastic wrap in place, a lamp, water thermometer and the eggs.  What else do you suggest with homemade bators?

I have a homemade bator- it is a styrafoam cooler that I bought at Kroger with the glass of a picture frame on the top replacing some of the styrafoam and held on with duct tape as a window. I have a series of holes along the sides of the lid near the glass also covered up with duct tape so that I can remove or put on the duct tape depending on the temp to stableize it. I also have some holes running near the bottom of the bator for some air flow and a couple in the middle. I am able to open or close all the holes to stableize the temp this way. Also, I have aluminum foil on the bottom to reflect some of the heat back to the eggs to warm both sides of the eggs (the eggs are on a rack near the middle/ top of the bator) and I have pennies scattered on top of the aluminum foil and the egg racks. The eggs are then placed in egg cartons with the bottoms cut out so they hold the eggs in place but allow air to the bottom of the egg. Then I put the cartons on the egg racks and the thermometers in between the cartons. The heat source can either be a heat lamp over the glass of the bator or a bulb inside the bator- it works fine either way. I know that I was a long description but hopefully it has some ideas!

 

[gimmie birdies]

I will post my pics tomorrow. I have a 8-9'' box on my current bator, 15w bulb with heat deflector, inside a metal bowl, eggs in homemade metal basket suspended for the eggs. window and thermometer and that is it.just hatching 6 chicks.
these guys are EE/RIR mix, but alot of chicks can look like these guys.

 

[Jotaylor]

Good morning! Its 6:30 and my sleepy eyes see another pip! I hope it progresses and I can get this one on video

 

[Jotaylor]

The first baby seems to not be able to stand up, like its weak, legs are spread far and it flails around and flutters its wings. Is that normal or should I be worried?

 

[Sparkypatriot15]

The first baby seems to not be able to stand up, like its weak, legs are spread far and it flails around and flutters its wings.  Is that normal or should I be worried?

Do it's legs look splayed apart? What do its toes and feet look likes? It's normal for young chicks to not be able to walk well- they are still learning how to use their legs. But we need to make sure she doesn't have spraddle leg