So this is my first time incubating eggs and things went pretty well until lock-down when the thermostat got bumped while I was taking the turner out and the temp. was in the 90's for 8 or 9 hours. So the hatch was delayed and nothing happened until day 23 when 1 egg pipped. It waited about 13 hours after pipping to start zipping but I was good and resisted temptation to step in. Around 11:00 last night it started making good progress zipping and I went to bed around midnight thinking I would have a chick in the a.m. I got up this morning to the chick being at a standstill at the same point I left it last night, with weaker chirping and MUCH less movement so I stepped in. The membrane had dried out all around the edges and the chick was very strong but completely stuck. The chick also seemed pretty large, absolutely zero wiggle room in the egg but I don't know if that's normal or not? I did my best to keep the humidity up in the incubator and added a wet paper towel when I took the chick out and put the wet washcloth in with him when I put him back in. So there was only a temporary drop in humidity to maybe 67-68% and now it's up around 80%. Two more eggs (possibly a 3rd) have pipped this morning and I am about to have to go class and I'm freaking out!
So my questions are these: Should I do anything special for the little guy I had to assist? He seems really strong, he was struggling to get out of the shell the whole time I was wetting the membrane for him, and he's already gotten up on his feet a few times. Should I expect the other chicks to have the same hatching problems or did the membrane dry out just because this little guy took so long (it was a full 24 hours before I stepped in and about 7 of that he spent half-way zipped)? Finally, is humidity at 80% good for hatching chicks? I've searched and searched on the internet and seen values ranging from 60-100% for required humidity.
Any help would be SO appreciated! I'm thrilled to have one baby chick but so worried that it is going to die and that the same thing will happen to all of them!
So my questions are these: Should I do anything special for the little guy I had to assist? He seems really strong, he was struggling to get out of the shell the whole time I was wetting the membrane for him, and he's already gotten up on his feet a few times. Should I expect the other chicks to have the same hatching problems or did the membrane dry out just because this little guy took so long (it was a full 24 hours before I stepped in and about 7 of that he spent half-way zipped)? Finally, is humidity at 80% good for hatching chicks? I've searched and searched on the internet and seen values ranging from 60-100% for required humidity.
Any help would be SO appreciated! I'm thrilled to have one baby chick but so worried that it is going to die and that the same thing will happen to all of them!
It worked too!! Both of the eggs that I had to wet the membranes for have finished hatching on their own and seem ok, maybe a little weaker than chick #1 but not bad.
