HELP, please! Brinsea Mini Advance - Running low on water

[Pipsqueek]

Hi,
Last night was day 3, so I filled the reservoir. When we wake up it turns to the next day, which this morning was day 2. I noticed the reservoir had gone down by a 1/4" maybe a bit more, so I lifted the lid to top it off, then noticed three eggs had pipped!!! It's now 9:30 pm and one chick has already hatched, it was so great! I thought the rest may follow but the other pips still not much action. I am very worried I let precious humidity go out although I was very quick to just put the lid back on. I've noticed this incubator does suck the water down.

I am so excited about the one chick, but I'm frightfully worried about the others. On one egg I can see the beak through a triangular hole but it just doesn't do much to crack it's way out like the first one did. Are they "shrink-wrapping"? I can look through the window and see that the water level is below the divider now. I'm getting so scared it's going to run dry.

I've heard I can put in a very warm wash cloth. What else?? Am I over-reacting? (i hope so) I've never done this but watched lots of videos and read lots of things. I'm just so worried about humidity issues. I bought a cool-mist humidifier and I left it running all day beside the table the incubator is on. Just to help humidify the air nearby.

Can anyone help?? I know it's late, 9:30. Appreciate any advice.

Tomorrow is day 21. Should I leave the hatched chick in there all night?? It hatched today around 6pm. it's fluffy dry and peeping like crazy. Has pooped twice. It's raring to go, but I dare not lift that lid!

Thank you very much.

 

[Pipsqueek]

Chick #2 has arrived!

So happy to see!!! I notice that humidity on the walls build up after the hatch. Is this a good sign that humidity is fine?

Thank you.

 

[Pipsqueek]

Chick #3 is here! 2 more to go. One has a good pip, the other is a different breed but only has a slight pip, nothing open.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi

Congratulations

Everything sounds fine and chicks are hatching so you are doing a good job. I leave mine in the incubator for 24 hours after hatch and they are fine, I only open when hatch is complete or if the incubator is looking too full of chicks. The condensation on your incubator after a hatch is quite normal, when the chick hatches it creates more humidity as they are wet. As they dry off the humidity will go down again. Here is a pic of some mine that just hatched and the condensation in the incubator.

Good luck with your last 2 eggs
Hope you can post some pics

 

[Pipsqueek]

Hi, Thank you for the reassurance. I can't help it though, I'm still doing this:

#4 arrived this morning She doesn't seem to be as active as the others of her kind that hatched last night. But I think she will be ok. Still drying off. The other three are so fluffy and seem to be establishing their pecking order! We're having a little fun wondering if they're hens or roosters

The other is a different breed (RIR) and as she sat like a bump on a log all day yesterday, this morning, day 21, there is movement through the pip. I like the add'l moisture the latest hatch added.
I was nervous about the humidity and just wasn't sure if the water would last. It's def low now, but just one chick to go. The first three are so ready to come out of it.

I find there is hardly any room for them and I only hatched 5 with two more slots. Would be nice if there was some kind of small sliding door to remove the shells or even a chick w/o removing the lid.
I did read in many places that they do well in there for up to 48 hours, but I think as soon as the RIR hatches and dries off I will take them all out. A couple have pooped, and they're occasionally pecking at it

Here are some before and after pics. The 2nd taken just 20 minutes ago, waiting.......

 

[Pipsqueek]

#5 Is here! They all made it!! We are so happy! Our RIR, we were expecting brown feathers, but it is black as well. The rooster that fertilized all the eggs is a Black Copper Murans. Perhaps this chick is predominantly BCM vs the RIR hen. The others are Ameraucanas.
Ah whatever they all turn out to be, it is just miraculous as they say, and I don't think I can ever look at an egg the same way again! Esp when I see that little fertilized dot

Thankfully I didn't need any intervention which was my concern, but it was great to have a place to vent or get help if needed.

In all my life I've never been a part of incubating eggs, and gee whiz, I'm glad I bought this particular incubator. It really is plug & play!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

That's wonderful news @Pipsqueek

I'm so pleased they have all hatched for you

Now they have all hatched you could move your first three hatchers to the brooder and leave your last two to fluff a little more. Looking at your pic have you put anything on the base of the incubator for them to hatch on or is it just the plastic? If it's just plastic and slippery I would move them as soon as you can to the brooder. Slippy surface can cause leg troubles for them.

Brinsea is a great choice of incubator
I have the octagon 20 and it is super fab, set and forget with no worries!!

 

[Pipsqueek]

HI Yorkshire Coop,

I totally missed taking out the tray the night before. So we just went with it. Definitely will have to spend more time cleaning. Getting rather dusty with feather pieces etc. Some poop and shells.

I just took out all the big cracked shells and yes, the three fluffy ones are raring to go. I lowered the temp to 98 and let a little air in there, giving them a taste of the real world!

The brooder is ready and warm awaiting their activities. I am torn between starting w/medicated crumbles or not, but my gut has me starting w/regular non-GMO crumbles. I do have a bag of medicated. If I see any signs of poopy-butt, I'll switch to that. Not sure if it really will help down the road, but I did have instances of that w/my first flock to which ACV/Yogurt did remedy, but have had a few episodes as layers, so just wondering if maybe this medicated feed does start them off better? Hmmmm......do you have a preference?

Thanks! Yes, Brinsea models are pretty fantastic! I was basically making myself worry for nothing.

Here is our brooder box for now. Food bowl and water aren't in there in this pic, but they are filled and ready. I used this large oblong large bin. Gives me a little time to prepare for the next phase.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

All my chicks have medicated feed as crumb and then as a grower pellet. I buy in bulk and over here in the UK I can only get big bags of medicated so just use that. I don't have a lot of choice really, the medicated should give them some resistance to coccidiosis. The poopy but can be common you just need to keep an eye on them. Also sometimes if the brooder is too warm this can cause pasty butt. A lot depends on how the individual chick adapts to the crumb and how they get their digestive systems working.

Nice brooder
Do you have something to cover the top with? They will fly out in no time!! Some wire would do the trick so they still have plenty of air but can't escape!
I use a Guinea pig cage with the eco glow ~

 

[Pipsqueek]

Hi,
That is a great setup! Nope, I don't have a lid : \ I'm going to let them walk on this little rubber pad, and after they soil it (quickly I'm sure) I think I will opt for the pine shavings too.

The last flock we used a baby pool and a hanging lamp to warm them. I constantly worried the pine shavings might burn. They grew out of it very quickly. We had to set a window screen on top. In the mean time my husband built a little enclosure that they grew up. This was all done in early spring so they were in the garage, now we're keeping them indoors so this will be more challenging. But we will get through this!

I already have a bathroom in mind, not the one they're in now, it's too small, but my bathroom (of course!) I've read that you can put them outdoors later on, but I'm a bit afraid of that so they'll stay inside till early spring.

Thanks for your thoughts on medicated crumbles. When I change out this food I'm going to use the medicated for a while. I know it's all about preference, but I'd like to see if there is any difference in how hardy they are compared to the first flock.

The three fluffs are in the brooder now, and they are doing well. So cute. My daughter, she's 10, is such a mother hen herself. She takes very good care of the first flock, and she is just happy as a lark right now. She has come up with so many names, but will wait till we know which ones are roosters. I think two of them are, they have feathery legs? Is that a sign? We'll find out soon enough.

Have a great day!