Help! Wet Chicks after 30 Hours!

[wsdareme]

My Brinsea incubator must have super-high humidity -- my chicks are all still soaking wet after hatching yesterday. I saw all the posts about leaving them in the incubator to dry, but when I came home today, one chick is dying and the rest are not very vigorous. I hurried and opened the bator to take them all out to the brooder (which is at 95-100). WHEW, did the bator STINK! It was like rotten swamp water in there. I tried dipping everyone's beak in sugar water, but they didn't seem very interested. The dying chick was the last to hatch and looked like it had a pretty large head. It's abdomen is really enlarged this afternoon, so I wonder if there was more going on there and it was going to die anyway (although it seemed fine last night and this morning). Can anyone give me advice on what to do?? Should I take a hair dryer out and get them dry? Leave them alone under the brooder lamp (seems warm enough)? I have electrolytes in their water, but they aren't strong enough to eat or drink yet. I sure hate to think I might lose them all -- we were so stoked after getting a 100% hatch on our first try. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

 

[Mahonri]

Congrats on the hatch.

I usually remove hatched chicks after 24 hours.

The will fluff up.

 

[wsdareme]

How strong should they be by now? They can only walk a few steps before they fall down and sleep. It seems they ought to be able to get around better than that. They look more like they're dying than resting... Maybe I'm just paranoid now. It kinda hurts to have to remove a dead chick...

 

[Falcon61]

I'd take them out and put them under a light bulb with a dish of water small enough they can't drown in it.

 

[Falcon61]

They had to work hard to get out on there shells. They should perk up in a day after they get some water. the humidity is sapping them too.

 

[countrychix]

Try giving them fluids using an eye dropper. This is a much easier task if you have a helper. One person holds the chick while the other gently forces its beak open enough to get the tip of the dropper in. Only give a drop or two at a time allowing them time to swallow. Usually after a few swallows they will readily take the liquid.

Mine always have the pasted hair look for a day or two after hatching, so as Mahonri stated, they will fluff up.

 

[wsdareme]

Quote:
I have them in the brooder now and it looks like they're starting to dry out. But they sure seem weak. I have waterer in there that is the non-drown type and it has electrolytes, but do I need to add a shallow container with sugar water, too? I've only had shipped chicks before, and they arrived in quite vigorous condition at 2-3 days, so I don't know what 30 hour chicks are supposed to look like...

 

[pkw]

I had 3 chicks hatch on June 14th. They were pretty weak for a couple of days after they hatched. By Wednesday June 16 afternoon they were perking up and holding up their heads and walking around.

Your chicks may need a few more hours before they get their strength up but they will. Just give them time. Mine didn't drink or eat anything until on the 3rd of their life. Mine did much better after they got dried off. After all my chicks hatched I emptied the water out of the incubator and put them back in there until they got their strength up to be able to walk and I placed them in the brooder and dipped their beaks in water and in the feed.

 

[wsdareme]

Quote:
Mine are pretty much laying flat out, some with their eyes closed. They do perk up and move when stimulated, but mostly just look like they're on their last legs. Is that what yours did for the first couple of days? If so, I have hope!!!

 

[Hopingtohatchquails]

What happened to them? Mine is having the same problem. please help