Help With First "Bloody" Hatch

[ctmeans]

We are hatching for the first time using a still-air incubator. We seeemed to have pretty good control of temperature and humidity through day 18 and then raised humidity to day 21. My wife on the morning of day 21 heard chirping and saw one egg with a pipped hole. The kids got excited and wanted to see too, but one of our boys (being boys) turned the temperature dial all the way up when we weren't looking. 10-15 minutes later I come back and it's 109!!! We quickly as we could got the temp down, but had to open while spraying hot water mist and within 5 minutes the temp was back to 100 and humidity as well. It took until the next day, but that chick and another hatched. One chick (the first to pip, but the last to get out) is up and chirping. The other chick that was actually the first to hatch doesn't look right. At first we thought he just had some minor blood and some yolk hanging on him. We can't see his belly, but it looks like entrials are hanging out. He is not still bleeding, but for the most part is laying down and only moving every once in a while. He is breathing ok it seems. Two big questions:

1. If these are really entrials, he probably won't make it past a day or so. At what point to we take him out? Will he gets the others sick? We don't want to open the bator until we know no other chicks are piping. My wife thought she saw other cracks on eggs, but the bloody chick has rubbed against other eggs, staining them. We took pictures, but was unsure how to load/display them.

2. How long should we wait on the others to hatch. I have heard leave alone for up to 3 days. Does this include any chicks that die after hatching or if there were to be a bad egg?

If we really only have 1 survive this will be a hard lesson for our kids who have waited so long for these last few days.

Sorry about the picture quality, but the plastic viewer is a bit fogged and camera just wanted to focus on the plastic. Hope the picture helps.

 

[debilorrah]

A. Go to the FAQ's - there are great instructions for loading pics - and we really need to see pics before anyone can tell you anything concrete.

1. The other eggs will not be contaminated if it is prolapse. It is just a birth defect, not a bacterial issue so you are ok there.

2. I always, always, always wait 3-4 days after day 21 simply because sometimes chicks are late, just like babies. If you KNOW there is a bad egg, and there are no other pips, you can remove it. However, if it isn't foaming or leaking, I would leave it alone until the rest are done.

B.

This is a great place!!!