Hi. Hatching chicks in school. Only 50% have hatched...what next?

[KittyUK]

Hello! I'm a nursery (pre-k) teacher in the uk hatching eggs as part of school project. 5 are doing well. Fluffy and strong. One chick (eggbert) pipped, got pecked on the beak by one of the others (a little red but not bleeding) and got stuck. Membrane started going brown so i assisted and it is fluffing up apart from a bit on it's back. Navel looks good. The other 6 haven't pipped. I took out the 5 fluffy chicks who are now under a brooder and left the chick that was stuck in the incubator. (I was worried the others would hurt him before he rested and fluffed up a bit.). My question is, how long should I leave the unpipped eggs? We are on day 22 from setting. One egg appears to be oozing a waxy like substance. 5 of them appeared viable on candling when I took a smelly opaque one out at about day 16 but one had what appeared to be a double air space (next to each other) but I left it in just in case. I
'm slightly worried one might explode on Eggbert.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Make sure you keep the humidity up now. Did the oozer pip? If not I'd pull it out. The temp may have been a bit low or the eggs stored too long - the most common reasons they're late to hatch.
It's good to keep the injured one apart till it heals. They'll hone in on a red spot like a heat seeking missile.
For the other eggs just be patient.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! Glad you joined us!

 

[KittyUK]

Thanks for the advice. None of the six eggs left have pipped. I have to admit I don't have a hygrometer but the incubator trays are full of water and the temperature is good. The humidity will have dropped when I took out the 5 fluffy chicks and helped Eggbert with hatching but I checked the water trays and it's been on lockdown since.

 

[liz9910]

Hi, you might want to check out this forum for more help: https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/5/incubating-hatching-eggs good luck.

 

[KittyUK]

Perhaps in rescuing the one I have caused the others to get shrink wrapped? Or maybe they were already in trouble before the others pipped and that's why they didn't pip? I will try to be patient! Should I crack em open and take pics if they don't pip after day 25? It is all fascinating.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You could try putting sponges in the water trays. Surface area is what brings up humidity, not volume.
If you have to open it you could try spritzing the inside with a spray water bottle.
When you give up and open eggs you can use this guide
http://www.natureform.com/kb/index.php?article=1011&o=save
Most of the eggs that fail early deteriorate to the point that you'll never know if you wait till term to open them.

 

[KittyUK]

That guide is very detailed, thanks!

 

[drumstick diva]

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Hello, and welcome to BYC!!

Glad to have you aboard!!