Humdity too high and took an external pip egg out by accident

[Hannahk92]

Hi all.

I was candling the eggs to check for internal pip. And one I took out I realised had externally pipped. It was out for around 30 seconds.

I've put a temperature thing in which measures temp and humidity. The humidity is showing 95% and I have no idea how to bring it down.

I have attached a picture of the egg that pipped.

And one of the temp/humidity thing I am using.

The eggs are white crested black polish chickens and they are from my own chickens.

This is the first time I am doing this.

I am so worried I've damaged the chick by taking it out and now also worried about the humidity.

 

[Hannahk92]

I stuck some cotton pads in and got the humidity down to 85%. Still too high I think.

 

[Pacing]

I'm in a similar boat (my humidity isn't that high but external pip not seen when I kept cracking the lid to bring humidity down) so I'm going to keep a watch on your post. Also sending huge good vibes to you as I also am a first timer. Unintentional first timer too. Hold tight, parent-to-be!

 

[Hannahk92]

I'm in a similar boat (my humidity isn't that high but external pip not seen when I kept cracking the lid to bring humidity down) so I'm going to keep a watch on your post. Also sending huge good vibes to you as I also am a first timer. Unintentional first timer too. Hold tight, parent-to-be!

I started with 11 eggs. One wasn't fertile. 1 died early on. The first hatch died. Little fella was almost out and unfortunately my cat knocked the incubator as she saw the chick and the humidity reader fell and unfortunately hit the check. Another one died inside the egg. Hadn't absorbed the yolk or internally pipped. I have 6 hatched chicks that are almost 3 days old now. And 1 due to hatch later today or tomorrow, this one has internally pipped. I don't think humidity had caused any issues at all. My biggest advice is just to leave them be and let them come out themselves. It's an amazing stressful process all at the same time. They are the most adorable little things too and also funny.

 

[Pacing]

OH MY GOSH!!! Beautiful! Thank you for your words. I don't feel so alone now. Truly. I'm 55 years old and never ever anticipated the level of stress involved in something like this. I can barely function today. Leaving my stocks alone (trader) because I can't focus for diddle. Thinking I've logged 8 miles today going from laptop to incubator; it's only 30 feet away lol.

 

[Hannahk92]

OH MY GOSH!!! Beautiful! Thank you for your words. I don't feel so alone now. Truly. I'm 55 years old and never ever anticipated the level of stress involved in something like this. I can barely function today. Leaving my stocks alone (trader) because I can't focus for diddle. Thinking I've logged 8 miles today going from laptop to incubator; it's only 30 feet away lol.

During the incubating process I wasn't stressed at all. But when they went into lockdown boy did I stress. I was up and down like a yo-yo on day 21 fretting wondering why they hadn't pipped yet. Then when the first hatch passed I was quite deflated. Quite a few pipped later on. It was about 1am and my husband asked me if I was playing a video of chicks. I said no. So I went downstairs and saw one had hatched. It was the best thing ever. I must have then spent an hour downstairs just watching it. Making sure it was okay. I went to bed. I woke up and came down and then there were 3 little chicks. I then they all started hatching. They must cheer it other on. And they all hatch at different paces. Some much longer than others.

I have a rooster and a hen running freely in my garden. White crested black polish. We wanted more chickens for the garden and decided we would hatch her chicks. And also wanted to teach our daughter about the process as well and how chickens come into the world. Pretty amazing.

I was surprised when some came out with yellow colouring. I just assumed they would all come out grey/black as my 2 chickens don't have any white colouring on them other than a bit on their crest.

My biggest advice to you is just sit back and keep yourself distracted and just let the process happen naturally. It makes a world of difference.

 

[Pacing]

Awww, bless. Thank you. As I mentioned earlier it means the world to me to know I'm not alone in spirit right now. Yes, one of two that have external pips is now working on zipping. Not much from the other 5 and the other one I see an external pip on is silent and still right now. Think this is where I get the pacing from lol. Quick question... I have a damp paper towel in the bottom folded up for added moisture. I surely don't want to open now but do you think it will be a problem? I didn't read about making the bottom of the incubator slip proof until they were already locked down... Thoughts? And then, my understanding is they can be left to their own devices for 24 hours after hatching? Did you have any issues when you removed the first hatched baby and waiting on the rest?

 

[Hannahk92]

I did open the incubator during lockdown and with external pips. However it was quick. It wasn't enough to make the humidity drop much. You should be fine. I waited a few hours for the 3 already hatched chicks to dry off a bit and just moved them to the brooder to finish off drying. They dried off pretty quickly. And again with the others. I didn't move them straight away and didn't wait 24 hours. If you're unsure then wait 24 hours. They will be fine as they get the nutrients from absorbing the yolk.

Don't feel deflated that some haven't externally pipped. Some are just slower than others. I had one externally pip that morning and then nothing until the next day.

What day are they on currently?


Even if the externally pip it can still take a day from there lol

Some will zoom through it and some will take their sweet time.

 

[Pacing]

Welp... There were 10 eggs to begin with left in the nest when Mama was killed one night so my neighbor could only give me a 7 day window of possibility as she had mulched on a Sunday and didn't see any nest whatsoever at that time. She went out of town Memorial day weekend and on Tuesday when she returned noticed the nest and eggs. Next morning Mom was killed. Meaning they could have been laid anytime prior to the 31st of May over a 7-day window. So somewhere between Tuesday the 31st of May and today, the 21st of June. Once you moved the first one over to the brooder box (I purchased a chickling warmer plate, pine bedding and a water dispenser along with baby duckling food and grit) what happened? On a video I watched a gentleman just dipped the baby's beak in the water then food then put him down in the bedding. Looked pretty simplistic to me.... love to hear your experience but don't want to hijack your day. Btw, my name is Christine and I live in northeast Ohio.

 

[Hannahk92]

My name is Hannah and I am from Lancashire in the UK.

When I moved the chicks to the brooder. I sprinkled some chick crumbs and showed them where the food was. I did dip their beaks in water so they knew where it was and honestly it worked like a treat.

I did originally have wood shavings in the brooder but had read they could mistake it for food. So I am using puppy training pads at the moment. As it's non slip and they can't mistake it for food.

I've attached a picture of my brooder set up. I have used a ceramic reptile bulb as I was worried about the bulb exploding or catching fire.

The actual cage is an indoor rabbit hutch. The light grey part on the left can be removed to make more room as they get older. The tray is deep enough that they can't reach the cage part. By the time they can reach, it won't be an issue. As you can see I did originally have wood shavings and will use them again in a couple of weeks.