In the middle of hatch - do you remove fluffed out chicks?

[Merci BeauCoop]

I have 17 eggs in the incubator. Today is day 21 if you count the setting day as day 1. Last night one egg started to hatch at about 6:30 pm. This morning is was only about 1/4 of the way through. A 2nd egg started to hatch and got about 1/2 the way through in about 3 hours. Then 2 more hatched completely in 3 1/3 hours. The first two are the same breed and do not seem to be doing anything. It has been about 20 hours since the first one started to hatch. The humidity is 72%. Should I assist and if so - how. Also, should I remove the chicks as they fluff out? They are clumsily walking about and moving the rest of the eggs quite a bit. Help please?

 

[Pyxis]

So some of them started to zip and then stalled out and have been that way for over 20 hours? Yes, those need help.

I open the incubator and take out chicks as they hatch, I just make sure the humidity goes back up quickly afterwards.

 

[Merci BeauCoop]

So some of them started to zip and then stalled out and have been that way for over 20 hours? Yes, those need help.

I open the incubator and take out chicks as they hatch, I just make sure the humidity goes back up quickly afterwards.

Thank you!

 

[Fairview01]

Hatch vertically in egg cartons and the early ones wont be able to play kick ball with the ones that haven't made it out of their shell.

 

[Merci BeauCoop]

Hatch vertically in egg cartons and the early ones wont be able to play kick ball with the ones that haven't made it out of their shell.

LOL! Can you really do that?

 

[Fairview01]

LOL! Can you really do that?

Once eggs are placed in an incubator they are in an artificial environment and what happens in the natural environment doesn't necessarily apply in the incubator.

I incubate in vertical turners. Throughout the entire 19 days the embryo is oriented correctly to internally pip. Why lay them down and force them to reorient to successfully hatch. The early hatches play kickball with ones internally pipped. Having them turned the wrong way at this time is sure death.

Here's a pic.

 

[Merci BeauCoop]

View attachment 1712138
Once eggs are placed in an incubator they are in an artificial environment and what happens in the natural environment doesn't necessarily apply in the incubator.

I incubate in vertical turners. Throughout the entire 19 days the embryo is oriented correctly to internally pip. Why lay them down and force them to reorient to successfully hatch. The early hatches play kickball with ones internally pipped. Having them turned the wrong way at this time is sure death.

Here's a pic.

Wow - thanks! Do you think mine are toast then? They got moved around quite a bit. Is there anything that I can do?

 

[Pyxis]

Wow - thanks! Do you think mine are toast then? They got moved around quite a bit. Is there anything that I can do?

They're probably fine. Laying them down for hatch does not kill them after they have been incubated upright. That is how I always do it and have done it for years, with no ill effects.

Were you able to remove the ones that already hatched and help the two that got stuck zipping?

 

[Fishkeeper]

If they've made no progress for 20 hours, they need help. If they've made progress, they probably don't. It can take them a long time to go from pipping to out.

Fluffy chicks should be removed as soon as possible so they don't cause too much trouble for the others, and so you can check them over for any deformities.

 

[Fairview01]

Wow - thanks! Do you think mine are toast then? They got moved around quite a bit. Is there anything that I can do?

After nearly a day the prospects are probably slim to none so there will be little to lose with an intervention. I would suggest remove any unhatched eggs one at a time, hold them up to your ear and tap it. If the chick has internally pipped and alive typically you will hear a couple of chirps.

Now this is what I do. I'm not saying you should do this. I figure by late on the 22nd day those that haven't hatched aren't going to do so. I will take a paring knife and CAREFULLY chip and remove the egg shell away where the air cell is located being sure not to puncture the inner membrane. I just want to see what's going on. If the inner membrane has active blood circulation I return it to the incubator. Puncturing or removing the inner membrane when there is active circulation will cause the chick to hemmorage to death. If on the other hand there is no circulation I will carefully remove a large portion of the inner membrane and shell exposing the chick but not removing it from the shell. Most all the chicks I've removed from the egg had splay leg. Those that push themselves put rarely have it.

If the membrane appears dry I will lightly mist it before I return it to the incubator and then mist the incubator to increase humidity.

Also do a post mortem on all eggs that failed to hatch. It will teach you a lot.