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

[Merci BeauCoop]

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?

I removed both chicks that hatched and helped one of the others that got stuck. I removed most of the outer shell in a small ring to complete what she had already removed. I did not remove any membrane but it looks like she is doing pretty well with that herself and I didn't want to over help. The other chick that got stuck appears to be working on it herself as well. I think it is just going to be a slow hatch. These are Ameraucana - do they typically take longer to hatch thank the Orpingtons and Dominique Heritage (the two that already hatched)? None of the Marans have even started yet.

 

[Fairview01]

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?

That is not what I said. Not even remotely!!! What I stated is that a chick which had internally pipped and is turned over will die. A chick will reorient themselves during the last week to internally pip the aircell at the top of the egg. If a chick internally pipps on the bottom side or the internally pipped egg is turned so it is now facing downward any remaining liquid will collect in the air cell and drown the chick. Horizontal hatching works, vertical incubation coupled with vertical hatching consistently gives higher hatch rates since every pipp in the aircell no matter where is always on the high and dry side.

 

[Pyxis]

That is not what I said. Not even remotely!!! What I stated is that a chick which had internally pipped and is turned over will die. A chick will reorient themselves during the last week to internally pip the aircell at the top of the egg. If a chick internally pipps on the bottom side or the internally pipped egg is turned so it is now facing downward any remaining liquid will collect in the air cell and drown the chick. Horizontal hatching works, vertical incubation coupled with vertical hatching consistently gives higher hatch rates since every pipp in the aircell no matter where is always on the high and dry side.

Oh, I wasn't saying that's what you said, sorry if you thought I was. I think that's what the OP thought you meant though, so I was allaying their fears that laying them on their sides would have killed them.

I personally prefer to hatch laying down, and some of the species I hatch absolutely do better that way (and in fact do best being incubated that way too) but there's nothing wrong with hatching upright either

A chick pipping at the wrong end or towards the bottom of the egg isn't a death sentence for sure either, thank goodness. I've had some pip the 'bottom' of the egg away from the air cell and hatch fine. In fact it happened in my first ever hatch with ducklings, when I didn't know to orient the air cell a certain way when laying them down, and they all made it

To combat the possibility of the chick pipping on the right side of the egg but towards the bottom, I always make sure the draw down side of the air cell is on the top of the egg when laying them down.

 

[Merci BeauCoop]

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.

Thank you for the advice. I appreciate you taking the time to explain this to me. I will use this as a last resort. Today is actually Day 20 if you count the day I set the eggs as Day 0. ( I am not sure if that is the correct way to count or not.) So if that is true, then it is still early - right?

 

[Fairview01]

I removed both chicks that hatched and helped one of the others that got stuck. I removed most of the outer shell in a small ring to complete what she had already removed. I did not remove any membrane but it looks like she is doing pretty well with that herself and I didn't want to over help. The other chick that got stuck appears to be working on it herself as well. I think it is just going to be a slow hatch. These are Ameraucana - do they typically take longer to hatch thank the Orpingtons and Dominique Heritage (the two that already hatched)? None of the Marans have even started yet.

They can take a nap for nearly a day after externally popping or partially zipping the shell. It's a fine line to walk between helping prematurely and helping to late. In either case the result is a dead chick.

Get and keep the humidity high. If the condensation on my viewing windows doesn't obscure what I can see it's not high enough for me.

Chicks can remain in the incubator can stay there for a day or more since they have not yet absorbed the entire yolks sac. If you have concerns spread some mash on q paper towel and mist it heavily with water. They will pack around and eat it.

 

[Pyxis]

Thank you for the advice. I appreciate you taking the time to explain this to me. I will use this as a last resort. Today is actually Day 20 if you count the day I set the eggs as Day 0. ( I am not sure if that is the correct way to count or not.) So if that is true, then it is still early - right?

Yep, if it's day 20 that's a bit early, and could explain why you haven't seen action in some of the eggs yet. What date did you set them?

 

[Merci BeauCoop]

Yep, if it's day 20 that's a bit early, and could explain why you haven't seen action in some of the eggs yet. What date did you set them?

March 3 (Sunday)

 

[Pyxis]

March 3 (Sunday)

Yep, so tomorrow is actually day 21. The ones you have so far are early birds

 

[Merci BeauCoop]

Yep, so tomorrow is actually day 21. The ones you have so far are early birds

Maybe they sensed how anxious I was to meet them.

 

[Fairview01]

March 3 (Sunday)

March 24th is hatch day. Add 21 to the date set and that is hatch day. If some eggs consistently hatch earlier from the same location in the incubator you have a warm spot slightly over 99.5 which accelerated the schedule by one day.

If that's the case and using a foam incubator you can add these to even the temps out. I use these 12v computer mini cooling fans in q cheap still air incubator to have even temps. I even disassembled the heater element box and zipped tied a fan in there.