Is this shrinkwrapping or is this normal.... please help ASAP! pics

[Sphinx]

What a miracle chicken!!! What are you going to name it?

I"m sorry you had such a traumatizing experience.

I am going to go against the majority of people who focus on humidity, humidity, humidity and trust a few people who have told me lower humidity is the way to go.

It's interesting to me that you feel like the majority of the people focus on that higher humidity. Maybe it's selective reading, but I thought that dry hatch was the in thing.


It's the way I've done my hatches, and I've had fairly good luck with it. Definitely no shrink wrapping.

 

[MA Mama]

I do see a lot about dry hatching on the forums, but I was going by books that I have and "how-to" articles online. What humidities do you use? I am still in the early stages of incubation - I'll try your way!

And my husband named the chick Jesus, but just to be respectful we'll call him "J". He is so sweet, too! It always seems like those are the ones who appreciate you!!! My rooster Broccoli has had reverence for me ever since I brought him through a bout of diarrhea!

 

[Sphinx]

You could call him Jesus with the hispanic pronounciation- "hey-zeus" (I know that's a bad way to write it phonetically, but there ya go).


I use a brinsea mini advance, and follow the directions on that. So there's two wells in the middle. I fill up one, and when it runs out (takes about 3 days or so), I fill it up again. At lockdown, I fill up both wells. For giggles, I stuck a hygrometer in there once, and it was around 35%-40% during days 1-18.

 

[Yashar]

I have had some issues with my Marans hatching myself. I've learned that marans have such thick shells that they need really low humidity. Like no water at all added during the first18 days at all.
This is called Dry Incubation. It is something to look into.

If you have mushy chick syndrome, you might have the humidity too high.

I have 15 Marans set to hatch this Thurday. I have my finger crossed.

Yashar

 

[Gallus Sapien]

I just hatched 19/31. One die 2 days after hatch. But the rest went full term... 2 died after the pip. What did I do wrong...

SORRY for your hatch

experience

.
But at least, you brought into the world the ones that made it

My dead chicks were all wet too so was it too much humidity, or did I open the top too much....I took out the chicks right after they were dry. My daughters and I COULD NOT WAIT TO GET THEM IN THE BROODER... I feel awful about the 12 that did not hatch................................................................

 

[bairo]

Neat story about the one who made it. Sorry for the others...but marans eggs do seem to be a bit tougher to hatch for some reason. As far as the dry hatch, I am a believer also. I usually add about a tablespoon of water every 3 days and for me that means the humidity stays 40-45%. At lock down I add water and bring it up to about 75%. When the first one pips, the humidity will shoot up on its own to around 85%. This is usually enough to prevent shrink wrapping but not enough that last three days to drowned them

I'm reading some interesting fairly new information about a cooling period (as with mother nature when mom is off the nest) Brinsea is building it into their bators. I would be very curious as if this would make a difference or not on some of the tough to hatch eggs.

 

[MA Mama]

How long is the cooling period and when? I have always left the cover off for a few minutes each day (or every other) to really get the air circulating and fresh. Until this hatch, everything went well so I don't think that's the problem. Instinctively I think a little fresh air is good.

And yes, this was a Marans egg. Of 10 that went into lockdown, only 4 made it. And one of those was "J". My last marans hatch saw 2 of 5 hatch. They were the ones who this time didn't even turn in their shell and had that awful jelly everywhere, though fully grown. So I think dry incubation is very important for them.

For me, I have to add water to one whole tunnel-thingy in the bottom of the Hova bator to have the humidity at 35-40%. I think the key for me is not necessarily to make the humidity SUPER high at the end, but rather to just behave myself and not open the lid at all.

Thanks for the support everyone - I LOVE BYC!

 

[Gallus Sapien]

If your humidity is ok, does it hurt to open during lock down to take out dryed chicks?

 

[MA Mama]

I think it does hurt. I wouldn't have said that before, but now I have witnessed first hand chicks whose membranes stick to them and I never want to see it again as long as I live. I didn't believe in the strictness of "lockdown" before, but lesson learned, now I do. For some reason I thought I knew better than everyone's advice, I thought "the mother hen doens't know about lockdown and humidity percents", and that was a HUGE mistake.

 

[chkinut]

wow! neat story on the Jesus chick! funny though, cuz i just ordered 4 t-shirts that are coming in the mail and one of them says "Jesus Chick" on it with a pic of a yellow chick. i won't be able to wear that shirt now without thinking of your story! very cool!!