losing humidity and only 2 pips so far

[HeatherFeather]

So I woke to 1 chick at 6 am, fed the fire, then laid back down with the (people) baby. At 8 am there were 3 and now there are 4!!

However, I am concerned as there is a pipped egg with a dried membrane at the pip site. It looks like the shell is missing a little piece, and then its just dried membrane under that. There is what may be a wee crack, possibly sealed back up on the membrane.

There are a few other eggs pipping and zipping, so I'm scared to open the incubator and sacrifice the rest to help one....

What should I do??

 

[Chickengirl1304]

Better leave it be. I would only open it to add a wet paper towel or sponge if your humidity gets too low

 

[City Chicken]

I should mention that the humidity in the surrounding room has likely gone down as well, as we heat with wood- we generally keep a big pot of water boiling on the stove, but our pipes froze and we are on limited consumption til it thaws. So no pot on the stove.

i have read that too much humidity can actually cause them to drown in their shells. when they break through to the air cell it is full of water, hasn't evaporated. this guy used a 'dry hatch' method. where he didn't have high humidity the last few days and simply didn't open the bator until ALL were hatched. i hatched 8 out of 8 this way. very happy and will continue to work this way. my nephews hatch them and they have about 50% loss... chicks that don't pip out, etc.

 

[HeatherFeather]

Ok. Leaving be. I can see the membrane moving as the chick breathes...but still not sure if it has access to outside air. I'd rather lose one than any others, as it looks like this hatch is going to be more in the 10% success range...

I did put a pot of water back on the stove last night btw. Having to go to the neighbor's for one more jug full is worth it for chicks.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Better leave it be. I would only open it to add a wet paper towel or sponge if your humidity gets too low

x2 until most are hatched

how many are remaining pipped and unhatched?

What is the humidity now?

CONGRATS too!!!

 

[HeatherFeather]

There is 5 pipped and unhatched right now. The six which were all pipped before bed last night are hatched out., The one which had the dried looking membrane has its beak out now.

I was able to add a lot more water by straw again. Not sure of the reading, as I haven't been using a hygrometer, a mistake I won't make again.

Only thing now is that the chicks seem to have put their toes down into the troughs and wet them and spread water all over some of the remaining eggs.

And Thankyou!!!! This is very fun and exciting!! My 9 yo son is all over it!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

There is 5 pipped and unhatched right now. The six which were all pipped before bed last night are hatched out., The one which had the dried looking membrane has its beak out now.

I was able to add a lot more water by straw again. Not sure of the reading, as I haven't been using a hygrometer, a mistake I won't make again.

Only thing now is that the chicks seem to have put their toes down into the troughs and wet them and spread water all over some of the remaining eggs.

And Thankyou!!!! This is very fun and exciting!! My 9 yo son is all over it!

I have an 8 year old thats all over it as well!!! she has made a bator and hatched several times in it too!!

 

[Impress]

When I was using the styrofoam incubators, I always kept a small spritz bottle of water, I would either lift the lid up just a tad and spritz into the crack, or spritz into the holes where the red plugs come out. Save yourself a lot of worry and pick up a hydrometer for next time okay?

 

[HeatherFeather]

Um ya, I think I will. I dunno what I was thinking. Rather, I guess I didn't do enough reading. I know we have a few kicking around somewhere...

 

[Impress]

I did the same thing my first hatch, it was horrid. No hydrometer, chicks sticking all over the place, had the most horrid hatch rate! It is a mistake most of us have made, so don't feel bad. I just had faith in the incubator manual that said to keep water in the small channels until day 18, then fill them all up on day 18. Of course the cheap incubator manual wouldn't inform me I needed to go buy more equipment.