losing humidity and only 2 pips so far

[HeatherFeather]

Hmm, that's exactly what I did.

So....It seems there are 9 chicks hopping all over the place, all damp except for one, and one very wet chick. There is one dead chick. There is one pipped egg which has a dried membrane, the pip hasn't gotten any larger since 1:30 am, and now it is 10:30 am. There is a funky smell coming out of the vent holes. (not putrid, but identifiable)

Should I remove the live chicks and investigate the pipped egg?
Is it possible that more eggs might pip yet? This is day 24, so they hatched on day 23 and into the night, maybe a pretty fresh one.
It has been 28 hours since the first hatch, and 45 hours since the first pip.
Since all the chicks are wet, does that mean that it is too humid in there?
How did I end up with wet chicks and dried membrane? (I'm sure its because I don't have a hygrometer, but what conditions cause this?)

???ah??!!

 

[HeatherFeather]

Ok, there are also 2 zipping, membranes look good.

 

[Chickengirl1304]

Hmm, that's exactly what I did.

So....It seems there are 9 chicks hopping all over the place, all damp except for one, and one very wet chick.  There is one dead chick.  There is one pipped egg which has a dried membrane, the pip hasn't gotten any larger since 1:30 am, and now it is 10:30 am.  There is a funky smell coming out of the vent holes. (not putrid, but identifiable)

Should I remove the live chicks and investigate the pipped egg? 
Is it possible that more eggs might pip yet? This is day 24, so they hatched on day 23 and into the night, maybe a pretty fresh one.
It has been 28 hours since the first hatch, and 45 hours since the first pip.
Since all the chicks are wet, does that mean that it is too humid in there?
How did I end up with wet chicks and dried membrane? (I'm sure its because I don't have a hygrometer, but what conditions cause this?)

???ah??!!

Once the chicks hatch it raises hunidity a lot. So the one that didn't emerge was probably dry before the others hatched? Or maybe it just looks dry.

 

[Chickengirl1304]

How many are left to hatch?

 

[HeatherFeather]

Not sure...There were 53 in the incubator, though 7 of them were questionable. Deduct those and that's 46, deduct all which have zipped, pipped or hatched, and that's 33. 33 which were completely dark at the last turning.

HOWEVER, We had a major cold snap (-22F)during lockdown, and the bator dropped to 96. (and our pipes froze and our truck broke and our duck got frostbite) So I'm not expecting them all to hatch anyways.

The chicks which have hatched were all on one side of the bator. None of the eggs from the other side have hatched yet. The one with the single pip and a dried membrane is from the other side. I also noticed during hand turning that the eggs on that side always felt physically cooler. Does that mean anything?

is it ok for the chicks to be in there with the dead one? should I be worried that they are still damp?

complicated situation I'm sure.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Just a note, I always move eggs around when I hand turn because even the best bators have temps changes....

I would start reading some of the links in my signature at this point so your ready if the time comes....

Hatching Eggs 101 ~ Guide to ASSISTED Hatching ~ Mushy Chick Disease

 

[HeatherFeather]

Ok, I've read it all Sally....(and love your pallet coop). I don't see any sign of oomphalitis in the existing chicks, as far as I can see, I'll know more once I can take them out. I think that the humidity has just been all over the board, so the best that I can surmise is that i have several eggs which are stuck in both the pipping and zipping stages. I can see the chicks moving, one is trying hard to push the end off of the egg, but doesn't seem to be getting anywhere.

So, I think I have devised a plan.

1. they are ok for now since they all have access to outdoor air, and can breathe.
2. I have pulled the second red plug even though they are not all hatched in order to dry the existing chicks.
3. Once the kids have gone to bed, in the late evening, if the eggs in 'distress' still have not progressed, I will intervene.
4. I will remove the hatched chicks to the brooder.
5. I will remove the dead chick.
6. one by one, I will remove the eggs with the dried membranes, to a damp paper towel, and 'help' them just enough so that they are open and the chicks can leave on their own will.
7. I will replace the eggs to the bator, make sure the troughs are filled, spritz everything with water, and then spritz through the vent hole in the top.

Sound decent?

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Ok, I've read it all Sally....(and love your pallet coop). I don't see any sign of oomphalitis in the existing chicks, as far as I can see, I'll know more once I can take them out. I think that the humidity has just been all over the board, so the best that I can surmise is that i have several eggs which are stuck in both the pipping and zipping stages. I can see the chicks moving, one is trying hard to push the end off of the egg, but doesn't seem to be getting anywhere.

So, I think I have devised a plan.

1. they are ok for now since they all have access to outdoor air, and can breathe.
2. I have pulled the second red plug even though they are not all hatched in order to dry the existing chicks.
3. Once the kids have gone to bed, in the late evening, if the eggs in 'distress' still have not progressed, I will intervene.
4. I will remove the hatched chicks to the brooder.
5. I will remove the dead chick.
6. one by one, I will remove the eggs with the dried membranes, to a damp paper towel, and 'help' them just enough so that they are open and the chicks can leave on their own will.
7. I will replace the eggs to the bator, make sure the troughs are filled, spritz everything with water, and then spritz through the vent hole in the top.

Sound decent?

but this may take overnight, it takes a long time to help a chick! KIT! pics sure can help us help you!! FOLLOW THE STEPS!!

 

[HeatherFeather]

uh oh. still dealing with fussy baby at 10 to 10. i can still see the stuck chicks trying to get out. i think the best i will be able to do is to remove part of the shell and then hope that they make it out on their own after that. re-reading the assistance thread again.

 

[HeatherFeather]

1:41 am. I *think* I've been successful. I removed 9 fluffy chicks to the brooder. I checked their navels and 7 looked perfect, bellies looked good. There was one with a hamster dropping sized dried up bloody stump at the navel, which I thought was ok, since I've seen that on hatchery stock before. There was one with a half raisin sized dried up bloody stump-I put 3% hydrogen peroxide on it. He seems otherwise normal.

Of the remaining eggs with signs of hatching begun, 1 of the pipped ones was dead. I could tell right away, the beak was right there at the pip, but the chick was dead in the shell. Of the 3 that were zipping, one was also dead. The other 2 zippers, had some really dried up membrane, but not glued onto their bodies!! I opened the dried out membrane along the zip line, moistened the edge, wrapped the egg in damp paper towel and returned to the bator. Both chicks pushed out in a matter of minutes.

The one is super lively, and it appears, from the top that their navels are good. One had pooped in its shell. The other has a lot of creamy gooey stuff in the shell-I hope that it isn't infected yolk. Not sure what else it could be. That chick is the tired one.

The last egg I helped has not been pipped very long, but the membrane looks pretty dry. I opened the hole just slightly, maybe 1/8 inch, just so I know it won't reseal. I moistened the edge of the membrane and wrapped the egg in a moist paper towel. I returned it to the bator and will check on it at 6 am. I added 3 crumpled moist paper towels to the bator, filled the lower wells, and gave a spritz of water before closing. i also removed the dead chick, and a few shells.

Lets hope all is well in the am!!