March 2023 hatch-a-long

[Waterfaery]

Is there a chance my humidity is too high? I have 4 chicks hatched in a Brinsea mini but they are still so wet and lots of condensation on the clear glass of incubator. I feel they are just getting wetter not dryer from all the humidty in the incubator?? HELP!!

What is the humidity reading at? It usually spikes up very high when one hatches because of all the moisture from inside the egg and the wet chick itself but then it usually drops back down and stabilises after a few minutes. I suppose if you have a few hatch at the same time it might add a lot of humidity.

Is there a little vent on the incubator? If there is, I think it's supposed to be open during hatching. They need humidity but they also need fresh air.

 

[Waterfaery]

1/4 inch orthodontic bands. I'm sure in a week or two I'll have to replace with small zip ties. If they don't all look distinctly different by then that is.

Lovely chicks! Do you use a special tool to get those bands onto them? I'm looking for a better option for chick bands and I was interested in trying something like you have.

I use spiral bands on my adult birds but I've yet to find a good solution for chicks.

 

[RUTHIE258]

What is the humidity reading at? It usually spikes up very high when one hatches because of all the moisture from inside the egg and the wet chick itself but then it usually drops back down and stabilises after a few minutes. I suppose if you have a few hatch at the same time it might add a lot of humidity.

Is there a little vent on the incubator? If there is, I think it's supposed to be open during hatching. They need humidity but they also need fresh air.

There is no extra vent to open. The hatching mat (cardboard) is soaking wet and they just arent drying. All are out now. Could i remove them and put them under a heat plate for a few mins and clean/dry the incubator and then put them back in?

 

[Waterfaery]

There is no extra vent to open. The hatching mat (cardboard) is soaking wet and they just arent drying. All are out now. Could i remove them and put them under a heat plate for a few mins and clean/dry the incubator and then put them back in?

If they're all out you could safely let out all of that humidity. It's only needed for ones that are still pipped or soon to pip. You probably could move them and dry it quickly but I don't think you really need to and I'd say they're better off staying in there. You should remove any water source and drop the humidity setting right down if you have one. You could also try tilting open the lid a crack for a few seconds at a time until the steam is gone.

It does take a good couple of hours for them to dry so I wouldn't worry too much about that and I think I remember my cardboard was quite wet as well so it's probably normal. I think I even had chicks drinking some water that was pooling at the edge! If the whole incubator is full of steam I would do something about it just to help them dry quicker and to make sure they have fresh air.

I'm surprised there's no vent on the incubator. I have a larger version of that type of Brinsea and there's a little round piece to turn on the side.

 

[notasilkie]

Figured out who is being noisy in the incubator!

 

[abpatchy]

My 2nd hatch went into lockdown last night. 22 Sulmtaler eggs and 29 Augsburger. As I know the parentage of each Augsburger egg, I have them seperated and hatching with my Sulmtaler (they look different)... I have never had so many seperated compartments as this time. I got special chick rings with numbers just for the Augsburger. That way I can trace them properly. My Sulmtaler are just hatching seperated by breeding groups. So tracking the parentage isn't quite as difficult.

 

[abpatchy]

Oh... and my 3rd hatch for March is looking better than the first two... there are more eggs fertile. I don't have the exact numbers yet but fertility is improved.

 

[Iluveggers]

Have you ever seen five-toed before? I’ve never even heard of that, let alone seen it!

I know someone mentioned Silkies, but my Faverolles (feathered legs) has 5 toes, and I think Dorkings do too!

As far as all black chicks, silkies can be all black, of course Cemanis, and I think Mystic Onyx hybrid from Hopvers is also all black.

Your chicks are beautiful and quite the variety!

 

[Dinoroar]

I woke up to 2 pips! Yippee.

 

[Canadian Wind]

I know someone mentioned Silkies, but my Faverolles (feathered legs) has 5 toes, and I think Dorkings do too!

As far as all black chicks, silkies can be all black, of course Cemanis, and I think Mystic Onyx hybrid from Hopvers is also all black.

Your chicks are beautiful and quite the variety!

Yup, Dorkings are five toed. One in my recent hatche has a five-toes, so I know her daddy was the Dorking and not the RIR!