Not sure about vent plugs! HELP! Hearing peeps!

[landswithrow]

First of all, I just want everyone to know how stoked I am because I have 3 eggs with peck holes and I can hear the peeps of the chicks. Also, I thought I would look all of this up but I let time get away from me and now here we are and I'm unprepared!

I've kept the temperature in my styrofoam still air incubator at 100-102 degrees the whole time and the humidity has been mostly at around 50% humidity except for when I open it to turn the eggs and then it would go down to 45% humidity. Now, this has been with the 2 red vent plugs in place and I thought I'd read that they were supposed to be taken out at some point and also the humidity raised closer to the hatch time. I don't want to suffocate the chicks but then I don't want my humidity to go bonkers either. Any suggestions?

 

[FridayYet]

From what I've heard you really need to remove the red plugs so the chicks can get some oxygen. You also need to raise the humidity to 65-75% so the chicks don't dry out and stick in the shell.

Damp sponges can be really effective, because if you get condensation and it's too high, you can take a sponge back out.

Good luck with your hatch! What kind of chicks?

Also, what day are you on?

 

[landswithrow]

Thank you for the reply! I will get right on adding the sponges and opening vents. The chicks are assorted with the chickens we have outside. We have black austrolorps, araucana's and mixed bantams.

 

[landswithrow]

Also, I'm on day 21 today so I feel pretty fortunate that things are starting to happen. I figured it would take longer.

 

[roxshane]

So i got up at 330 this morning to let the dog out and check my incubator. Notice i have an egg that has a hole, right on time, and heard a couple little peeps. There are several other eggs in the incubator w this one of course but they are all ducks. This is my last chicken egg from my Rhode island reds before the coons found a way in. Also my first time hatching. I have a Styrofoam incubator w a turner. Help..... what do i need to do next. My temp is right at 99.5 and humidity is at 68%. I have another incubator that does not have a Turner and it is ready to go if need be should I put the egg in there after it gets to temperature so it has a flat bottom or leave it in the one it's in. Like I said this is my last egg from my last chickens and obviously rooster and the rooster was my buddy followed me everywhere so I want this one to hatch well. Regardless of what incubator I use how long is he staying there before I put him in the container with the heat lamp and water and should I pull the vent plugs on the incubator I'm using with having all the other eggs in there as well? Thank you so much for any information any of you can provide me I'm much more used to bigger animals like cows and horses this was more my wife's thing.

 

[landswithrow]

I'm not sure about the chicken egg being in with the duck eggs. This is my first go round with an incubator. Sounds like temp and humidity are good for the chicken egg. Do duck eggs hatch in same amount of time? I'm sure someone here is more knowledgeable than I am. I do know that chicks can go up to 2-3 days without food or water so I wouldn't move him out of wherever he would be until then. I did take out the vent plugs so the chicks could get oxygen and they seem to be doing better now. I have 2 live chicks and 1 that is taking it's time about coming out of the shell. I have a few others with a tiny hole but not sure how long it will be before they start zipping. Good luck and I hope someone sees your post and helps you out.

 

[FridayYet]

So i got up at 330 this morning to let the dog out and check my incubator. Notice i have an egg that has a hole, right on time, and heard a couple little peeps. There are several other eggs in the incubator w this one of course but they are all ducks. This is my last chicken egg from my Rhode island reds before the coons found a way in. Also my first time hatching. I have a Styrofoam incubator w a turner. Help..... what do i need to do next. My temp is right at 99.5 and humidity is at 68%. I have another incubator that does not have a Turner and it is ready to go if need be should I put the egg in there after it gets to temperature so it has a flat bottom or leave it in the one it's in. Like I said this is my last egg from my last chickens and obviously rooster and the rooster was my buddy followed me everywhere so I want this one to hatch well. Regardless of what incubator I use how long is he staying there before I put him in the container with the heat lamp and water and should I pull the vent plugs on the incubator I'm using with having all the other eggs in there as well? Thank you so much for any information any of you can provide me I'm much more used to bigger animals like cows and horses this was more my wife's thing.

If you can get your other incubator up and running, I'd hatch your chicken egg in there. You don't want to hatch in a turner because their legs can get caught.

 

[landswithrow]

Okay, all is going well now. I have 4 chicks hatched and all went well but the first one I noticed that had pecked a hole in the egg and could see the beak after almost an entire day, still hadn't made any progress. I started peeling a little of the shell away because I noticed it was malpositioned. I didn't know that until reading different posts on here. Now, that I've helped minimally, it's hatched but it appears that the membrane is stuck to the wing so the poor thing is walking around toting a half-shell behind it and the membrane draped over the wing. I've put some water on it hoping that the chick can loosen it but is there something else I can do? I didn't want to just pull the membrane but I will if that's what I should do. I didn't want to help the chick at all but I was afraid it I didn't, that the poor thing would never make it out.

 

[FridayYet]

Sounds like you helped just enough - good job!

I would take the chick out and try to rub the membrane off with a warm damp cloth. if it doesn't come off easily, cut the extra part of the membrane off with some sharp scissors so the chick is not dragging the shell around, then pop it back in the incubator as quick as you can.

 

[roxshane]

Ok thank you. Came home this afternoon and i now have a little chick. I had put a damp sponge in the incubator and have now removed it now that it hatched. Is this correct. Also i am of the understanding that they can live for 2-3 days without any food or water? I have taken a plastic tote that i have put water, food, bedding shavings and a heat lamp in. When do i move him to that? Just after he dries off or longer? Sorry to ask so many questions but this is our first time w chicks. Thank you for your help

Shane