Please help ASAP!!

[Lollybee99]

Hi, I urgently need advice about humidity.

Our humidity levels have been quite high throughout incubation (around 60 - 75%) and we’ve tried to lower it but then it goes to low, it’s like one extreme to the other. Anyways today is day 21 and it’s almost 8PM where I am (UK). The incubator, (which has worked perfectly and all chicks except 1 were fine and healthy throughout candling) is saying the temperature is 37.9°C to 38°C - the recommended temperature. BUT I placed a separate digital thermometer inside the incubator as well to check it was the same and that is now saying the temperature is 33°C and the humidity is 91%!! The first egg started to pip 8 hours ago at 12PM... no more have pipped since and this chick stopped around 12:15, it gave up to take a break and hasn’t started to pip or zip again since. I have no idea what to do as I’ve been told that you should never open the incubator after a chick has pipped, although if I don’t open it I fear that chick and the remaining chicks will drown or suffocate before getting out (only one has penetrated the shell). I know hatching can go over day 21 but I can’t help being worried due to the supposed humidity level. Granted the external thermometer that I placed inside the incubator could be wrong as the condensation could have damaged it - but I really need advice.

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!

 

[Amc29]

I had a healthy hatch with high humidity levels at hatching time. The high humidity during the development is the concern, so if they managed to maintain their health and lose enough moisture throughout that time, they should be okay, I believe. At this point, I am not sure what you can do to change things. Of course you want a correct temperature, but without a thermometer you know is correct, I am not sure how you would adjust it. Since the chick pipped on day 21, I am inclined to believe the temp is correct, as it seems if it were too low, it would have pipped late. Hopefully someone else will have more helpful input Best of luck!

 

[Lollybee99]

I had a healthy hatch with high humidity levels at hatching time. The high humidity during the development is the concern, so if they managed to maintain their health and lose enough moisture throughout that time, they should be okay, I believe. At this point, I am not sure what you can do to change things. Of course you want a correct temperature, but without a thermometer you know is correct, I am not sure how you would adjust it. Since the chick pipped on day 21, I am inclined to believe the temp is correct, as it seems if it were too low, it would have pipped late. Hopefully someone else will have more helpful input Best of luck!

I'd just like to say thank you so, so much for this reply. This is my first time hatching my own eggs and I've done a lot of research but I was just so scared about the humidity. About 20 minutes ago I went back to look through the incubator and I heard tweeting, and then the pipped egg started to move and she's now started pipping again. I'm so relieved! I hope it will all be okay now but we'll have to see. Thank you so much for your response, it's good to know someone else has been in a similar situation

 

[TropicalBabies]

I'd love to hear the happy ending to this story. Please keep us posted- photos always welcomed!

 

[Lollybee99]

Aw thank you, that’s very kind! Well unfortunately it’s 10:15am on day 22 now and there’s still no chicks. The chick that pipped has pipped a very small hole right through her shell over night but hasn’t managed to make it any bigger yet. She’s tweeting still and I can see some small movement through the small hole, although it’s almost 24 hours after she made the initial pip. The remaining 8 eggs still haven’t moved or pipped at all but I can hear tweeting from them as well I think, but it could just be the egg with the hole in it. We incubated them on the first of the month and I’ve been told that apparently that means incubation will actually start on the 22nd so I’m hoping today will be the day. I’m still terrified though as the other still hasn’t got out and the humidity is apparently very high

 

[Lollybee99]

Aw thank you, that’s very kind! Well unfortunately it’s 10:15am on day 22 now and there’s still no chicks. The chick that pipped has pipped a very small hole right through her shell over night but hasn’t managed to make it any bigger yet. She’s tweeting still and I can see some small movement through the small hole, although it’s almost 24 hours after she made the initial pip. The remaining 8 eggs still haven’t moved or pipped at all but I can hear tweeting from them as well I think, but it could just be the egg with the hole in it. We incubated them on the first of the month and I’ve been told that apparently that means incubation will actually start on the 22nd so I’m hoping today will be the day. I’m still terrified though as the other still hasn’t got out and the humidity is apparently very high

It's now almost 1pm and since then the chick has hatched! She's healthy and is drying in the incubator! I noticed as well now that another chick has started to pip, the 7 others however are showing no signs of hatching so far and we're half way through day 22. I hope things improve!

 

[Amc29]

Yay! So glad the chick made it! Now that chick #1 is out, it should encourage/help the hatching of others. Don't worry about the eggs being kicked around (that freaks some people out), they will be fine

 

[TropicalBabies]

It's now almost 1pm and since then the chick has hatched! She's healthy and is drying in the incubator! I noticed as well now that another chick has started to pip, the 7 others however are showing no signs of hatching so far and we're half way through day 22. I hope things improve!

Oh, this is a nail biter!!! Come on chickies!!!!!!
Thanks for the update and I look forward to more good news when you can

 

[Mysticalsys]

The lower temps can cause later hatches so give the other eggs a few more days

 

[IamRainey]

I had a hatch 4 weeks ago after very high humidity all through the incubation. My incubator has 2 internal water compartments and a single exterior refill reservoir. I accidentally filled both of the water sections and didn't discover it until I went to fill the second one for the lockdown.

My chicks hatched on day 18.

The first one pipped and then went back to sleep for another 24 hours. I was worried but when she was ready she finished the job. Of 7 eggs I got 5 healthy chicks.

I think you're going to be OK. Just hold tight and let them do the job.