Please help. When chicks hatch late and they come out goopy/slimy

[Hens_And_Chicks]

What do I need to fix on my next incubation?

I realize the temp ran low this time, resulting in a late hatch Day 22 & 23. I have lost a few that pipped but quit - they look dried out inside - fully formed and wonderful looking chick.

The chicks that have hatched seemed slimy/wet and they dried with pasted feathers. They are doing quite well though after being put into the brooder with electrolyte water and food.

I am relatively new at this, so I am obviously not a pro and don't know everything and am looking for help.

This was my fourth incubation - first three times I hand turned the eggs and this time I added the auto turner. I am using an LG9200 with auto egg turner. I have digital thermometer and kept the temp at 101 - 102 with 35-40% humidity and increased humidity to about 65% for the hatch at day 18.

Why would the chicks hatch goopy? If that even makes sense.

 

[hinkjc]

The reason they hatched late is usually due to too low of temp. I would guess your thermometer is not providing an accurate reading. Try another one. When the temp reading is off, so is the humidity - which is the reason for goopy chicks (improper humidity).

 

[Hens_And_Chicks]

Quote:
Then I am humbled that God chooses to bless me with live chicks in spite of my screw ups. That any of them hatched is a miracle.

Can there be a clearer message this Easter that God must really love me and that in spite of my mistakes, he will still bless my life.

 

[Wynette]

Good for you for taking such a positive attitude on hatching, and I'm SO glad you opted not to help! There are several threads right now about folks who helped and the chick isn't doing well...and I just cringe when I see them. WHAT can we do to get the message out that it's not a good idea to help!!??!! SO frustrating!

I agree w/hinkjc, although I'm a novice hatcher. I've read a lot, and have followed threads on probably thousands of hatches on BYC, and it seems that's the typical explanation. KUDOS to you for wanting to do better next time, and not getting hung up on making some mistakes...we all make them, and we're here to learn and improve!

 

[Hens_And_Chicks]

Quote:
I don't know how to teach new people not to help. I was guilty this time and it cost me my first chick which crushed me. I flicked a dimed sized piece of shell off (that was already cracked and sitting on the membrane) thinking it was taking too long and not realizing that it was going to be such a slow hatch - out of 30 eggs, only it and two others had pipped at the end of Day 21 and I was starting to panic.

I was so down yesterday knowing that the chick probably would have done fine on it's own and my intervention cost me a valuable chick - to me, each chick has value.

I did help another one out this morning but it had been pipped for more than 24 hours and another one had just died - it gave up. The one I helped was almost out and I was afraid it would die trying to finish the split - I helped it and I think it would have died without assistance but this one had been struggling for a long time - it's little hocks were raw and scraped red from pushing.

I still have a few more eggs working on hatching and I am going to lose some as well which is to be expected.

My hat is off to Dave'sBuckeye and Pam'sPride - they both carefully packaged and shipped eggs to me. I think some of the eggs may have been pullet eggs as they were very small and some of those did not hatch which I expected but over all, I am pleased. I think out of 15 Jersey Giants, I have 11 chicks and out of 14 Buckeyes, I have 5 live chicks. I have a couple more working on coming out - the rest of the day has a story to tell.

 

[Wynette]

OH, gosh, that's not bad at all, overall!

You can't beat yourself up for something that's already happened; just hopefully we all learn from our experiences. My first hatch, I had one that pipped and then died. I kept watching his little beak out of the pip hole he made moving...then after 24 hrs. it was moving VERY slowly with long spaces of time between. It killed me to watch him not hatch, knowing he was dying. He did die. I opened the shell, and he had intestines hanging out. I'm so happy I didn't intrvene, because if I'd have hatched him, I'd have to watch him struggle and die due to the intestines, or cull a tiny little day-old. I believe that when you do not intervene, the ones that make it 100% on their own are the strongest and healthiest ones of all. That's JMO; I know there are lots of folks who help on here and have had good results, it's just not a chance I want to take.

ETA: I also did have a chick that I helped that ended up living and did just fine. But, I will not use her for breeding, as I do not want to promote late hatching.

Anywho...I think you did just fine, and with each hatch, you learn what you are comfortable with and what you would do differently. Just because I don't agree with helping does not mean that's right...it's just what I believe and am comfortable with!

 

[newbiepeepkeeper]

Hens and Chicks-
I'm with you on the awesome experience of hatching during this Holy time and how it mirrors God's attitude toward us! Our family had 16 RIR in the bator and today is day 22; 11 have hatched and are healthy, 2 dud eggs (no development), and 2 un-pipped zero activity with chicks, and one that pipped and doesn't seem to be alive! I have resisted the urge to poke holes, pick at or "help". I'm so blessed to have witnessed the miracle of life along with my family as we welcomed these precious little peeps! I can see how this chicken hatching and raising can be a lifestyle!

Be of good cheer fellow hatcher! Thanks for your uplifting testimony and attitude to hatching. I'm inspired Happy Easter.

 

[Wynette]

Yes, yes! We ALL need to always see the silver lining. It's there...sometimes, it seems difficult to see, but it's there. The trick is that you have to LOOK for it!

Praise God for allowing us to witness the miracle of chicks hatching! I am constantly in awe of His will and power, might and glory!