(ETA: As I understood it...) If you open the incubator during lockdown, the humidity drops and a pipped chick can become "shrink wrapped." They cannot turn to complete the zip.
If your humidity is too high during lockdown, the chicks can become "sticky" and cannot turn to complete the zip.
Looking at a chick, how do you know if it is/was sticky or shrink-wrapped? Is there any practical difference in how these are handled? I'd like to be able to better trouble-shoot on my next hatch by better understanding the difference.
Thank you for your help!
_______________________
THREAD SUMMARY:
Here's brief summary of what we've discussed. This doesn't represent a 100% consensus but seems to represent the current majority opinion:
Shrink wrapped: before pipping, both inner and out membranes dry tight around the chick; caused by too little humidity throughout incubation
Sticky chick: after pipping, the liquids dry becoming glue-like followed by concrete-like; caused by too little humidity during lockdown
Wet sticky or Swollen: the chick is swollen with water or simply very wet and sticky; caused by too high humidity throughout incubation
Drowning: the whitish outer membrane is dry while the clearish inner membrane is wet, binding the chick; also caused by too high humidity thoughout incubation
*Chicks experiencing more than one of the extreme conditions can exhibit multiple issues.
*These same issues can also occur during natural incubation, under a brooding hen.
If your humidity is too high during lockdown, the chicks can become "sticky" and cannot turn to complete the zip.
Looking at a chick, how do you know if it is/was sticky or shrink-wrapped? Is there any practical difference in how these are handled? I'd like to be able to better trouble-shoot on my next hatch by better understanding the difference.
Thank you for your help!
_______________________
THREAD SUMMARY:
Here's brief summary of what we've discussed. This doesn't represent a 100% consensus but seems to represent the current majority opinion:
Shrink wrapped: before pipping, both inner and out membranes dry tight around the chick; caused by too little humidity throughout incubation
Sticky chick: after pipping, the liquids dry becoming glue-like followed by concrete-like; caused by too little humidity during lockdown
Wet sticky or Swollen: the chick is swollen with water or simply very wet and sticky; caused by too high humidity throughout incubation
Drowning: the whitish outer membrane is dry while the clearish inner membrane is wet, binding the chick; also caused by too high humidity thoughout incubation
*Chicks experiencing more than one of the extreme conditions can exhibit multiple issues.
*These same issues can also occur during natural incubation, under a brooding hen.
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