75% ish for the last few days.
Most of this clutch had been too humid in the beginning and it was suggested i run dry so many were at 25-35% the last week (not these two eggs) to grow the aircells. now im feeling like i may have killedthem by doing that.
Ok. That is definitely on the high side, but don't worry too much. The humidity would naturally fluctuate under a broody hen.
They humidity really will not kill them, unless it's too high at the very end and causes them to drown, or its too low at the very end and causes them to shrinkwrap. But that's only once they've internally/externally pipped.
I see you on here alot so I trust your word on the white membrane. Thank you so much. I worry though just becayse from like assisted hatch photos the membranes all look super clear and this membrane is VERY opaque white. its like the same color as the outer membrane when you chip the shell back.
Aw thank you! Yes. White is normal.
They're only clear because during an assist, you generally apply some sort of moisturizer (coconut oil, triple antibiotic ointment, Vaseline, etc.) to the membrane. This is to avoid shrinkwrapping, and to keep the veins moist so that they can be absorbed quickly. In a normal hatch though, a nice membrane should be white.
This specific egg I’m worried about because he pipped internally first yesterday morning and still has not externally pipped. So i quickly gave him a safety hole bc i could see his airsac was shrinking. im worried he could be stuck or something. I know not to chip away at the egg until its absolutely time im just worried I’ll lose him. here’s a pic. its hard to see from the incubator but up close u can see it is VERY OPAQUE
It looks ok atm. I am not a fan of safety holes, personally. I understand their purpose, I just don't like the results I get from them.
Naturally, gases build up inside the egg after the chick internally pips, and they force the chick to externally pip so that the chick can breathe. But with a safety hole, the hole releases the gases and the chick does not have to extetnally pip. This allows them to lay there, inactive, and just breathe. The hole is too small for you to know if they're ready, so you can't help. 99% of the chicks that I have tried safety holes with die. I think they just get lazy and quit.
Now, I wait about 30 hours after they internally pip (while candling every couple hours after the 24 hour mark to check in) and then open up a fingernail sized hole in the air cell end. It is better than a safety hole because you can see what is going on (the amount of veining, whether they're still yawning or not, if they're malpositioned, etc.), and you can go right to the next step in assisting once they're ready.
I just prefer it. If I were you, I would open that safety hole up more so you can see what's going on. I make my holes like this.
BY THE WAY THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING SO QUICKLY YOU ARE AMAZING
Aww, thank you! It's no problem.
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