wet looking chicks

[RobRoo]

I'm sure this has been asked and answered before but here it goes. All the chicks I hatch at home look wet even long after the are good and dry. They look like they are wearing gel or something. Takes about 5-7 days for them to fluff out. Any reason for this??????????????

 

[chkinut]

i would guess you're humidity is too high. if i'm wrong i sure hope someone corrects me. but i thought high humidity causes "sticky chick". what IS your humidity when you put them into lockdown? don't count the humidity after they all start hatching, cuz it will go up a lot when they hatch, which is normal and no big deal.

 

[RobRoo]

Thanks for the reply. I don't know what the humidity has been because they came from eggs stolen from a broody hen a week or so ago. I had to gather them up and put them in the incubator beacause of a freek snow storm and cold temps. they seem to be healthy...just have thier down slicked back.

 

[chkinut]

lol, well at least you saved them! that's great! they'll be cute and fuzzy before you know it. but i know it's bothersome. i've had a few like that in the past. i would just call them Squiggy till they fluffed out.....you may be too young to know who Squiggy is? but he was a guy in an old sitcom (Lavern and Shirley) and he had his hair all slicked back all the time. lol!

 

[RobRoo]

lol I'm definetly older than squiggy!!!!

 

[HomestedHomeboy]

Why would you steel them from the broody? Just move the broody into a warm shed or laundry room. There is a good chance that she can hatch them and care for them better than you can, and its less work for you. You might be able to sneak the chicks back under her at night if she is still sitting.

Neil Wigley