What to do?

[Shartzoge]

Of the 24 chicken eggs that went on lockdown as best I can tell 16 have hatched. The first one hatched night before last. I still see at least three or four that have pipped. Everything I read tells me not to open incubator at all if you see any pips. But I'm worried about the first couple that hatched that they may be in there too long. Btw on a side note since lock down I increased humidity to 70% and each chick that hatching raises humidity level to around 82%... kind of cool since with all that humidity it's hard to see in there through the window because the moisture build up. So I know when another one or two have hatched!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Of the 24 chicken eggs that went on lockdown as best I can tell 16 have hatched. The first one hatched night before last. I still see at least three or four that have pipped. Everything I read tells me not to open incubator at all if you see any pips. But I'm worried about the first couple that hatched that they may be in there too long. Btw on a side note since lock down I increased humidity to 70% and each chick that hatching raises humidity level to around 82%... kind of cool since with all that humidity it's hard to see in there through the window because the moisture build up. So I know when another one or two have hatched!

First off, if your humidity is that high, opening the bator is going to do more good than harm. You don't really want condensation in the bator. I open my bator frequently during hatch. No lie, many of us do. Just come on over to the hands on hatching and help thread and you'll see. I remove my chicks as they become active and are running around the incubator, I remove shells as they hatch, I flip pippers back over that have gotten rolled and I even candle non pipped eggs. My hatch rates are rarely under 85% and as high as 100%.

Many people will tell you chicks can survive for 48-72 hours in the incubator after hatch because of the yolk substaning them. It's true. They can "survive" that long. I however believe chicks need hydration during this time wether or not they eat. So I have food and water accessible as soon as they are in the bator which is generally within a couple hours average.

So, you decide what you are comfortable with and as long as your humidity is up past 65% move them when you are ready.

 

[Shartzoge]

First off, if your humidity is that high, opening the bator is going to do more good than harm. You don't really want condensation in the bator. I open my bator frequently during hatch. No lie, many of us do. Just come on over to the hands on hatching and help thread and you'll see. I remove my chicks as they become active and are running around the incubator, I remove shells as they hatch, I flip pippers back over that have gotten rolled and I even candle non pipped eggs. My hatch rates are rarely under 85% and as high as 100%.

Many people will tell you chicks can survive for 48-72 hours in the incubator after hatch because of the yolk substaning them. It's true. They can "survive" that long. I however believe chicks need hydration during this time wether or not they eat. So I have food and water accessible as soon as they are in the bator which is generally within a couple hours average.

So, you decide what you are comfortable with and as long as your humidity is up past 65% move them when you are ready.

So following your advice I removed 14 of the 17 that had hatched 3 were still very wet so I left them to dry a bit more. As well as the shells. There is one that looks as though it has a prolaps on its bottom.. is this chick a goner?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

So following your advice I removed 14 of the 17 that had hatched 3 were still very wet so I left them to dry a bit more. As well as the shells. There is one that looks as though it has a prolaps on its bottom.. is this chick a goner?

Is it the vent, (right under the tail) or the belly, which would be the navel? Sometimes the navel is still a little swollen and not completely closed at hatch. Usually it closes up and heals with no problem.

 

[Shartzoge]

Is it the vent, (right under the tail) or the belly, which would be the navel? Sometimes the navel is still a little swollen and not completely closed at hatch. Usually it closes up and heals with no problem.

I am pretty sure it's the vent