When Should I Move the Chicks from the Incubator to the Brooder?

[wsdareme]

My chicks have all hatched and are now 9-22 hours old. They're in a Brinsea Mini Advance incubator, which is still fogged up inside so the humidity must still be pretty high. The chicks are STILL very wet. Do I leave them in the incubator until they're completely dry? Or can I move them to their brooder? They don't seem to be drying out in there. I have to attend an all-day meeting today and am in a dilemma as to whether I move them before I leave or wait until I get home...

 

[Kedreeva]

I personally remove mine from the incubator when they hatch for two reasons; one, they play kickball with the other eggs and 2, I have a staggered hatch going so I don't want them trapped under the auto turner. However, my brooder is atypical and has a heating pad under half of it, which fluffs them out in under half an hour. They are usually up and plodding around the brooder in 3-4 hours, but I keep watch on them the first 20 minutes or so to make sure they aren't shivering or panting. If you have enough time to watch them for a bit before your meeting it probably wouldn't hurt to take them out, but if you're worried, they're fine to stay in the incubator too. It's sort of a judgment call.

 

[wsdareme]

Got home from my meeting and found a disaster in the incubator. One chick is pretty much dead, and the rest are not doing well. They are all still sopping wet, and the incubator STINKS. I grabbed them out and put them in the brooder, which is around 95-100 degrees. I tried dipping the dying chick's beak in sugar water, but I think it's too late. I tried dipping the others' beaks, too, but only a couple were vigorous to look like they were trying to swallow. I guess now it's up to Mother Nature, but I sure feel guilty. Can anyone give me advice on what to do to save the remaining chicks?

 

[Kedreeva]

That sucks

Mine dry way slow in the incubator, which is another reason I take them out (aside from that I don't want anyone to lose their head to the auto turner). If they dry out in the brooder and still won't take the water on their own (or eat) you can try giving them the sugar water with an eyedropper (be careful not to get it down the wrong pipe!) or else softening some chick starter with water and giving it with an eye dropper. Water you can put near the corner of their mouths and they SHOULD react by swallowing and food you can put to the back of their throats and massage down... It's hard to do though so if you don't know how or don't know anyone who can show you how, you may just have to wait and see. Buuuut I mean, if you think they're going to die anyway, it may not hurt to give it a try even if you don't know.

Sorry this has happened! Good luck with the babies, I hope some of them make it *fingers crossed*

 

[wsdareme]

Quote:
Oh, heavens, it's not your fault!! I think it was the excessive humidity -- and so far only one has died. It had a large head when it was born, so I think it might not have made it anyway. The other 6 are drying out in the brooder. They are pretty much laying out flat, but will get up a move a few inches when stimulated. Is that fairly normal for day-old chicks? I could see that they'd be exhausted. But, I've seen a video clip of day-old chicks at the hatchery that are being packed for shipping, and they're pretty healthy looking and very active. Maybe mine just need to recover from me trying to drown them in the incubator...?

 

[Kedreeva]

The first hatch I did, the chicks mostly laid around and slept. Occasionally they get up and hobble a few inches and then they fall asleep because a few inches is exhausting work when you're that little. The ones I have now are about a day old and they can stand and walk but they can only stay awake <2 minutes at a time before life is just so tiring. They get stronger as they go and eventually you will miss the time when they slept (quietly) all the time, especially if they are indoors.

 

[FenDruadin]

I'm so glad you don't blame me! I still feel bad, though...

I hope the little ones turn out just fine. It is normal for them to sleep A LOT the first few days, especially if they've had a bit of a rough time. I'm afraid to give any advice so I'll just confine my remarks to saying that I'm crossing my fingers for them!

 

[wsdareme]

UPDATE: I have lost 4 of 7 chicks. I don't know if it was the high humidity or something else. The last 3 are hanging on and seem to be doing alright, but I thought that about all 5 before I went to Walmart for a few minutes and came back to find 2 more dead. Please send good thoughts my way! This is just making me sick.......

 

[FenDruadin]

I am so sorry for all your losses. How horribly disappointing to wait three weeks, watch them hatch, and then have so many of them die like that. I'm sending good vibes your way. Wish there were more I could do.

 

[wsdareme]

This is what my incubator looked like at the end of the hatch. It's hard to see because of all the moisture on the inside, but I think it will give you an idea:


And here are my 3 scruffy looking little survivors (at least, they've survived so far...):


They seem to be doing pretty well. Let's hope they continue to improve. Thanks for your good thoughts!