# Hard shell while hatching



## churchchick02 (Mar 12, 2014)

I'm new at hatching out our chicks we just had too help 3 of our chicks .. The membrane was white and tough hard for even us too get through .. We are keeping the humidity 65-70% if that ok or should it be higher ? Is it hard because of its dry in the lock down period ? Any ideas would be great 


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## LittleWings (Jul 15, 2013)

The 65 to 70% is OK for now. What was it while you were incubating? What are the chicks like that you helped out? Why did you have to help them?


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## churchchick02 (Mar 12, 2014)

Well we had too help because it peeped through and that's it ? 8 - 10 hours later there was no more zipping so we helped ... They looked like they were stuck kinda like there were a film over them ... In the incubation the same 60-70 % ?? 


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## LittleWings (Jul 15, 2013)

60 to 70% was a little high. For the first 18 days 45 to 50% is closer to what you want. Everyone's situation is different depending on where they live so that would be a general rule. During lock down you raise it to 65 to 70%. Your chicks may have been having trouble hatching because the didn't lose enough moisture during the first 18 days. 
The film over them is called the inner membrane and the thick white one they were pecking through is the outer shell membrane. When they pec through and the humidity isn't high enough, it dries out the inner membrane and t sticks to them or "shrink wraps" them. That probably happened when you opened the lid to assist them. I'm not saying you shouldn't have helped them, I have helped a few out myself. 

Were those the only 3 that hatched?


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