Help! What should i do?

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jwilson48

jwilson48

In the Brooder
7 Years
Mar 25, 2012
60
6
41
Okay this is my 3rd hatch first using dry incubation method. I did add water for hatching. The chicks were not due until today however one hatched yesterday morning and two others last night. Several more are shaking their eggs but haven't hatched yet...as of this morning. Im at work so who knows what going on right now. I know its bad to open the incubator during hatching but i need to get the chicks out of there. They are terrorizing the other eggs jumping on them and rolling around. The first two out helped the 3rd by ripping off chunks of shell while it was zipping...so the question is to open and remove or leave them alone. If i open can i spray water on the eggs or add additional wet clothes to keep the others from having issues? Hope to get home in a couple hours and see lots of babies!
 
I think you will be fine to open it and grab the offenders. I have heard of people spraying the eggs with water to prevent the "Saran wrap effect" so you could try that.
 
Does the word "LOCKDOWN" give you a hint?
wink.png
 
Well I wish I could help I'm still learning about all of this. You will be okay I'm sure, at least we know they are hatching. I know it's a lockdown situation but my breeder who is one of the best and most reputable in our area, and had been doing this for well over 25 years. He took some hatching eggs out to showed us and they were fine. I did notice though he did not spray any water after though.

Good Luck
 
I hatched chicks last year as well as this year (on 3rd hatch right now :)) and when they were peeping i took them out of the broody hen and let them sit on a paper towel for about 20 mins and then when they got a bit cold i put them back under they were all fine and hatched so it should do no harm to open it to take the chicks out :)
 
I am not sure how much your personal humidity will be affected. I live in a very humid climate so I do not have severe issues if QUICK opening is absolutely necessary.

Is there a risk if you open it? Always to different degrees. It is going to have to be your call on what is riskier. Last hatch I woke up to find a zipped egg had been kicked into the open, empty shell of a sibling quite impressively and the chick trying to hatch died. It was sad. The baby had come so close. So yes, chicks can pose a risk to eggs. I find a little bit of rolling to be harmless but extremely vigorous chicks can do damage.
 
thank you for the responses. i got home to 5 hatched and another mostly zipped out but upside down from being rolled over. i opened it set him upright and grabbed the others. had another hatch after that so i guess all was not lost lol. it is still in there drying and as long as it doesn't cause a big problem it will stay for now. i really do not like opening it, but the first two that hatched was just a little too vigorous lol.
 

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