Hi, This is my first time hatching chicks, and i am using an incubator. today, day 19, 2 of my silver laced wyandotte babies hatched, then charged about knocking the other eggs around, cracking one so severely, another popped out - a little sooner than it was expecting, by the looks of it! I had popped a jay cloth in the incy, to help prevent little legs from slipping all over the place, but now it is a bit bloody and messy. I have 9 other eggs in there, yet to show any sign of pipping (although some are having a wriggle). Do i open the incy, disrupting the temp and humidity, and replace the cloth, or do i let things be? x. Also, is it normal for newborn chicks to be so noisy and boisterous? - i thought they'd be in need of a good sleep after the battle of hatching! Thanks for any advice, Katie.
I would leave them alone and allow the other eggs to hatch. The unhatched eggs will get bowled around a bit. I usually put a cloth or rubber mat inside the 'bator which seems to help minimize the rolling around some. And remember, in the nest they also get knocked around with chicks and mom moving about. Congrats on your hatch!
Thank you, that was my first instinct, just needed some reassurance! Birth is a messy, violent business!
Don't open the incubator - you are in lock down, and opening it may compromise the hatchability of the other eggs.
I would say it depends on the incubator, I would open it quick and take the already hatched chicks out before they do to much damage. I have had chicks not hatch because they were rolled around too much and became disoriented. Usually incubators will get right back up to the correct temp. and humidity in a matter of minutes if you do open them quick. For future hatches, you may want to try put them in egg cartons with the bottoms and top cut off so that it appears as a set of 12 rings connected, lay the eggs down in it and once chicks hatch, they won't be able to move the unhatched eggs around as much. Good Luck!
I have whipped my 3 babies out and they are now safely in their brooder. As you say, the incy went straight back to its correct setting in seconds. What a brilliant idea the egg box is! I will definitely try that next time. Thankyou for your help
