4 of 7 eggs hatched- now what

[basmommy]

The chicks are climbing over each other and the unhatched eggs. Should I take the egg shells out for more room?

Edited to clarify this is an incubator that holds 7 eggs.

 

[donrae]

Leave the nest alone until the momma hen gets up. She usually stays on the nest 1-2 days after the first chicks hatch, to give the remaining eggs time to hatch. The babies don't need food or water during this time, they just hang out around momma and peck her wattles sometimes. When momma gets off the nest to take them to eat and drink is when I clean out the nest of the shells and unhatched eggs.

 

[wowkitty1000]

i would take them and put them on the ground in a cage lid in the bottom of the chicken coop, for the baby chicks will generally pop up out of the nesting box and hurt them selves. you should also take out the hatched egg shells when doing so. inside that cage lid make sure she had some food and water. (it doesn't matter what you put them in as long as they can't get out and hurt them self's and its good but it should be down on the ground!)

 

[basmommy]

I should have clarified this in an incubator. It only holds 7 eggs so it seems kind of crowded.

 

[wowkitty1000]

So are the chicks living in the incubator?

 

[basmommy]

Well three have hatched since 5 pm today and I am not sure if I should leave them while the other four continue hatching and remove the hatched eggs or if I should put them in the brooder.

 

[Bullitt]

Well three have hatched since 5 pm today and I am not sure if I should leave them while the other four continue hatching and remove the hatched eggs or if I should put them in the brooder.

You should take the chicks out of the incubator and move them to their brooder. A cardboard box with a light for heat will work. Also provide feed and water. Make sure the chicks can't fall in the water and drown.

 

[swirler]

If it's been less than 24 hours, leave them alone. Opening the incubator while the yet-to-hatch eggs have pipped can shrink-wrap them in their shells and kill them. The new hatches don't need food or water for at least 24 hours; they're living off their yolk sacs.

 

[wowkitty1000]

In ours we have to take them out for it was a hand made incubator and ours will jump up into the top of the incubator and burn them selves and they'll get stuck!!