April Hatch Along

[BlueShadow]

First chick hatched at 3:30 am, peeped so loud it woke me up. Good thing it's cute!

How long after hatch until they get all fluffy? I thought by 3 hours later it would have fluffed up. It's got time though. It's the first chick to hatch and I am sitting on my hands, will not open the incubator, will not open the incubator, will not....

 

[orrpeople]

First chick hatched at 3:30 am, peeped so loud it woke me up. Good thing it's cute!

How long after hatch until they get all fluffy? I thought by 3 hours later it would have fluffed up. It's got time though. It's the first chick to hatch and I am sitting on my hands, will not open the incubator, will not open the incubator, will not....

So you've probably heard folks say that chicks can go 2-3 days before they need water and food. Thankfully I have never had to leave them in the incubator thaat long!! But, they should stay in there as long as you have pips in the other eggs, so that you do not risk a sudden drop in humidity by opening the incubator. They will get fluffy eventually (also dependent on humidity, but even with really high humidity, they do eventually fluff out - it may just take them longer!) Where I have a difficult time is if I have a whole gaggle of chicks in there and they're starting to play rugby with the remaining eggs (a little croquet is fine, it's the rugby that gets me!). Then, I will quickly whisk out the rowdies and throw in a wet sponge or use my water spray bottle to lightly spray the walls of the bator to bump humidity up quickly once I'm done - but I usually try to wait until the fewest, smallest pips are present.

 

[tao chick]

First chick hatched at 3:30 am, peeped so loud it woke me up. Good thing it's cute!

How long after hatch until they get all fluffy? I thought by 3 hours later it would have fluffed up. It's got time though. It's the first chick to hatch and I am sitting on my hands, will not open the incubator, will not open the incubator, will not....

That peeping will inspire other chicks so please don't open the bator. The air temp/humidity change can shrink wrap chicks that have pipped. It doesn't always happen, but if you can avoid it, please do. As for fluff, it could take a day.

 

[tao chick]

So you've probably heard folks say that chicks can go 2-3 days before they need water and food. Thankfully I have never had to leave them in the incubator thaat long!! But, they should stay in there as long as you have pips in the other eggs, so that you do not risk a sudden drop in humidity by opening the incubator. They will get fluffy eventually (also dependent on humidity, but even with really high humidity, they do eventually fluff out - it may just take them longer!) Where I have a difficult time is if I have a whole gaggle of chicks in there and they're starting to play rugby with the remaining eggs (a little croquet is fine, it's the rugby that gets me!). Then, I will quickly whisk out the rowdies and throw in a wet sponge or use my water spray bottle to lightly spray the walls of the bator to bump humidity up quickly once I'm done - but I usually try to wait until the fewest, smallest pips are present.

What they said ^^^^

 

[BlueShadow]

Thanks! I have already told myself the chicks are not leaving the incubator until tomorrow. I am not worried about food or water for them right now, I am worried that I will think a chick is having trouble hatching and I will want to help it. I did have to open it to quickly whisk out a thermometer that wasn't very chick friendly, but there was only one other pip at that time.

1 hatched, 1 zipped, 6 pipped... go chickies go!

 

[WVduckchick]

I've opened my incubator at least a dozen times since they started hatching. I try to wait for periods of inactivity, but if its necessary, then I open it. My chicks do not die.

Like the one that had its leg stuck out the side. I had several pips at that time, they all hatched just fine afterwards. I keep humidity high enough, and I'm quick about it. But I don't like leaving chicks in there that long. As a human, I can go for 3 days without food and water too, but I certainly don't like it, and my body is not happy about it.

Not saying that I'm right or wrong... just saying its not an immediate death sentence to open the incubator. I know that for a fact.

 

[RoseViewFarm]

I'd like to look at the pics on my computer instead of mobile, I just can't tell much, but are you incubating with the eggs upright or laying down?

I left these upright with very minimal turning for the first seven days. That helped at least partially reattach one air cell. After that they went into the upright yellow Hovabator turner. I am planning on using cut up egg cartons for them when they go Into lock down, but they will need to go a day early (due to the shipping problems and not knowing that they were even still coming, they were set 30 hours after the first 14).

 

[WVduckchick]

I left these upright with very minimal turning for the first seven days. That helped at least partially reattach one air cell. After that they went into the upright yellow Hovabator turner. I am planning on using cut up egg cartons for them when they go Into lock down, but they will need to go a day early (due to the shipping problems and not knowing that they were even still coming, they were set 30 hours after the first 14).

Ok, I asked because I always incubate upright, but when I did my call ducks last month, it was recommended that laying down worked better for them, so I tried it. I was amazed at the difference in candling! They seemed to develop on one side, and not the other! I thought something was wrong, but learned it happens that way when they are on their sides. They fill the whole thing eventually though. So I thought maybe that was what you were seeing.

But I did go back and look at your pics. I understand wanting the air cells to reattach, but personally, I think 7 days is too long... depending on your definition of "minimal" turning. It could have gotten stuck to one side. Even so, I think the chick looks developed enough. It may be a little smaller when it hatches, and may be a bit gooey and sticky. Hatching those in cartons does apparently help, (just from my reading, I've never tried it) Maybe I should have done that with this last hatch of mine, because I had a few late DIS that had too much clear area too.

Good luck! Keep us posted.

 

[homestead 101]

When should my duck eggs internally pip

 

[spruce creek]

It was rocking pretty good last night in the egg turner, today is day 17! Humidity is at 40% with no water. Air cels are bigger than the last attempt, I am going to candle again tomorrow before I lockdown and hopefully they will all be a good size!? Getting humidity up here (North coast BC Canada) in our temperate rain forest is not a problem, its keeping it down thats really hard. Trying to think positive and hope for the best!! I read on the hatching section on BYC that it is important to have the eggs at the same height as they were in the egg turner for lockdown to avoid a temp. drop? It said you can do this by hatching in cartons or raising the bottom wire up? anyone have experience with this? I am using a LG with a fan and the temp. seems to be the same at the bottom so wondering if it only applies to still air?