can i help my chicks break out of their eggs?

[jrward]

ive got some eggs hatching currently. its my first time through. do i help em?

 

[GoldenSparrow]

glad you joined.

No, do not help the chicks.
Its hard to wait and watch them. but let them do it on there own. you can do more harm then good by helping them.


How many eggs do you have?

 

[Chicken-Boy]

You can help them only if there are problems, like the eggs drying out and the bird gets stuck inside then you can help them. Remember only if you need to, I do this when my eggs have problems hatching, they are fine afterwards.

 

[jrward]

40 eggs of mixed breeds. My rooster is a black sex link and my hens are deleware, orphington, jersy giant and a black sex link that a fox took two weeks ago.

 

[jrward]

can i spritz them with water to keep them from drying out?

 

[bobbi-j]

They stand a better chance of not drying out if you don't open the incubator. I know you'll have to open it sooner or later to get the early hatchers out, and if you can do it ONCE a day and quickly, there should be no harm done. They need to get themselves out. The ones who can't will be weak and may not survive anyway.

 

[GoldenSparrow]

Wow thats a lot of eggs!

 

[PoultryGirly]

yes, you can help the chicks out if they NEED help, but don't pull away the sack....they can get out of that easily

 

[jrward]

thanks yall. if they hatch while im at work tomorrow will they be ok till i get home?

 

[PoultryGirly]

yes, they'll be fine..They don't need any food or water until they are 24 hours old and all fluffed ( don't take them out of the incubator until they are all fluffed)