Can I remove egg turner when chicks start hatching?

[LarkspurChickens]

Hello - my chicks started hatching early and didn’t have time to remove the egg turner. I read that you’re not supposed to open the incubator until the hatching is complete. Just worried the chicks will hurt themselves crawling over the egg turner. Can I lift the lid for 30 seconds to get the turner out? will they get sick / cold if I do this?

Any advice would be appreciated. This is my first hatch.

 

[orloffer]

What day of incubation are the eggs on? The egg turner should be removed on Day 18.

 

[Willow2253]

You can remove the turner quickly. The main risk with opening an incubator during hatch is shrink wrapping, where the membrane dries out before the chick is able to get out and it gets stuck. If you have external pips it’s best to try to leave the incubator closed until they’re done, but if you can get the humidity back up very quickly they should be ok. I’ve used a damp paper towel to get the humidity back up. What kind of incubator do you have?

 

[LarkspurChickens]

Thank both for the responses. We are on day 18 with the first hatch. Now day 19. There is one chick which is now dry and slowly walking around the incubator. She is about 10 hours old. Not drinking water yet. When do I take her out? She is bumping to other eggs then lays down to sleep. 3 which started pips last night. No movement or sound this morning. Worried they are having a hard time getting out. How long should it take from first pip to final hatch? They are in a 20 egg jumbl incubator. Any other advice is appreciated

 

[Willow2253]

It can take up to 24 hours between external pip and zipping. Usually when a chick pips they’re haven’t finished absorbing the yolk and veins, so they need to rest and finish absorbing and rest before they can finish hatching. I would wait until a few more hatch to take the first chick out. It’ll be fine for a day without food and water, and it’s peeping will encourage the other chicks to get a move on. I’ve accidentally opened the incubator with external pips to get others out, but I leave the freshest hatched chick in when I take some out because them drying off will also help to raise the humidity.

 

[Willow2253]

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