Chicks Are Starting to Hatch!!

[drdoolittle]

I've had 41 eggs in an LG for 21 days, and they are starting to hatch! This is so exciting----I've hatched just a few eggs before (in a 10-gal aquarium w/ a heat-lamp) but this is my first hatch of any quantity. I read that you can leave the chicks in the bator after hatching for 24-48 hours----is this what most of you do, or do you remove the chicks as they hatch? I don't want to goof anything up (like the humidity).

 

[phoenix912]

You need to let them dry. If you have to take any out make it as quick as possible. If you do have to open it watch you're humidity . I only take them out if they are causing trouble. Picking on new ones stuff like that. If you don't need to open it don't!

 

[drdoolittle]

Thanks, I won't! I'm just going to go to bed----it's almost 2:30 in the morning here! My son woke me up to tell me the chicks were hatching and I wanted to make sure they were fine on their own for the rest of the night. Thank you so much for replying.

 

[phoenix912]

Good luck with going to bed now that their hatching. I have trouble sleeping when mine start hatching. Hope you're hatch goes well. Make sure you post pics.

 

[drdoolittle]

Well, I got some sleep, and so far 5 chicks have hatched with more starting to. One that's hatched is an NN! Yay!

 

[phoenix912]

How many fuzzy butts do you have now? Don't forget to post pictures. How is everyone doing?

 

[drdoolittle]

Well, we ended up with 23 out of 41 hatching. From what someone told my Hubby, this is pretty good. 4 of them started to hatch and then just died---not sure why. The remaining ones are still in the incubator---just in case. How long should I wait before I give up on them? I'll try to get pics. posted tonight......

 

[phoenix912]

You can candle them to see if there's any movement in them. I think 30 days is the longest most people will say to leave them in. You ended up with a 56% hatch rate. That's not bad at all. Congrats on you're hatch.