Chicks in Bator HELP

[Bedste]

I know not to open the incubator or turn the eggs for the last three days of incubating and during hatching. I do not want to mess up the humidity or jeopardize the hatch. One chick hatched on day 20 and two have hatched on day 21 so far....
I can see lots of cracks on other eggs so I know many more are in the process of hatching. If I let the first one stay in the incubator for 3 days while others hatch, then he needs to come out of the bator Saturday morning. Does this mean that Saturday morning I will have to decide between the rest of the eggs or the hatchlings? If I remove all the chicks on Saturday the rest of the eggs that are still hatching will be compromised right???

 

[77horses]

Leaving the hatched chicks in the incubator for no longer than 3 days shouldn't hurt them, because they absorb the egg yolk and use up that after they hatch, before they even need food or water. But, if by 3 days there are still eggs that are still in the process of hatching, you will probably need to risk it by taking the hatched chicks out and moving them to a brooder box with food and water. If you do it quickly and efficiently, it shouldn't cause too many temperature/humidity fluctuations.

Good luck and hope this helps!

 

[Bedste]

Saturday morning it is....... thank you ..... I will grab as many chicks and egg shells that I can in one huge swoop and then shut it up again ....

Thanks

 

[77horses]

Sounds good, hope it all goes well!
And you're welcome!

 

[peterlund]

Is the temp and humidity really that sensitive? It makes me wonder how nature can get things to hatch on her own. I never did a hatch so I am in wonder of the process... But it seems way too scientific for me!!! I'll stick to getting chicks by the mail!

 

[77horses]

Quote:
It really depends on the type of incubator, but slight and few humidity and temperature fluctuations shouldn't cause any harm at all, considering the fact that when a broody hen incubates her own eggs, of course there are temperature and humidity fluctuations because she gets off the nest every once in a while to eat, drink, etc. So as long as they are as infrequent and less extreme as possible, they shouldn't harm the eggs.
As for sensitivity, it can depend on the type of incubator. Some are a bit more 'finicky' than others. That's why you should do a few test runs to see how well it runs after an extended amount of time.

 

[calgal98]

Any time you open your incubator, be sure to turn off the fan (if you have one) so the heat isn't blown out of the incubator. Its not much help, but it is some. My incubator is quick to recoup its heat and humidity, so I don't reallly have concerns about opening it. But that isn't the case in all of them. Good luck!

 

[gryeyes]

I will remove fluffed up and active chicks from the incubator with other eggs in it AS LONG AS NONE OF THOSE EGGS HAVE PIPPED OR ZIPPED. If they are still solid, no breaks in the shells, I take out hatched chicks after a day. Of course, I have an incubator that recovers temp and humidity really quickly... but I don't leave the chicks in there for 3 days. Weak ones, two days, so they can rest up and gain strength. Feisty, fluffed up chicks, one day, generally overnight.

 

[jbarichivich]

I had to do this once as my temp spiked and my chick was gasping for air. I lifted the lid only enough for me to reach my hand through and grabbed the chick quickly and put the lid right back down. The temp and humidity barely changed and the hatch was fine. They really stress not opening because so many people want to keep opening and looking and opening and looking. If you are being that good and not opening it, you will be fine with that one quick open!! Look forward to pictures!!

 

[Bedste]

thanks everyone.... that really helps.

I have distorted plastic window so its hard to see if any eggs are in the process of hatching. I do not want to mess up anything...... I would love to have a 100% hatch rate or even an 80% like punkinpeep.. so I am being very careful.. Saturday morning will be 3 days for the first hatchling so I will do a fast scoop up or chicks then and hurry and shut the lid quickly. Thanks guys