Day 19 hatchling dilemma

[Duckduckgoosie]

We had our first pip yesterday on Day 18 and 24 hours later our first chick is out. There’s another external pip now and four visible pin pricks (internal pips?). So, one hatched and 22 to go, potentially.

Would you try to make the bathroom humid enough to remove the first chick? She’s now fluffy and perfect. Seems like a long wait until the rest all do their thing but I understand she could wait 72 hours?

This is our first time hatching. Tomorrow is day 20 so the other eggs seem right on schedule, just this very early bird.

I do not want to shrink wrap the other eggs.

I can sit on my hands but welcome thoughts.

 

[Kiki]

We had our first pip yesterday on Day 18 and 24 hours later our first chick is out. There’s another external pip now and four visible pin pricks (internal pips?). So, one hatched and 22 to go, potentially.

Would you try to make the bathroom humid enough to remove the first chick? She’s now fluffy and perfect. Seems like a long wait until the rest all do their thing but I understand she could wait 72 hours?

This is our first time hatching. Tomorrow is day 20 so the other eggs seem right on schedule, just this very early bird.

It shouldn't take but one second or maybe three whole seconds to open the incubator grab the one chicken close it.
I wouldn't worry too much about the humidity. I would just be extremely quick.

Is the brooder warm?

 

[Duckduckgoosie]

Correction: today is day 20. Tomorrow is day 21.

 

[Duckduckgoosie]

It shouldn't take but one second or maybe three whole seconds to open the incubator grab the one chicken close it.
I wouldn't worry too much about the humidity. I would just be extremely quick.

Is the brooder warm?

Kept myself busy prepping the brooder this morning, yes! I think temp if anything is a little toasty at 98 degrees.

Not gonna lie I want to snuggle the baby

 

[Rm chickens]

I always remove chicks after 24 hrs. It shouldn't hurt a thing to open the incubator and take out the chick. I do it all the time as it seems I can never get my chicks to hatch all on the same day

 

[Duckduckgoosie]

Any votes to wait? It hasn’t been 24 hours from hatch yet so waiting to see what the in is look like then.

 

[Ridgerunner]

My thoughts on this. Actually shrink wrapping a chick by opening the incubator during hatch is pretty rare, I've only shrink wrapped one once. Some people open the incubator without a worry as you can see buy the responses above. They probably never have that problem. I do miss a certain lady on here (a great person) that said she opened hers all the time, she was also an expert on assisted hatching and was always ready to help with advice on that. Unfortunately she is no longer active on the forum.

If I have a reason to open the incubator during hatch I'll open it and take care of the emergency. For example, one time with the already hatched chicks playing rugby with the unhatched eggs I noticed half an eggshell got over an unhatched egg that had pipped so the chick would have trouble zipping, if it could even still breathe. So I immediately opened the incubator and took care of the problem. I understand there is a risk in opening the incubator but if I have a real reason I'll take that risk. From what I've seen that risk is fairly low.

Some people take the incubator into the bathroom and steam it up by running a hot shower for a bit. Others may spritz the eggs with warm water when they open it. Some take no precautions. At least one incubator manufacturer says you can open their incubator but suggest you limit it to once every 6 hours. I can't remember which model that is.

The chicks should absorb the yolk before they hatch so they should be able to live off of that yolk for 72 hours or more. The US postal regulations on shipping take that into consideration. To ships chicks hatcheries have to have them shipped within 24 hours of hatch. There has to be a reasonable expectation of them being delivered within 48 hours. The 72 hours is real. However not all chicks absorb the yolk like they are supposed to, the hatcheries should not ship those chicks, they probably won't make it. There could be something wrong with a chick where it won't make the 72 hours but again that should be pretty rare.

Like practically everything to do with chickens I don't consider this is not a yes or no situation. Different things can happen. It is totally your choice if you want to take that chick out and what, if any, precautions you want to take. Personally I would not just because I wanted to cuddle but many people do. Others don't want the chicks to go that long without eating or drinking. Although the chicks can go that long they consider it better if they eat or drink sooner.