Day 21 and there is one chicky so far!!! Questions!!!

[bubra007]

I know I've read a dozen places that chicks can live 2 days without food or water. I woke up this morning to find one had hatched...it is still wet so I know he/she needs to fluff up before moving to another area, but I've also read that to prevent undo stress in the new chick, have food and water available soon! What do I do?! How long should I wait after he/she is fluffed up before moving to an area with food/water? I don't want to mess up the incubator environment.

I'm sorry, I'm sure this has been asked a million times, but in my excited and sleep deprived state I can't find my answers!

Thanks!

The newest addition!

 

[Mahonri]

Leave the early bird alone, it will help encourage the others to start pipping.

 

[ranchhand]

First, congratulations!

Second, DO NOT OPEN that incubator! Be patient, the chick will be fine for all today and tomorrow, still feeding from the yolk. And with it running around and chirping, it will encourage the others.

BTW, if you whistle and chirp to the eggs it will help encourage them too. I use a bird call, because my voice is gravelly enough to scare them into not hatching.

Happy hatching!

 

[gumpsgirl]

Congrats on hatching out your first chick!

It will be fine living on the yolk sac it absorbed for a few days! As Mahonri stated, it will help encourage the others to get pipping and zipping to make their entrance into this world! I think you are reading the advice that is given for shipped chicks. After all, they've been in the shipping box for several days and haven't ever had food or water so naturally you would want to have food and water available to them as soon as they arrive.

And as ranchhand has stated, don't open the bator! You will compromise the rest of your hatch by lowering the humidity.

Now sit back and enjoy the show!

 

[joebryant]

Bubra007, the chick has just finished consuming the yolk and moisture before it kicked its way out of the shell. It'll be okay for at least two days and more with no additional feed and water. Don't do what I've done with my only two hatches; don't open the incubator for any reason until you're sure the hatching has stopped. I lost chicks both times because I was afraid the chicks would get hurt wobbling around on cracked eggshells. I was warned loud and clear to not upset the incubators environment for at least two day of hatching.

I have eggs due to hatch next week. When I stop the incubator from turning the eggs, I am not going into the room again for at least four days because I don't trust myself.

 

[bubra007]

Thank you for the responses! I will leave everything alone!!

 

[Tuffoldhen]

What everyone says, he is just fine for a day or two til the others have a chance to pip and hatch out.

 

[Mom2Cool]

Congrats!

Listen to everyone here don't open the bator till the hatching is over... I love when they're first born like that, they look like a prehistoric thing don't they? You'll be amazed how quick he fluffs up.