Day 22: When To Open Incubator

[skullgrrrl]

I have eggs in the incubator. Its day 22 for eleven and day 21 for two. Six chicks have hatched, 3 chicks are trying (two since yesterday) and no action on four yet.

The chicks that have hatched (some 36 hrs ago) are very active, motoring around and bumping into the eggs that have yet to hatch. I know you're not supposed to open the incubator but at what point can you scoop the active ones to allow the others to hatch?

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

You shouldn't have to remove any of them. I would just wait til they are all hatched.

 

[ChickensAndYoga]

Move them if you need to. You'll get different opinions but when my last hatch...I had a chick hatch and play soccer to the point she ruptured a vessel of another pipped chick. Nope. No more. I incubator hatch and broody hatch. I've sat for hours and watched a hen vs an incubator. A hen sits on the eggs, stands in increments when she needs to, then sits again. Keeping eggs mostly cradled under her through various points in hatching. An incubator creates a touch football field of bad things happening. So, if you feel your eggs are jeopardized... Move them.

 

[skullgrrrl]

One of the chicks is out of the egg but still attached by its umbilical cord so its stuck. Can I scoop it and cut the cord, then put it back in the incubator? Two others have made absolutely no progress all day. They have both broken about 1.5" of the egg shell and are breathing but not doing anything else. How long would you leave them like that? At this point the blood vessels in the membrane should have been absorbed.

 

[ChickensAndYoga]

One of the chicks is out of the egg but still attached by its umbilical cord so its stuck. Can I scoop it and cut the cord, then put it back in the incubator? Two others have made absolutely no progress all day. They have both broken about 1.5" of the egg shell and are breathing but not doing anything else. How long would you leave them like that? At this point the blood vessels in the membrane should have been absorbed.

You could leave the one who is out if shes not dry yet. The thread stuck to her will detach. If you see any significant blood that's another story. As for the others, it can take them a while and they rest a lot. How long has it been? If you see beaks and they are breathing I'd wait a bit more. I'm actually not a big helper. I do move them faster to the brooder but as for hatching help I rarely intervene. I hope someone with more knowledge can help. Or go to the education section. There's a TON of great info on helping. Good luck!