Do eggs/baby chicks need to be monitored constantly, or will we be able to go to work and school?

[SquishyPandas]

I'd really love to get some fertile eggs from somebody my Dad knows, but everyone in my family works/goes to school from about 7:30am until 4:00pm, so the eggs/chicks would be alone for eight and a half hours on week days... surely that's too long for them to be left alone? What if one of the eggs hatched while we weren't there? Would the chick be okay?

 

[teach1rusl]

I don't incubate. I know day old chicks do just fine left alone. Since hatching takes hours, I'd say the odds are in your favor that someone would be home for most of the hatches...and since they can live off the yolk nutrients for a day or two, it seems they'd be okay if nobody was home when they hatched. But if it really worries you, set your eggs to hatch on Friday/Saturday. That way if they go an extra day you're still okay.

 

[Life is Good!]

They'll be just fine - if you have a good set-up for a brooder, fill feeders and waterers before you go for the day and the little peeps will be just fine! However, they're addicting to watch, so you might want to make sure you can enjoy these first few fun days during a break or a 3 day weekend (not sure if you'll have one in May....).
As for hatching - most chicks hatch just fine and need to stay in the incubator to dry off and 'fluff up'.
But if you're truly concerned - figure out your last day of school (you know that day right?!), count backwards 20 days and set eggs in an incubator on that day. Then, you can be home when they hatch and when they are at their cutest!