Do you open the incubator to get out new chicks, or wait for them all to hatch?

[Akrnaf2]

Im aware of this, but surely opening it for no more than 5 seconds wont shrinkwrap it right?

Why risk it? A chick can stay up to 48 hours depending on it yolk.

 

[Smuvers Farm]

Why risk it? A chick can stay up to 48 hours depending on it yolk.

This is what I'd heard, 48-72 hours... and I've yet to see a chicken stay *wet* when left in the incubator.... they have always dried and fluffed out. If you continuously open your incubator to remove chicks as they hatch, then you are opening your bator too often.

Tagging a couple BYCers with more experience than I:

@casportpony @aart @WVduckchick @Pyxis @sourland @ronott1

 

[aart]

I remove chicks once they reach a certain steadiness on their feet. They never dry completely in the incubator for me and they cause too much havoc for the remaining eggs and chicks. I do try to remove several at once, both to save on opening the incubator repeatedly and because I’ve noticed single chicks added to the brooder sometimes get picked on as the least energetic in the bunch. They say not to open the incubator, but you aren’t pulling the lid off to make daisy chains inside, you’re just grabbing the chicks quickly and closing it again. I don’t even open the lid all the way, just enough to get my arm in. Newborns are surprisingly quick, but not that fast. I think the advice on not opening the incubator, while good, is aimed at the folks who get so nervous they open it every few minutes to check. That would cause harm.

This pretty much what I do...once they start getting too rowdy in there.
Removing, and leaving, in groups makes sense to me.
I give 18-24 hours from time of external pip before considering an assist if there's been no further progress.
It's all personal preference when to do what,
once you have some experience and understanding of the process and the risks,
it's somewhat easier to make a decision of when to intervene.

 

[Altfrizzle]

I open the incubator to help chicks if they’re pipping wrong (enlarging but not widening hole, zip going in wrong direction) or if they start zipping and stop for more than maybe 15 minutes.

I spray nursery toy cleaner in to up humidity after opening, so it RE-stabilizes in less than a minute.

I find that they commonly have their wing “elbow” or a foot over their head.

I also think if your timing is good, it’s less stressful for them to assist sooner rather than later. They seem to get weaker if you wait too long.

However, if there is red blood STOP

 

[WVduckchick]

I believe there are many schools of thought on this subject. Mine personal philosophy is "my eggs, my decision". So its up to the OP. I agree with most of the early posters here.

I am hands on, and open when necessary. A chick that has pipped should usually zip within 24 hours of external pip. Some sooner, some can take a bit longer. Assisting is a personal decision that everyone has to make on their own. Some feel assisting is wrong, and don't want a chick that can't hatch on its own. I take the responsibility if I assist one that has problems, I will do what is necessary, even if that means culling the chick afterward. Some would rather let them die without hatching, and I'm ok with that too. Personal choice.

I take chicks out of the incubator when there is a break in the action, and after a chick gets active. Whether it is dry or not isn't my guideline. Activity is. I take them out when they look "ready" to be out.

 

[lazy gardener]

I find that they commonly have their wing “elbow” or a foot over their head.

Normal hatch positon is beak tucked under right wing. All other positions are considered to be malposition, and can have varying effects on the chick's ability to complete pip, zip, and push out of the shell. Egg shape can contribute to this issue as well. This is why it's recommended that you choose "normal" shaped eggs for incubation, rejecting the overly pointy, torpedo shaped, or round eggs.

IMO, some chicks are simply too big to be able to get into correct hatching position.

If I have a chick pip wrong end, or below air cell, I will open the shell just a tiny bit to ensure that she can breathe. These wrong end pippers are more apt to pip through a blood vessel, or pip before the blood vessels have receeded from the shell membranes. So, it's imperative to wait out the absorption process.

My most successful "assists" have resulted from assessing the egg, ensuring that the chick can breathe, then simply leaving that egg until the rest of the hatch has completed, (or until the chick has failed to make progress for a full 24 hours). Then, I will slowly assist.

I understand the "advice" re: not assisting. Theory being that if a chick is not strong enough to hatch without assistance, then it is not a chicken that will be a productive flock member, and certainly not a chick that should be playing in the gene pool.

I have a differing opinion. An incubator is a poor imitation of a broody hen. Even with the best incubation parameters, there can still be "issues" with an egg that will prevent a perfectly healthy chick from hatching. So, I assist.

 

[Maddison]

Wow so many replies! okay so I grabbed the pipped egg out of the bator, I assisted it chipping away at the egg and as soon as it was half out it pushed its way out as I was assisting! the chick was more than ready no blood vessels or yolk and even did its first poo in there. after a quick warm bath shes fluffed out in the brooder and running around with everyone else. the membrane was not shrinkwrapped but really dry and attached to the chick, I've come to the conclusion that my humidity isn't high enough so I've bumped it up to %65, my latest pip is zipping well and will hatch soon. I'm going to leave any chicks in there until they are active and walking like WVduckchick said before I transfer them to the brooder, as i've just done with another chick as I was taking out the other egg to assist. my previous assisted chick I thought had crooked toes by the looks of it but has seemed to straighten out now. compared to my last hatch this round is really successful!

 

[Harmony Fowl]

I’m glad it went so well. It’s extra good to see them recover well after having so much trouble.

 

[Janetlynn77]

If very concerned and capable of unplugging, plus transporting small size incubator...
Go to your bathroom and turn on shower. Make it like a steam room. Match humidity levels with inside incubator. Take out fluffy newbies. When finished, close incubator. (At this point I'm cleaning old stinky eggs & possibly candeling to check for any dead ones to obviously be pulled) Continue back to normal routine of waiting for the rest to hatch. 11 outta 12 on my 1st chicken egg incubator run.

 

[Brandiblackwell]

im on day 22 and only one chick has come out and dried. Not able to see if anyone else is hatching. What should i do? when is it safe to check other eggs?