Does daylight stress new hatchlings?

[Patterson Farmer]

Hi, I'm new to this whole chick-raising thing and this website/forum has helped me so much in the last few weeks as I've been preparing for their arrival. Now that 2 (of 24) chicks have hatched early this morning (yay!!) I can't stop peering into the incubator to watch them. But that makes me wonder....does my giant hovering head looming over them stress them out? I've also got the incubator in my living room near a window so they get plenty of natural light (but not direct...it's a very shady corner of my home so they definitely aren't getting fried or anything).

Now that they are earth-side, it's suddenly dawned on me that the natural light, coupled with me, my husband, and my two kids (ages 11 & 14) all taking a peek every few minutes...is that freaking them out? At one point I put a thin kitchen towel over the window of the bator to see if that made a difference and they did seem to quit down a bit (but still occasionally had sudden bursts of noise and movement).

Thoughts? And thank you!!!

 

[PD-Riverman]

It doesn't stress them---just don't bang on the incubator---that would spook them. No need to put a towel over the window. Just let them hatch. I have hatched about 10,000 in the last 3 years----the last hatch was exciting too---LOL. Good Luck

 

[Patterson Farmer]

It doesn't stress them---just don't bang on the incubator---that would spook them. No need to put a towel over the window. Just let them hatch. I have hatched about 10,000 in the last 3 years----the last hatch was exciting too---LOL. Good Luck

Thank you!! Now that several more hours have passed, I've relaxed a bit. We have 7 hatched, all look robust (although one has some membrane/sticky stuff matted down on its back) and I bravely opened up the incubator to transfer them to my brooder. I thought I had looked carefully, but there was an egg in there that had pipped so I'm not sure if I blew it for him/her. The humidity went back up to normal (~65%) within 15mins or so...fingers crossed. The chicks in the brooder seem happy and are already not afraid of me when I put my hand in

 

[PD-Riverman]

Thank you!! Now that several more hours have passed, I've relaxed a bit. We have 7 hatched, all look robust (although one has some membrane/sticky stuff matted down on its back) and I bravely opened up the incubator to transfer them to my brooder. I thought I had looked carefully, but there was an egg in there that had pipped so I'm not sure if I blew it for him/her. The humidity went back up to normal (~65%) within 15mins or so...fingers crossed. The chicks in the brooder seem happy and are already not afraid of me when I put my hand in

I like your post---except for bravely opening the incubator to remove the chicks-----Which it is yours and you can and a lot of hatchers do----I just had bad luck doing that years back.

Just for info----In the last few years I just leave them all in until after the hatch date has past, then open and remove all at one time. Its just what works best for me and my friends that hatch. Since I started doing it that way my hatch rate has gone to 95 to 100% every hatch with 10,000+/- hatched in about 3 years. BUT some say they have real good hatch rates and they open at will---any time they want. I think Most of those assist with the hatch----I just leave mine closed and they about all hatch without my assisting. Good Luck!!!

 

[WVduckchick]

Thank you!! Now that several more hours have passed, I've relaxed a bit. We have 7 hatched, all look robust (although one has some membrane/sticky stuff matted down on its back) and I bravely opened up the incubator to transfer them to my brooder. I thought I had looked carefully, but there was an egg in there that had pipped so I'm not sure if I blew it for him/her. The humidity went back up to normal (~65%) within 15mins or so...fingers crossed. The chicks in the brooder seem happy and are already not afraid of me when I put my hand in

Let me guess... the one that had pipped hatched just fine!

Congrats so far, and good luck with the rest, please post some pics when you can.