Enough room in the bator for early hatchers?

[Hooterville]

Hope someone can help!
I'm on my second hatch with much better results! Yea!
I have some of Dipsey's, Jody's, Chickenlisa and Leah's in the bator--needless to say, bator is full!

Hatch date is supposed to be Saturday.

Took the eggs out of the turner Wed. evening and upped the humidity to 65%. (last time I had big humidity issues)
I have 3 cartons and then several eggs laying on their sides. There is not much room in there!

Last night I was showing DD the setup when she notices that 1 of Dipseys eggs is rolling around and that 3 of the carton eggs are pipped!
This morning I have 2 completely hatched and dry and 3 more on their way out.

I couldn't be more excited!!

I've not opened the bator but now I'm wondering about the early hatch and if I should be concerned with leaving the babies in there if they can only get around between the cartons and around the edge.

Have I overcrowded them by using the carton method? I have a hovabator.

Thanks for any tips!

BTW--leaving them to come to work this morning was almost as bad as leaving my kids the first day of school!

edited for title change

Also, DD just called and there are now 6 fully hatched with 3 more almost out and lotsa pipping.
Hope there's room for them!!

 

[Fudgie]

Lol on worse than the first day of school, I agree!!!

Stop by the store on the way home and pick up a rubbermaid container (tall one and enough room for the babies but not too much), a heatlamp, bulb and some open weave wire and zip ties and some bedding and another thermometer/hygrometer.

Cut a hole in the lid about the size of the heatlamp widest part of the base. Cut some holes so you can zip tie the wire to the top of the lid. Put the heatlamp on top (not inside, it will get too hot) and plug in. you might need to make a hanger to hang the heatlamp from or go with a smaller wattage bulb, it gets pretty warm in there. the red bulbs really make it sweaty in there.

Put your babies that are all dry good in there (we sometimes put the sticky drawer liner down so they can get a grip and not get burried in the bedding. This gets them out of the bator therefore they stay away from the newly hatched babies. As the newbies dry (24 hours at least) put them in with the others.

make sure they have food and water that they cannot drown in. We put gravel from the driveway in our water dish(fill it up, it does not take much to drown one). They can climb on top and not fall in to drown but can get to the water.

 

[chickenandabiscuit]

I would leave them as they are for now. Let the rest hatch and if the first ones turn 3 days old before that then I would remove them. The chicks sleep most of the time anyway as long as they are not disturbed.
I would fear that you might potentially ruin the rest of your hatch if you open it. It's not worth it for two chickies and they will be fine anyway living off of the yokes.

 

[Fudgie]

good point chickenandabiscuit. They do sleep a lot! and encourage the others to come out by peeping and chirping! i stand corrected. LOL the rubbermaid box does work nicely though!

 

[Hooterville]

Thanks for the replies!
I do have my brooder box all ready with light, food etc. I just didn't expect the little buggers to hatch so early.

I figured they could go a day or so without food or water--just worried about them having enough room to move around!

I can't wait to get home!!!!

 

[77horses]

wow! amazing! This must be a VERY exciting time for you!

I am a new person with hatching and I have one chicken egg that is on day 19. No pips yet, which was expected, since it has had some temp./hum. issues and I expect it to hatch late.
I am very excited too! But probably way less excited as you are!

I would be sooo happy if I had that many eggs awaiting hatch than just one LOL

But anyways, the other people who already responded gave you great advise! way to go!

AND good luck on your hatch! I hope you have excellent results when you get home!

 

[Hooterville]

I am very excited! My last hatch didn't go so well--I ended up with 3 little babies, but due to humidity issues I had to help 2. They survived and are doing fine, but I wanted to try again so I could get it right!

I'll let you know how it turns out!