first chick out of 12 hatched today !!

[chickenlover0805]

hello !! today my first chick hatched out of my incubator!!

does he/she look healthy?? and is there any tips I should know for after they hatch??

Also how long should they stay in here??

 

[Knobby]

Congratulations on the hatch. It's an exciting moment. I just finished hatching out 13 out of 15 eggs just last week..using the dry hatch method. In my experience, the chicks are able to remain inside the incubator for up to 3 days without food or water (they absorbed their yolk). Keep them in the incubator until they are fluffy and all dry. Be cautious when you try to remove them..paying close attention to any remaining eggs that have pipped. Opening the incubator can lead to a sudden drop in humidity, thus increasing the chances of shrink wrapping the other chicks before they have the chance to fully hatch out.

As for what I did after all the eggs had hatched out; I had a 47 gallon plastic tote all set and ready to act as their brooder. I have a 250 watt (110 watt will do) heat lamp to keep temps at 90-95F for the first week, and then adjusted to reduce by 5 degrees every week until the 8th week. Be sure to have a hydrometer/thermometer inside your brooder so you can monitor temps and humidity.

Have sources for feed and water, and determine what chick feed you gonna put them on (medicated/unmedicated).

I'm sure I've missed other things..and again, this is based on my experiences. I am by no means an expert and am learning on the fly.

 

[chickenlover0805]

As for what I did after all the eggs had hatched out; I had a 47 gallon plastic tote all set and ready to act as their brooder. I have a 250 watt (110 watt will do) heat lamp to keep temps at 90-95F for the first week, and then adjusted to reduce by 5 degrees every week until the 8th week. Be sure to have a hydrometer/thermometer inside your brooder so you can monitor temps and humidity.

Have sources for feed and water, and determine what chick feed you gonna put them on (medicated/unmedicated).

this is what i have set up so far

and this is the lil guy right now !!

 

[Knobby]

That's a good start. I'd try and get a cover for the brooder. My chicks are 7 days old and already able to hop a good foot and a half up.

 

[chickenlover0805]

That's a good start. I'd try and get a cover for the brooder. My chicks are 7 days old and already able to hop a good foot and a half up.

I'll see what I can do

 

[Knobby]

I'll see what I can do

Doesn't have to be extravagant...i used a leftover closet wire rack from a previous project. it does the trick. Another thing you may want to consider, since they will grow up rapidly, is a bigger brooder. I know my 47 gallon tote will quickly be outgrown within the second week. I have a large dog kennel that I'll transfer them to, but it's preoccupied by a few 4-week old chicks at the moment. I'll move them over to their main coop, along with my established flocks, once they turn 8 weeks.

 

[chickenlover0805]

3 more hatched overnight

 

[Knobby]

3 more hatched overnight View attachment 4120403View attachment 4120404

Congrats! Was planning on doing another batch of eggs in the incubator, but I now have a broody hen sitting on a dozen eggs.