First hatch and I've got a few questions.

[Trent & Sue Stubblefield]

We had our first baby hatch this morning! It was a surprise as we don't disturb Big Momma too much, and we came home one weekend to 7 eggs being brooded. This was a first, so we figured it was time. (She's 3, the Roo is less than a year)

I've been reading about hatchings here and issues and I must say, the shell was zipped cleanly, and he/she moved away from it on his/her own, but I am a bit concerned by the blood. It was mentioned there should be no blood.
Also, I see that they don't need food or water for 3 days, but if they are the only one, should they stay in the incubator? We should have more (10 eggs in the bator right now) spread out over the next 2 weeks, but I can't leave it in there too long, (yes I saw three days, but he's all huddled in the middle under the fan looking miserable.)
Our temp stays at 37ish Celsius, the humidity I can't control worth a darn but is around 60-68. He's walking around, and cuddled with me for the bit I had him out, but could there still be issues?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Staggered hatches like that can compromise the latter set eggs because of the high humidity. It's better to set eggs all together or at least in two week intervals if you do not have a separate hatcher. Also hatching with a turner in the bator increases the risk of leg injuries to the newly hatched chicks.

I do not believe in withholding food and water for three days. Mine don't stay in the incubator more than 12 hours. Careful having wet chicks out from the bator with no heat source for long periods of time as they can chill easily.

If you do not have anymore hatching right away I would go ahead and put that one in the brooder where it can get warm. I don't usually move the first one until there is a friend for them because only chicks are lonely chicks, but I don't stagger eggs over days either.

 

[Trent & Sue Stubblefield]

Thank you so much! As this is my first batch in the bator, I'm still learning. He wasn't expected today, so the brooder wasn't set up, but it is now, and the heat lamp is working. (He is wet in the picture, but I put him back in the bator while the brooder preps. He'll get a vary shallow dish of water and starter.

 

[Trent & Sue Stubblefield]

About the blood in the shell? Is that abnormal?

 

[Ridgerunner]

First, don't worry about the blood. There is nothing you could do at this point anyway. Before they get ready to hatch they dry up blood vessels outside their body and absorb the blood. It looks like they didn't get one of those. That's not enough blood to worry about. The big issue with blood is that if you try to help an egg hatch and it's not ready, it hasn't dried up the blood vessels, you can kill it by trying to help. You are not in that situation.

Chicks can go three days without food or water since they absorb the yolk. I've had chicks stay in the incubator three days and I've had broody hens not bring chicks off the nest for food and water for over three days after the first one hatches. Those chicks did fine, it did not hurt them. Just because they can go without food or water doesn't mean they have to.

Since you are opening the incubator anyway, I'd put it in the brooder. That's not for the welfare of the chick that has hatched, it's because you have a staggered hatch. The chick will move around the incubator and slime the unhatched eggs. The chick will also poop, on the eggs and in the incubator. That can cause bacteria to start multiplying in there, at worse killing the later eggs plus in a couple of days the incubator will stink pretty badly. You may need to take everything out of that incubator and clean it if it starts to smell.

The eggs don't have to be turned after two weeks. I won't go into the reasons but after the newest eggs have been in there 14 days take the turner out.

I don't do staggered hatches either, but stay in touch with Amy. She is an expert at dealing with hatching problems.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Thank you so much! As this is my first batch in the bator, I'm still learning. He wasn't expected today, so the brooder wasn't set up, but it is now, and the heat lamp is working. (He is wet in the picture, but I put him back in the bator while the brooder preps. He'll get a vary shallow dish of water and starter.

Putting sterilized rocks or marbles in the water dish will help prevent chicks from drowning.

About the blood in the shell? Is that abnormal?

That's perfectly normal. It's just a bit of pink membrane left from hatching. If you see bright red veining in membrane, or blood pooling in the shell, then be worried.

 

[Trent & Sue Stubblefield]

You all are awesome! 1 last question, for now. How do I not do a staggered hatching? If all the eggs are laid on separate days, and I only have 2 hens laying, won't the hatch be staggered no matter what I do?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

You can collect and store eggs for 7-10 days before setting. Some go longer but once you get around 2 weeks the viability starts decreasing. Collect them set them in cartons, big side up, pointed end down, store in a cool place 50F is good. Keep it under 70F. Most people recommend turning during storage. I try to tilt my cartons a couple times a day. When you have what you want or at a week-10 days, set them. I will do staggered hatches by two weeks if I am selling because that gives the later ones time to even out air cells after being in higher humidity. (I monitor air cells to know how to adjust humidity as seen here: http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity ) . But, I hand turn so I don't have a turner in the bator during hatch. I just turn the latter ones by hand.

 

[Trent & Sue Stubblefield]

I didn't realized you could put off hatching like that. This is amazing! Thank you!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

It doesn't matter that they are laid on different days, it matters when they are set. As long as they are set on the same day they should all hatch within 48 hours first to last.