Hatching at different times

[BackyardBradshaw]

Hi! This is my first time hatching using an incubator. I thought I they would've hatched around the same time but I've got quite the variation right now. 2 of them are about 15hrs old and fluffy now, some just hatched this morning, and there's about 8 eggs that have only pipped.
How long can chicks remain in the incubator after they dry out? I want to transfer some to the brooder later today but am worried I'll harm the others still in their shells if I open it.
I'm sure this is posted somewhere on here but I couldn't find an exact thread with what I'm asking.

 

[NatJ]

How long can chicks remain in the incubator after they dry out? I want to transfer some to the brooder later today but am worried I'll harm the others still in their shells if I open it.
I'm sure this is posted somewhere on here but I couldn't find an exact thread with what I'm asking.

Chicks can safely stay in the incubator for at least 2 days (48 hours) after they hatch, and are typically fine for 3 days (72 hours).

They absorb the yolk just before they hatch, so they do not need to eat and drink immediately. In nature, this means the first ones do not die of starvation while the hen waits for the later ones to hatch. For people, this is why chicks can be sent through the mail after they hatch, without needing to eat & drink on the way.

Opening the incubator to remove chicks, then closing it again, is usually not a big deal. Just don't do it too often, and don't keep it open for a long time. In this case, with so many pipped eggs, I would wait until they finish hatching and dry off (probably this evening or tomorrow morning), then remove the chicks.

The incubator is safe and the right temperature, and newly-hatched chicks do a lot of sleeping, mixed with a bit of moving around as they learn how to walk. They should be fine for a while.

This is my first time hatching using an incubator. I thought I they would've hatched around the same time but I've got quite the variation right now. 2 of them are about 15hrs old and fluffy now, some just hatched this morning, and there's about 8 eggs that have only pipped.

Those all sound fine. Just leave the incubator closed, with all the chicks in it, and wait for the rest to hatch.

Having them all hatch within a 24 hour window is considered quite good, and some hatches drag on for several more days. So yours are doing pretty well so far.

 

[BackyardBradshaw]

Thank you for your input! This makes me feel more at ease. I'm slightly nervous because it's gone so well thus far lol.

 

[SmiYa0126]

Hello! They should be taken out after 24 hours. I wouldn't worry about the ones that are just pipped. Congratulations on the new babies! Post pictures!

 

[BackyardBradshaw]

Hello! They should be taken out after 24 hours. I wouldn't worry about the ones that are just pipped. Congratulations on the new babies! Post pictures!