Hatching Question

[glandeche]

I have 15 eggs in incubator, i put it on lockdown yesaterday, i noticed this morning 4 were starting to hatch (little hole starting)....my question is how long will they be ok in the incubator after there hatched, when should i move them to a brooder...... how long can they go without water/food in incubator?

 

[tamelroy]

Quote:
they can last 3 days with no food and water.

As far as when you should take the chicks out I think all of us do it different. If I have eggs that didn't hatch yet I put it in the brooder right away, so it doesn't disturb the others. If they hatch together I wait until they are dry.

 

[glandeche]

ahh great thanks for the help, my daughters are waiting so anxiously!

 

[tnchickenut]

Like they said, everyone is different. I have left weaker ones in for up to 24 hours. I try to always leave one. The chick literally will talk to the others (who knows what they are saying) and alot of people will tell you... it seems to motivate the ones still in eggs to come out. My last hatch, the first chick went and cuddled with a particular egg for about 4 hours (no pip on it) and wouldn't you know it.... that egg was the next to hatch and I had 4 others with pips that came after.

 

[PandoraTaylor]

I try to wait until all the pips I can see have hatched and move them at one time, that way the incubator stays closed more and the humidity stays up for the others.

so far with my 4 hatches, the least I have moved was 2 after they were dried, with no visible pips. I moved my last batch in 6's, as they were thrashing against the other eggs.