Help! First babies have hatched...

[hodom]

Freaking out... This is my first hatch. 4 eggs. 5pm today would be 21 days. Two of them hatched yesterday afternoon. I wasn't expecting them to come so quickly. I thought I had all I needed for the brooder but this evening I checked the temp prior to moving them and it was WAY to hot! Now the other to have pipped, the two hatched ones are over 24hrs old, and I have no brooder until probably noon tomorrow after I have gotten a new setup. By the time the first born will be moved they will be close to 48hrs. Will that kill them?

 

[hodom]

Third one has hatched... Just over 24 hours later than the second one. It's still attached to the egg by a tiny string (umbilical cord?).

 

[AmyLynn2374]

What are you using to heat the one end of your brooder?

 

[hodom]

What are you using to heat the one end of your brooder?

I was using the brooder lamp and build tractor supply gave us... Way to big, 250 watt. Just went to pet store and got much smaller.

 

[Choco Maran]

No chicks are good for three days after hatch before they are in danger. You should have plenty of time.

 

[hodom]

Thank you! I needed reassurance! 4th just hatched and I never saw any sign, just suddenly there were 4! Third one that hatched at 530 this morning still has tiny string attached to egg. How long do I leave it before I have to do something? Poor thing is pulling heavy egg around!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I was using the brooder lamp and build tractor supply gave us... Way to big, 250 watt. Just went to pet store and got much smaller.

I just keep highering my lamp until the heat is where I want it.

 

[Donna R Raybon]

I switched to ceramic heat emitting fixture. Pet smart $25 and off eBay much cheaper. If you have +25 chicks to brood in freezing weather that huge heat lamp might be OK.
Since I brood in batches of less than 20, I use old metal wash tub. Put peeps on papertowels first few days so you can monitor poo and they figure out what food is versus something like shavings. Peeps really start to eat and drink after three days old.

First week I leave a light source on all the time to encourage them to eat. After that, at least 14 hours of light. I have best luck using a gamebird or turkey starter crumbles rather than chick starter. Light just needs to be good enough to read by, not blazing bright.

 

[hodom]

So the fourth one hatched around noon-1, and here at 11pm doesn't seem to be doing near as well as the others. It has only walked a few times. It will kind of shuffle around and if it stands it's only for a couple seconds. I have moved them all into the brooder but I am worried about this one being picked on. What should I do?