How long can chick's stay in incabator?

[kempkalm]

Yesterday Tuesday at a 8 a.m. The first chick hatched out of 42 eggs. Now today Wednesday 7 a.m. there are 10 chicks hatched. One is right now. How long can the chicks stay in there because I don't want to open the incubator with them still hatching?

 

[lazy gardener]

They should be fine for 48 hours. However, if your bator is full of eggs, and they are hatching well, and you can do a quick entry to snatch chicks and empty shells you can do so. Try to time your entry to coincide with a lull in the action. How is your humidity? With that many chicks hatching, I have a feeling that your humidity will quickly recover if you open it for a moment. With that many eggs, you may never see a lull! Do you have your brooder all set up? Congrats on a successful hatch.

 

[kempkalm]

They should be fine for 48 hours. However, if your bator is full of eggs, and they are hatching well, and you can do a quick entry to snatch chicks and empty shells you can do so. Try to time your entry to coincide with a lull in the action. How is your humidity? With that many chicks hatching, I have a feeling that your humidity will quickly recover if you open it for a moment. With that many eggs, you may never see a lull! Do you have your brooder all set up? Congrats on a successful hatch.

Yes my temperature and my humidity has been staying the same throughout the hatch. About 65% humidity 9 + 9.8 temperature. The funny thing about this hatch is most of the time they're hatched out before I even see them pipping. All at once they are just hatched. I missed the part of watching them coming out.

 

[kempkalm]

They should be fine for 48 hours. However, if your bator is full of eggs, and they are hatching well, and you can do a quick entry to snatch chicks and empty shells you can do so. Try to time your entry to coincide with a lull in the action. How is your humidity? With that many chicks hatching, I have a feeling that your humidity will quickly recover if you open it for a moment. With that many eggs, you may never see a lull! Do you have your brooder all set up? Congrats on a successful hatch.

Oh yeah what do you mean by lull?

 

[lazy gardener]

Um.... no pips or zips.

 

[lazy gardener]

If you are getting rapid zips, you are getting a good hatch. If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it!

 

[kempkalm]

If you are getting rapid zips, you are getting a good hatch. If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it!

Exactly! That's why I I need to know how long the babies that hatched just yesterday morning are safe cuz I know they must be getting thirsty or hungry but I don't want to shrink wrap or drown any babies in their shells.

 

[lazy gardener]

48 hours is the general rule of thumb. This is why hatcheries can get away with shipping newly hatched chicks across the country. They have reserves in the absorbed yolk to keep them from getting dehydrated or overly hungry. They were created this way b/c when Mama broody hatches her chicks, it allows her to sit tight to the nest for a couple of days to allow for late hatchers, as well as for the babies to stay in the nest till they get strong enough to be able to follow her over hill and dale looking for their grub.

 

[Ridgerunner]

They are not getting hungry or thirsty yet. As LG mentioned absorbing the yolk takes care of that. This is stretching it but I once saw a broody hen hatch her first chick on a Monday evening and stay on the nest until Friday morning. When she finally brought them off the nest that chick was fine. That was about three and a half days. They can live off of that yolk for a very long time.