How long can hatched chick stay in incubator?

Oh dear! I didn't know you shouldn't open the incubator whilst the chicks are hatching - I've opened it a lot in the past 24 hours since the first one hatched. Number 2 is hatching but I will now leave well alone. The 21 days is up tomorrow so hopefully I won't have damaged the remainder. I hope not because we lost the last lot at about 6 weeks when the fox got them.
Before you freak out...don't. Not all of us are hands off hatchers. Many of us are hands on hatchers and open during hatch. I myself am in and out of my incubator frequently. I candle all the way through until hatch is over. I remove shells and roll eggs back over that have gotten tossed around by hatchers, and remove hatchers as they become active. If you are hands on, you just need to make sure you have adequate humidity. I recommend at least 70-75% during hatch and monitor the pips to make sure membranes aren't drying out. There's nothing wrong with being hands off, but with the right precautions, you can be hands on as well without worrying about compromising anything.
 
Before you freak out...don't. Not all of us are hands off hatchers. Many of us are hands on hatchers and open during hatch. I myself am in and out of my incubator frequently. I candle all the way through until hatch is over. I remove shells and roll eggs back over that have gotten tossed around by hatchers, and remove hatchers as they become active. If you are hands on, you just need to make sure you have adequate humidity. I recommend at least 70-75% during hatch and monitor the pips to make sure membranes aren't drying out. There's nothing wrong with being hands off, but with the right precautions, you can be hands on as well without worrying about compromising anything.
Thanks heaps for this - I feel better now as chick number 2 has just hatched
 
Hi I can appreciate the anxiety of deciding at what stage we should assist them. I have just successfully hatched a kittle Pekin which was struggling to hatch . After 24 hours of just a small pip she was getting weaker so I slowly peeled away the shell and dried out membrane from the air cell area. Always moistening it. I left her /him to do the last bit alone. Only thing is s/he is half the size of rhe two week old chicks! How long can s/he stay in the incubator.?? Hatched 8pm last night , Tuesday Now it is 11.30 pm Wed?
 

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