How long can new born chicks go with ought water?

[Zayan]

Hey everyone,

I just hatched 3 silkie chicks. One hatched day 19, two hatched day 20, and now it is day 21 and there is one egg that's pipped and is about to hatch. It will probably hatch tonight or tomorrow. Can the chicks who hatched on day 19 and 20 survive with ought food for so long? Some websites say 3 days and some say 24 hours. I don't know what to do and I don't want to take the hatched chicks out and risk the pipped egg from shrink wrapping. I would really appreciate any responses.

Thanks

 

[2 many chickens]

Just take them out. Move them to their brooder. I've always removed hatchlings once they're fluffed out and walking. I have never ever had a shrink wrapped chick. If you're worried about it, pop in a warm wet sponge bit to raise humidity back up quicker.

 

[Zayan]

Just take them out. Move them to their brooder. I've always removed hatchlings once they're fluffed out and walking. I have never ever had a shrink wrapped chick. If you're worried about it, pop in a warm wet sponge bit to raise humidity back up quicker.

Okay Mabye I’ll do that. Are you sure it won’t shrink wrap? There is a crack in the egg and I can see the chick moving

 

[CluckNDoodle]

What kind of incubator are you using? Many return to humidity very quickly when opened for only a moment.

To answer your question, chicken chicks can live off of their newly absorbed yolk sac for up to 72 hours, quail are 24 hours so maybe that's where you've been seeing the discrepancy. I can't leave mine in the incubator that long though, lol.

Like @2 many chickens mentioned, I take my chicks out once they're fluffy. If I have actively hatching chicks I will sometimes wait until a chick just hatches and then I'll remove all of the dry chicks. The freshly hatched wet chick will return the incubator to normal humidity in no time at all. A warm wet sponge will also do the trick, you want it warm so the incubator doesn't have to work as hard to heat up the wet sponge but not hot because you don't want it to mess with the temp too much.

 

[2 many chickens]

Okay Mabye I’ll do that. Are you sure it won’t shrink wrap? There is a crack in the egg and I can see the chick moving

It won't. Just move them out swiftly.

 

[Zayan]

What kind of incubator are you using? Many return to humidity very quickly when opened for only a moment.

To answer your question, chicken chicks can live off of their newly absorbed yolk sac for up to 72 hours, quail are 24 hours so maybe that's where you've been seeing the discrepancy. I can't leave mine in the incubator that long though, lol.

Like @2 many chickens mentioned, I take my chicks out once they're fluffy. If I have actively hatching chicks I will sometimes wait until a chick just hatches and then I'll remove all of the dry chicks. The freshly hatched wet chick will return the incubator to normal humidity in no time at all. A warm wet sponge will also do the trick, you want it warm so the incubator doesn't have to work as hard to heat up the wet sponge but not hot because you don't want it to mess with the temp too much.

Thanks for the reply. I am using the janoel 2 incubator. The three that have hatched are fluffy and active. Do you think I should wait another day for the other egg to hatch? I think it has been 2 days since the first one hatched

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Thanks for the reply. I am using the janoel 2 incubator. The three that have hatched are fluffy and active. Do you think I should wait another day for the other egg to hatch? I think it has been 2 days since the first one hatched

I would go ahead and take them out. I haven't used one but more people complain about the humidity being too high than too low in a janoel so you should be just fine. In most cases opening the incubator quickly won't shrink wrap your chicks.

 

[Zayan]

I would go ahead and take them out. I haven't used one but more people complain about the humidity being too high than too low in a janoel so you should be just fine. In most cases opening the incubator quickly won't shrink wrap your chicks.

Thanks, ill do that. A few more questions if you don't mind. I have a 1, 5 week old chick. When do you think I can put the newborns and the older chick together. Also, what would you recommend. A heat lamp or heating pad? Also what bedding is the best to use? I have been using cardboard but thinking of switching to wood shavings.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Thanks, ill do that. A few more questions if you don't mind. I have a 1, 5 week old chick. When do you think I can put the newborns and the older chick together. Also, what would you recommend. A heat lamp or heating pad? Also what bedding is the best to use? I have been using cardboard but thinking of switching to wood shavings.

I use equine pine pellets as bedding because they don't create quite as much dust and the cut down on the smell, pine shavings are also a great option and are more commonly used.

The one week old chick should be perfectly fine with the newly hatched chicks. The 5 week old chick may pick on the little ones or accidentally trample them. I will put chicks that are newly hatched with chicks up to 3 weeks old with no issues. Once they're any older I give newly hatched at least a few days to get their "land legs" about them and watch very very closely to see how the older chicks act. It will depend on individual chicks but they do start play fighting as the get older so I'm far more cautious about mixing.

A heat lamp or a heating pad will work. I personally like heat plates but since your chicks are already hatched, use what you have there. They will usually cheep very loudly if they're cold, will huddle together, and won't wander away from the heat source. If you use a heat lamp be careful to offer the warm area and the area in the brooder where they can get away from the heat source so they don't overheat.