Repost from an earlier thread: You've got 72 hours once they are out of the shell before they absolutely need food and water. We usually leave them in for at least 24 hours to fluff up and get their bearings. If it's a delayed hatch, I'll let them go 48 hours before pulling people out after the bulk of the eggs have hatched. If the larger chicks decide to "go bowling" with the other eggs, a quick snatch will get them out so everyone else can hatch in peace. Don't be afraid to leave them in the incubator, it won't harm anything. Just beware that anytime you open the door you run the risk of shrink wrapping chicks or disrupting the hatching. Use intervention at your own discretion, it's not for everyone. Good luck.
When to remove chicks is a personal decision. There is no right or wrong. Many won't remove chicks until the hatch is completely over going off the theory a chick can survive up to 3 days after absorbing the yolk. (Of course this doesn't take into consideration when the yolk was absorbed or that a chick can become dehydrated during hatch.) Others wait until the chick is dried before removing them. A nice middle ground time frame. Then there are those of us who remove chicks as they hatch and become active in the bator. I remove mine to my brooder once they are up and moving. I prefer them to have access to the electrolyte enhanced water and feed. Usually within hours my chicks are drinking. Eating is more sporadic. I have some that are pecking at the food w/in the first 24 hours and others that aren't interested the first day, but this way they have the ability to get what they want. I am constantly in and out of my bator during hatch and have never lost a pipper/zipper and have almost no post hatch deaths. If opening the bator you need to make sure that you have adequate humidity. I run 70-75% generally at hatch. I'm a big advocate for doing what is comfortable for you as long as it is working. People do many different things all with the same success rate. It's a matter of finding what works for you.
