How long should chicks stay in the incubator?

[suzpyoung]

Four of twelve eggs have hatched, the first one was at 6:30 a.m. All 4 are completely dry. Five have had pips since about 2 p.m. Is it safe to put the four in the brooder? They have really rolled the remaining eggs around, and one was panting a little and I wondered if it's thirsty?

 

[tfreeman]

Yes and provide water and chick starter for them. Dip there beak into the water (just a little bit) and put a little starter on a papertowel. They instinctly start pecking at it.

Tracey

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Best to leave them in or you jeopardize the rest of the hatch.

Those peeps don't need anything from you for 2-3 days. They could just as easily be going through the mail in a box right now...they're much happier inside your incubator.

 

[abooth]

I agree with the pirate. You are supposed to leave them all til the hatch is over. Opening the bator drops that precious humidity.

 

[suzpyoung]

Thanks so very much for the feedback! I guess when you put it in the perspective of chicks surviving mail order, I have nothing to fret about!

 

[Dana's Kids Chicks]

What about the chicks rolling the other eggs around? It always makes me so nervous. I worry that the rolling will jeopardize the un-hatched chicks. I know they need the last few days to get into position to zip. When they get knocked around does that mess them up? I tried putting them in tilted carton at lock down one time, but that didn’t seem to make a difference. One of them zipped on the wrong end and died. Any ideas of how to keep them stationary or does it matter in the end.

 

[Brickman House]

Dana's Kids Chicks,

Yes, eggs gettiing rolled around by already-hatched chicks appears to decrease the chances of a successful hatch of the remaining ones, from the accounts here.

You say you've already tried one of the most popular methods employed here to keep the eggs stationary-- fat end up in a carton at lock down.

There's no magic solution, but if you play around with different solutions and find one that works, definitely post it here!