How long staying in the incubator?

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
There are many that have told me,as well as others, that the chicks can stay in the bator for 3 days. So this is wrong??

 

[MissPrissy]

After 3 days you will have chicks that are dehydrating and getting week. Ever seen shipped chicks that took 3 days to get to your house? They are in sad shape.

A chick may not eat for 2 - 3 days after hatching but they need to come out of the incubator after about 24 hours. They can go for about 72 hours living on the yolk they absorbed just before hatching. But for the best results and in my experience I have had chicks dry and out of the incubator in 12 hours and they eat the house down. They eat and drink like that are starving.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
Ok thanks, I think I will start going by what I know, rather than what others on here tell me. They are just making me confused. I was always told that the yolk in the egg lasted them for about 24 hours, and that's why the hen leaves the nest.

 

[MissPrissy]

huh?

 

[chicksinthemachine]

And I agree take them out after 24 hours at the latest. I on the other sometimes take mine out sooner than that if I have a bunch of eggs I am incubating. They tend to stumble around and move the other eggs to where they have a hard time getting out.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
I get so many different opinions from people on this site, and from what I know from personal experience. I'll just stick with what I know of hens from before, and from what works for me...