Incubation question

[GuineaCrazy]

Hello, hatching time again here. So I started all my eggs at the same time. I have one keet that's been hatched for 24 hours now, 6 others that have hatched within the last 20 hours and 7 eggs that have at least piped. Should I remove the hatched keets even though I run the risk of shrink wrapping the ones that are still working on hatching? Is 24 hours in the incubator a hard and fast rule? Thanks in advance.

 

[R2elk]

Hello, hatching time again here. So I started all my eggs at the same time. I have one keet that's been hatched for 24 hours now, 6 others that have hatched within the last 20 hours and 7 eggs that have at least piped. Should I remove the hatched keets even though I run the risk of shrink wrapping the ones that are still working on hatching? Is 24 hours in the incubator a hard and fast rule? Thanks in advance.

I normally take mine out once they are dry. Do it quickly.

You can mist the air in the incubator using a spray bottle and 100⁰F water to help keep the humidity up. Do not spray it directly on the eggs.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Hello, hatching time again here. So I started all my eggs at the same time. I have one keet that's been hatched for 24 hours now, 6 others that have hatched within the last 20 hours and 7 eggs that have at least piped. Should I remove the hatched keets even though I run the risk of shrink wrapping the ones that are still working on hatching? Is 24 hours in the incubator a hard and fast rule? Thanks in advance.

Congratulations on your babies!! I would wait if you have so many pipped eggs due to the risk of shrink wrapping then. People say that 3 days is fine, though I try to get them out before then.

 

[Pastel the Rooster]

I have accidentally killed two keets by opening the incubator during lockdown. If they are small pips you can get away with it though. I currently just put my five guinea eggs into lockdown this morning. I once left three chicks in the incubator for about two days once, they turned out perfect. Except for the rooster.... He found a good home though! I think you will be fine to take them out, as long as you do it quickly. Make sure to put extra water in the incubator though. Best of luck!
Pastel The Rooster

 

[GuineaCrazy]

Congratulations on your babies!! I would wait if you have so many pipped eggs due to the risk of shrink wrapping then. People say that 3 days is fine, though I try to get them out before then.

Thank you all. This was an odd hatch, only about a 54% hatch rate and three of them have curled feet. All my temp and humidity levels were consistent throughout the incubation. Thanks for all the advice. I've got some cuties.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Thank you all. This was an odd hatch, only about a 54% hatch rate and three of them have curled feet. All my temp and humidity levels were consistent throughout the incubation. Thanks for all the advice. I've got some cuties.View attachment 3160278

Congratulations! My curled Guinea keet toes will often straighten out in a day or two of walking. If they don’t straighten out, they could be splinted like chick toes. Keep an eye out for spraddle leg, which my keets heal well from if I use standard treatment of banding legs together. Keets with slipped tendon (perosis) though have not done well so I euthanize those.

 

[Pastel the Rooster]

I have accidentally killed two keets by opening the incubator during lockdown. If they are small pips you can get away with it though. I currently just put my five guinea eggs into lockdown this morning. I once left three chicks in the incubator for about two days once, they turned out perfect. Except for the rooster.... He found a good home though! I think you will be fine to take them out, as long as you do it quickly. Make sure to put extra water in the incubator though. Best of luck!
Pastel The Rooster

Well, the two keets had yolk sacks, but one got shrink wrapped.

 

[GuineaCrazy]

I was reading about making a "sandal" for the curled toes. I'm going to do that today.