Is this chick ready to leave incubator?

[Fancychicken10]

Hi there. This is my first time hatching and this chick has been out of the egg for at least 7 hours. She has black feathering and skin so its tough for me to tell if she is completely dry. Her back looks like it could be fluffier, but what are everyone’s thoughts? She is active but falls asleep frequently like any chick would.

 

[PeaShack]

If no one else is due to hatch or still wet, she is ok to go into brooder. If there are other eggs due to hatch or if there are wet chicks in with her, wait. Loss of humidity with opening the incubator can be catastrophic to eggs that have pipped and can chill wet babies. Chicks can stay in the incubator up to 24 hrs, but I don’t recommend any longer than that.

Beautiful chick!

 

[Slothinc]

Oh yeah, I would take the baby out for sure! As long as you have a brooder with heat for them, it will be totally fine. If you have other eggs hatching just be very fast about grabbing the chick out so the humidity doesn’t plummet.

 

[Fancychicken10]

Thanks guys, I went ahead and moved to the brooder! There are two other eggs in the incubator that haven’t externally pipped. I know it can take a little extra time, but I’m starting to wonder if this chick will be a singleton.

 

[Slothinc]

Thanks guys, I went ahead and moved to the brooder! There are two other eggs in the incubator that haven’t externally pipped. I know it can take a little extra time, but I’m starting to wonder if this chick will be a singleton.

Definitely candle those eggs at this point. If they haven’t internally pipped at this point, the prognosis is not good. If they have internally pipped, I would make a very small safety hole for them.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Before a chick hatches it absorbs the yolk. It can live off of that yolk without eating or drinking for 72 hours as long as it is healthy. Nature designed them that way so the early hatchers can wait on the late hatchers before the broody needs to abandon the nest to get them food and water. As long as I do not see an emergency I leave the chicks alone until the hatch is over or the 72 hours is up.

I have caused harm interfering with a broody hen or in an incubator during hatch. Other than responding to a couple of emergencies in the incubator I have not seen any benefit by interfering.

Congratulations on that chick hatching and good luck on the others.