Just hatched!

[crazy4eggz]

Success, we have 6 chicks completely out and more that have pipped and are trying to zip. When do I start moving the new chicks to the brooder? I know that you aren't supposed to take the lid off of the incubator while the other chicks are still hatching…but I have a bunch of chicks running around like crazy in there knocking all of the unhatched eggs around. What an awesome Mother's Day! My kiddos and I are so excited

 

[happyhens1972]

You're right, you are meant to leave the incy in lockdown until the babies are all hatched and have dried off and fluffed up but this is not always possible. It is always a bit of a judgement call as to whether or not to remove the already hatched ones in order to stop that trampling and mayhem that goes on. If I decide that chicks need to be removed, I prepare a mister spray bottle, lift the lid, mist the eggs, remove the chicks and shells and replace the lid asap. I even get someone to help to get it done quicker. This should reduce humidity loss to a minimum but remove the hooligans to a safer environment!!

Be careful that when you mist, it is 'across' the eggs not directly at them and that there are no concentrated droplets of water likely to go into pipping holes and drown your babies. Use water that is the same temp as the eggs and preferably sterile and remember it should be a fine mist, not a spray that leaves standing water.

Sounds like your hatch is going well though....good luck xx

 

[Tumbleweed Farm]

Take the babies out and do not mist the eggs! The hatching babies have spiked the humidity level sky high. You can open, take them out, you will NOT shrink wrap them that quickly and your humidity is probably too high right now. I have opened bator for 3 yrs--I take chicks out immediately, have never had a shrink wrapped, however my first hatch 3 yrs ago I drowned a few from too much humidity--please do not spray your eggs with water.

 

[happyhens1972]

I should have made that clearer....I only ever remove chicks when they are dry, by which time, the humidity has usually stabilized and gone back to its lockdown level, it is not at the 'spiked' level of hatch. The reason I only remove dry chicks is that I use an electric hen in the brooder, not a heat lamp and feel that a wet chick would potentially not dry quick enough or would burn as it doesn't have the dry fluff to insulate it from direct contact with the hotplate.

Tumbleweed is correct, if you remove the chicks as they hatch, the humidity will be way up already and misting is not necessary.

Apologies for any confusion xx

 

[crazy4eggz]

Thanks, I just took out the babies and left the rest of the eggs in the incubator. Humidity is good and temp is good, but not a peep or movement. Hoping all is well with the remaining 10….

 

[PotterWatch]

I'm right there with you today. I have five hatched out of nine so far. If the others haven't hatched by morning, I'll probably take the dry ones out.