Just need a little post-hatch reassurance—Moving to brooder, incubator temp

[NightingaleJen]

Our first chick hatched out last night right around 9PM; four more followed in fairly short order last night, and the final chick popped out about 10:20AM today. Since they absorbed their yolks, yes, all six peeps are fine in the incubator for up to 72 hours, but with this being my first incubator hatch and seeing some different responses, I have questions:

• Will they all be okay in the brooder until tomorrow morning? This will make it a full 24 hours since the final chick hatched out, and also means I'll be able to keep an eye on things during their first day in the brooder. I'm not keen on popping them in this evening for that second reason. The 'older' ones will be fine, right? The last one out is still a touch damp-looking. Based on all my reading, it seems like 36-48 hours is safe, and this article (https://www.fresheggsdaily.blog/2017/07/when-can-i-move-my-chicks-to-brooder.html) seems to indicate that it's possibly ideal. My broodies have also kept their peeps beneath them for at least a full day, sometimes two or a little more than that, which also suggests to me I'm okay, but like I said...I just want reassurance. These babies are already adorable!

• The peeps seem pretty quiet and content in the incubator, but it cannot hold a temp to save its life (I'm amazed all six keeper eggs hatched, honestly). I did decide to empty the larger reservoir, as it was also quite humid several hours after the last chick hatched out (they all seemed to enjoy watching the turkey baster suck water out, it was cute to see the faces watching the water leaving!). Since late last night, I have not been able to get it up to 99 without CRANKING the incubator, and considering its track record, fret that the temp will rocket up before I realize it and cook or at least seriously dehydrate the chicks. It has been between high 93-95F since last night no matter what I have done (have a Govee and a no-name thermohygrometer in there)! The chicks not flopped about away from each other, and they're not huddling, either, though there are regular "peep piles" when they crash out for a nap. Their peeping is calm and quiet, not distressed, and they seem to be happily watching me as I work. This post (https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/incubator-temperature-after-hatch.1278656/post-20591221) suggests 90-95F is just fine post-hatch. Thoughts?

Obviously this is a Chinese bubble incubator, it was a gift. Though for all the trouble I had with it, it did hatch out six babies, so there is that. A broody hen is still MUCH preferred!

ETA thanks to you all, on lockdown day I put a piece of shelf liner in for the chicks, so they're not sliding about. Great idea, whoever came up with it!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Will they all be okay in the brooder until tomorrow morning?

I'm guessing you are so stressed out that you typed brooder and meant incubator. I'm not sure anyone is capable of reassuring you as you are so nervous. But I often leave chicks in the incubator for over 48 hours after the first one hatches. As yours are healthy they should do fine.

This post suggests 90-95F is just fine post-hatch. Thoughts?

They will be fine.

 

[NightingaleJen]

I'm guessing you are so stressed out that you typed brooder and meant incubator. I'm not sure anyone is capable of reassuring you as you are so nervous. But I often leave chicks in the incubator for over 48 hours after the first one hatches. As yours are healthy they should do fine.


They will be fine.

Oh, no, I'm not stressed, just really tired. One of those weeks where you forget how to make coffee! I did mean incubator, yes, thanks. I wanted to be sure I was on the right track since the hatch did lag between the fifth and sixth chick.

Thank you, I appreciate it! You always give thoughtful and reasonable advice on the forums. Every time I ask myself, "What does this look like in nature?" to reassure myself, I think of you.

 

[Susan Skylark]

You’ll be fine, just remember to breathe and sleep! They send chicks cross country in the mail, yours will survive a night in the incubator! As long as you have a good thermometer and watch it, they won’t over heat, unlike the 105F incubator I got from a friend, she could never get it to work (name brand), I stuck a thermometer in there and it was 104-105 even though the heat was as low as it would go and assured me it was 99.5! No wonder she couldn’t hatch anything!