Most people say to leave the chick in the bator to dry off and fluff up... For me personally, I don't. I waited with my first hatch and waited, like 7-9 hours and still wet and slimy. Each time a chick was hatched, the humidity raised through the roof... But, I didn't want to put rice or popcorn in there for fear of pulling it down too much. So, for ME.... I wait until a couple/few hours, when they can walk by themselves without falling over every 2 seconds. If They can hold their heads up and look around and walk good and strong. If they are too wobbly and unsteady and can't hold their heads up, then I wait a bit longer. I have the brooder box warmed and ready to go at the first sign of a pip. So, after that chick is out of the shell. Looking good and strong and walking all over the place and rolling the eggs around, I pull him/her out and directly into the brooder box. They usually fluff out in less than 30 minutes and look that much nicer. They seem to do better for me as well.
AGAIN, THIS IS ME!!! Not the law, or the rule, or even the most popular thought. I just found that this works for me. I have food and water there for them from the moment they are in the box, but typically, they don't touch the stuff until the following day. Although I did have 1 chick that hatched and was in the box about 2 hours and I found him slurping up water and testing out the food. After that, each new baby that was brought to the brooder box, he/she tended to run to and inspect and then encourage to follow to the water... It was so cute to watch this 6 hour old baby teaching the little ones what to do.
Good Luck!
I never ever touch the knob. I did turn it down though. I was thinking maybe because I haven't opened it much, and then having it open for the d14 candle it cooled down, then when it re-heated it over heated? or the eggs are putting out their own heat now? argh I hope they are okay..
