My first hatch, any tips or tricks?

[RoosterHuggerLiz]

First time hatching eggs, they where placed in my incubator on the 12 of June, never done this before and I'm kinda freaked- I've raised plenty of chickens but I've always bought them at like 2 or 3 days old, I'm trying to hatch now because my fav hen passed and I'm hatching her baby's.. All in all the only one left is look in really heathy and strong, any advice??

Mostly what to do during the hatch and after its come out of its shell

 

[mcdze]

the thing to remember is theyre good for 2-3 days without doing anything so just be patient and dont try to help them, alot of damage is done by new people to it by as you said, freaking out and trying to do something that usually results in more harm than good ... that said, have your brooder box or whatever you use set up, and to temp when you see the first pip .. be ready .. they little fluff balls are coming pretty quick lol ... for me personally i use a very small incubator and as i see them completely out of the egg and flopping around i move them at that point directly into the brooder .. that works for me .. not standard practice though .. also for the first couple of days, what works good for water is a large plastic lid, maybe 4" across and low sides .. locate it in a cooler corner where they wont tend to sleep by it and the chick starter more towards the warmer spot ... after theyre all drinking well in a day or two you can lose the lid and go to a more standard waterer ..

 

[Ridgerunner]

So you started the eggs on Saturday, June 12. That means the 21 days are up on Saturday, July 3. That 21 day thing is not an absolute, it's just a target. Don't be surprised if they hatch a couple of days early and (the harder thing) don't freak out if they are a couple of days late. Yeah, sure. You are going to panic if they are a bit late, that's human nature, but unfortunately they are sometimes late. So stock up on ice cream and have a bowl when the pressure starts to get to you. Or if they are early or on time, have a party. Hopefully it is more than one chick.

I don't know what your incubator looks like, there are many different makes and models. On Wednesday, June 30 (tomorrow) go into lockdown mode, whatever lockdown looks like with that incubator. Stop turning and increase the humidity. Then be patient. Try very hard to not interfere.

They can live for over 72 hours after they hatch. They absorb the yolk before hatch and can live off of that. That's why they can be put in the mail. You don't have to be in a hurry to take them out. But sometimes after they dry off take them out and put them in the already prepared brooder.

If you have any questions come back and ask. When it is over tell us how it went. Good luck!