New chicks

[our3boys]

We are hatching our first set of chicks. They went on locked down on Saturday (making 4/22 day 21) and had our first chick last night around midnight and have had a total of 10 chicks hatch during the day. The chicks are playing egg derby in the incubator (just a simple styrofoam one from the feed store) while we are waiting for the remainder to hatch. I have been told to leave the chicks in there for 3 days giving all the eggs a chance to hatch...but I am worried they are going to get hurt from falling over each other and the remaining eggs. Suggestions for best time to remove the chicks from the incubator?

 

[lightchick]

If you have a brooder ready then you can just take the chicks that hatched out of the incubator (if their dry) and put them in there.

 

[Joplus]

If you have a brooder ready then you can just take the chicks that hatched out of the incubator (if their dry) and put them in there.

But then won't the other unhatched eggs get "shrink wrapped". I have no experience, day 15 of my first hatch ever so I'm wondering the same

 

[blucoondawg]

I have left them in the incubator until I figured the hatch was over they didn't get hurt falling or running around in the incubator. Some people take them out as they hatch, I have heard good results from spritzing the eggs with water when opening the incubator. I would try avoiding opening the incubator if there are external pips unless you have reason to open it to help a chick for some reason. My humidity was super high last hatch and didn't drop very fast so opening quickly wasn't an issue.
By the way shrink wrap happens due to too low of humidity during the first 18 days not from opening the incubator but the membrane can dry and toughen making it hard for the chick to hatch

 

[lightchick]

The other eggs that are hatching will be fine, just take the chicks out quickly.

 

[our3boys]

Thank you all for you're replies.