Now what?

[ZuniBee]

I know I'm never supposed to open the incubator after day 18. So heres my question. It appears as if my eggs are going to hatch over the course of a few days. I have two chicks that have been in the bator for a day and a half and others that are already fluffy and ready for the brooder. Do you just leave all chicks in until the very last day or do you pull them out real quick and put them in the brooder? Today is day 21 and I plan to leave the eggs in until day 23 or 24.... what do I do with these chicks?

 

[Heidi]

I'm not a pro at hatching, but what I did is put a quilt over the top of the bator (after taking a visual of where the babies were) then had my son crack open the lid and I quickly stuck my hand in and grabbed the 2 babies. My temp and humidity barely moved. Good luck.

 

[speckledhen]

I get mine out before 12 hours are over. Just grab em out, Jay.

 

[ZuniBee]

Ok, I did it. All 8 are in a temporary brooder.

 

[Pinenot]

They're so cute! I just love the one that looks like it just hatched on the side. Wow what a difference a couple of days makes with them poofing out.

 

[BantyChickMom]

 

[BamaChicken]

I take mine out after the hatch on day 21 and then add a little more water to the bator

 

[Tuffoldhen]

I leave mine in for a good 1 1/2 or 2 til they are fluffed well...I've never stuck one in the brooder wet, afraid of chilling them.....never have lost a chick....

 

[leecey411]

ZuniBee they are adorable! I love looking at everyone's babies!
Congratuations!
I see you are a fan of storage bin brooders too!
I have a kitchen counter full of storage bins full of chicks!

 

[mergmet]

Zuni

I take them out as soon as they hatch and put them (wet) into a brooding incubator, set up just like the hatching one but they won't be rolling over the other eggs.

I do this because I have incremental hatching with eggs over severals days that are going to hatch and I started getting ones that drowned in the egg if I left the chicks in there to roll aound the unhatched eggs. I don't lose many. This works for me well. As the other said just open and close as fast as possible to keep that humidity up. That blanket is a great idea!

does anyone else have this problem of the eggs rolling over and drowning?

Margaret