One chick hatched from 5, advice on how to proceed?

[Jay Cartay]

Hi folks, this is my first attempt at hatching. I had six eggs, all fertile. One somehow cracked in the incubator which was weird so we ended up with 5.

I candle them on day 18. Being a first timer I thought they looked pretty good but wasn't 100% sure. About 18 hours ago one pipped. Today is day 22. The one that pipped is out and stumbling around in the incubator. The others, well... There's no activity at all.

What should I do? Should I leave the chick in there until tomorrow or take it out while the others haven't yet pipped and try candling them again? I've got an auto brooder plate etc. for the chick to go under when it comes out. I'm not entirely sure how long to leave it in the incubator anyway.

 

[Chicalina]

they don't need food or water for 24hrs after hatching as they are still living off the yolk so you can leave it in there a while. better not to open it if the others are hatching. If you do take it out, just do it quick but after it has dried and fluffed out. Don't candle or mess with the eggs yet, just leave another couple of days.

 

[Jay Cartay]

OK thank you. I'm very nervous!

 

[Araucana Nest]

Woohoo! Exciting time. I love the pipping and zipping stage. I leave them in the incubator until they are fully dry, then remove them to the awaiting brooder which is already set up and running at 95F. Watch that the chick isn't scrambling the other eggs and disorienting the pipped chicks. Make sure the humidity is high so the membranes of pipped eggs don't dry out. Resist tempation to keep opening the incubator... leave the cover closed. Some breeds I've hatched took 23 days to emerge.

 

[Jay Cartay]

I've just moved him. He's full of beans! Candled the other eggs. One definitely not viable. The other 3 all look good but one is chirping and the others are not.

It's the evening of day 22. Should I assist the egg that's chirping somehow or not?

 

[Chicalina]

let it be for now! no reason to believe it needs help yet

 

[Jay Cartay]

Well to update, I now have two lovely little babies! Unfortunately the others that looked to have developed aren't making any noise and haven't shown any progress.

It's still only day 23 but should I hole them at the air sack end and see if there's anything happening? I expect they didn't make it.

 

[Betzz]

No, I wouldn’t. I would make sure to keep the humidity high in order to keep the shells from hardening and let those eggs be. My last bunch all hatched a day apart... dragging it on for a week... If it goes on too long, we’ll, that’s another story! Good luck! And congrats on the babies!

 

[Jay Cartay]

OK I'll leave them for now.

As an aside, should the brooder height be set so they can stand under it or so there's just enough room to squeeze under it when sat down?

 

[Jay Cartay]

OK so one chick is pecking the other's eyes a lot and the one being pecked now doesn't seem to want to get under the brooder. It's chirping loudly, constantly, which seems to indicate something is wrong? Any ideas?