post hatch when to put in brooder

[newchickiemom48]

Do I need to wait for chick to be completely dry before moving to brooder? It is having trouble getting around the incubator because of the other eggs.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Do I need to wait for chick to be completely dry before moving to brooder? It is having trouble getting around the incubator because of the other eggs.

LOL. I will Laugh because there is so many that believe this way and believe that way. OK My Way is sit on your hands---Do Not Open That Incubator For NOTHING until all that is going to hatch---have hatched or day 22 for me. Don't even crack it. They will be fine in it for a 2 or 3 days. I will add I hatch almost 100% every hatch! Now I do feel Location has a lot to do with it-----Now What does "others say"??

Edited---I wanted to add a pic----they got plenty of room. LOL

 

[orrpeople]

If you can stand it, I agree to wait. Especially since once they begin to pip, you don't want to do anything to mess up your humidity and accidentally shrink wrapa chick in its membrane. That said, there are times (I use a small Hovabator Genesis - table top sized model) when the chicks are really knocking around the eggs and getting quite rambunctious, that I will do a really quick grab of those guys mid hatch. I haven't had any problems because of this, but I'd definitely say that if you can stand it, wait.

 

[newchickiemom48]

I ended up having to take a group out this morning. They were overcrowding and one was trapped in the corner. They are all doing well in the brooder. I didn't notice one that was cracked in half trying to hatch and another with a small pip in it. I covered back up but am concerned that it may haved dried things out too much for these two. The one with the halved shell is still trying and the other is still peeping. Is there any way to increase humidity in the brooder at this point?

 

[orrpeople]

I ended up having to take a group out this morning. They were overcrowding and one was trapped in the corner. They are all doing well in the brooder. I didn't notice one that was cracked in half trying to hatch and another with a small pip in it. I covered back up but am concerned that it may haved dried things out too much for these two. The one with the halved shell is still trying and the other is still peeping. Is there any way to increase humidity in the brooder at this point?

You can quickly throw a wet sponge in there. If the one zipping takes longer than 30-45 minutes, you may have to assist. Read this, and take a look at youtube for videos of helping zipped, but stuck chicks hatch. Hopefully, it will be able to help itself, but if not, it's best to be prepared.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching

 

[orrpeople]

You can quickly throw a wet sponge in there. If the one zipping takes longer than 30-45 minutes, you may have to assist. Read this, and take a look at youtube for videos of helping zipped, but stuck chicks hatch. Hopefully, it will be able to help itself, but if not, it's best to be prepared.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching

I just recently had this experience.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/little-miracle

 

[newchickiemom48]

Just an update -- I'm up to #8 just now. Everyone else is in the brooder and doing well. I did remove the shell from the one that had dried. I just took a warm wet rag and wrapped it around the egg. It just came right off. The chick was very weak for the first few hours, but perked up in the incubator overnight and is with the rest of the babies now. I added warm water to the channels in the incubator when I took the baby out, and my next one had a much easier time coming out of the egg.

 

[orrpeople]

Just an update -- I'm up to #8 just now. Everyone else is in the brooder and doing well. I did remove the shell from the one that had dried. I just took a warm wet rag and wrapped it around the egg. It just came right off. The chick was very weak for the first few hours, but perked up in the incubator overnight and is with the rest of the babies now. I added warm water to the channels in the incubator when I took the baby out, and my next one had a much easier time coming out of the egg.

So glad things seem to be working out well!

 

[orrpeople]

If you decide to set more eggs in future, join one of the hatchalongs! They're great fun, and everyone is hatching at the same time, so we ask questions, share worries, share pictures, and generally enable one another's hatching addictions!