Potential problem with my incubator, need advice ASAP!

[mark22]

Hi. I have just joined and have previously read through the forums and been inspired by ideas etc. This is my first time I will be hatching my own eggs, I have 6 Dutch Bantam eggs that I recently got and have put into my incubator which have been in there for a few days now and I turn 3 times a day as advised. However, I foresee a potential problem when it it time for the chicks to hatch, you see my incubator is a mini incubator, looks a bit like the Brinsea mini eco (which I must admit is the one I should have got in the first place), but my incubator has the electronics at the bottom of the incubator and the plate where the eggs rest has various holes in it and is not flat. Therefore, surely when the little chicks hatch out because there are holes in the base then it is not safe as they will get their legs trapped in the holes? I cannot remember the make of the incubator unfortunatley but I know they are being sold on the internet, they hold 7 eggs where each egg has a separate indentation for them to rest.
What do you think I should do about this, if anything? I was actually considering purchasing a different incubator, like the Brinsea mini eco which has a solid base wand would be more practical, but would like any advice first please.

Also I was wondering, once the chicks have hatched, how long are you supposed to leave them in the incubator for as surely in such a small incubator it must make it difficult for them to breathe in such a small confined space? I have a brooder box ready but I am not sure how long you are supposed to leave it before transferring them to it. Also, as I work most days, and are often shift work, what happens if they hatch when I am at work and won't be home for many hours? Will they be OK in the incubator for all that time?

Sorry to ask so many questions but I am trying to think ahead for a successful hatch of chicks!

Many thanks

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don’t know how big the holes are, but baby chicks’ feet are quite large. Those toes spread out a long way. I can’t say for sure without seeing it but I don’t think I’d be over worried about them getting stuck. I don’t know how practical this is for your specific incubator, but you can get some ¼” mesh wire or some kind of screen and make a covering for the floor to make sure they can get a grip. You don’t want to put anything slick in there. They do need to be able to grip.

Again I don’t know your specific incubator or what instructions came with it. Chicks absorb the yolk before they hatch. They can live off of that without eating or drinking for three days or more. That’s why they can be shipped in the mail. So you don’t need to be in a rush to take them out because of food and water.

They do need fresh air to breathe, even before they hatch. In the later stages of development the chicks need an air exchange through that porous shell. If your incubator has vent holes they should be open before and during hatch. That should take care of the fresh air problem.

The hatch is not likely to be over in just a few hours. They normally drag on for most of a full day and sometimes take over two full days. You can work it around your schedule.