Question about my first hatch...

[Faso]

So this will be my first hatch...18 days to go...I have been reading and reading and reading and I think I just confused myself by reading even too much...

So, the question is - I read more than once that you should not open the bator to help. I understand. I also read that they should stay in there for 24 hours until they fluff up and dry out. Let's say one hatches...24 hours go by and I have to take it out...

The lockdown is still in place though...and if i open the bator and another is pipped, now i will kill that chick cause it will dry out...So, what do you do exactly? They can't all be in there and hatch and be ready to come out at the same time but I don't want to leave a chick in there who is going to be running around messing on all of the other eggs...

Maybe I have some of my facts wrong? What exactly do you do when they hatch?(especially if it's 24 hours between hatches)

Thanks!
Mike

 

[CarolinaHen]

They can stay in the incubator for a couple of days. Just leave them in there. I have found that leaving them in actually encourages the rest to hurry up and hatch. They can hear the others peeping, and get banged around a bit by the hatchlings learning to walk. Just leave them in there and enjoy watching.

 

[Faso]

What if a chick pecks an egg? or hurts an egg that didn't pip yet? Or, I guess it's safe to say if the chick can hurt another egg at that point then it's probably not going to hatch or not going to make it anyway...right? So, leave them in there for 2 days without food and water? Is that a safe timeframe?

 

[CarolinaHen]

They will be fine. They will peck the other eggs, bang them around, step on them, etc. If they are going to hatch, they will hurry up and do it. Two days is a good amount. Then, make sure you have no current pips and take the others out. Check the ones that are still in the incubator and see if you see or hear cheeping or movement.

 

[midget_farms]

Good advice! Just leave them until the hatch is over.

If it bugs you - go ahead & take them out if there are no pips - but if there are - leave them alone.

Shipped chicks will go as much as 3 full days without food or water - the yolk will take care of them - not to worry.

Just dont help! Its the hardest thing in the world to just let them alone.

I helped my first 2 batches - didn't turn out well - shrink wrapped chicks - & you can't get that stuff off of them.