Question regarding 'controlled environment' during hatch....

[shelleyd2008]

I have read on here numerous times that it is not good to open the hatcher until the hatch is complete, for risk of losing the rest of the hatch.

First off, I will say that I rarely, if ever, help a chick hatch. In my experience, most chicks that I have helped have died anyway, so what's the point?

Anyway, everyone says to keep the hatcher closed until the hatch is over, but if you are hatching quail you can't do that? I always have to take babies out during the hatch since they can't stay in as long as chicks can.

Also, I have 2 broodies on eggs right now. They both have had 'community' nests, so their eggs are hatching every day or every other day, and I just keep taking chicks from them. One of them was off the nest this morning, so I checked her eggs. One of them was pipped, and there have been times when the hens have left the nest to eat with a chick almost completely out of the shell, and the chicks hatch just fine. This particular hen has hatched 2 chicks so far, and she has left the nest with pips both times, so I feel certain that this chick will also hatch just fine. So what gives? If it is not good to open the incubator while the eggs are hatching, why do the hens leave the nest when the chicks are pipping?

 

[gabrielle1976]

Im not shure but its a good question, maybe its becuase the heating and or fan in teh bator drops humidty faster I really dont know.

 

[shelleyd2008]

I just checked my hen, and her chick that was pipped (actually had a huge hole in the egg when she got off the nest) is hatched. So this doesn't make any sense? I know I have had chicks get stuck in the incubator, so does the hen help them, or is it just because the way we do it is unnatural?

 

[monarc23]

yeppers hens will help their chicks hatch if need be I've seen it before from parrots and im pretty sure that chicken hens from time to time may do it too last you'd think? Ofcourse not all the time though.

 

[Bettacreek]

I've noticed that if you don't help them almost immediately, you're going to loose them. If I have to help one, I help the rest out, whether they're pipped or not. It seems to work a little better than waiting for a pip/zip and then helping. The ones that I wait on won't eat, the other ones get up and are walking around and eating long before the pips/zips even dry off.