This is my first time incubating eggs. The chicks started hatching last night. I am really excited and they are SOOOO cute! They are Austrolorp x Gold Spangled Hamburg, Barred Rock x Gold Spangled Hamburg and Gold Pencilled Hamburg x Gold Spangled Hamburg chicks. My lovely Gold Spangled Hamburg Roo was taken a few weeks ago by an Eagle attack. (We have a family of Bald Eagles here.) He saved his hens though! ALL of them! I have not opened the bator to take out any of the eggshells or the chicks because I don't want to mess up the humidity. I still have eggs that haven't pipped. My questions are: At some point should I take out the eggshells? I have 10 chicks so far and there are lots of shells in there. It's getting messy but so far the chicks are getting around it all. I noticed some of the chicks are pecking at the shells and the leftover stuff inside. Is this okay? The chicks are running around in the bator and they are pushing the eggs around in their travels. I know you aren't supposed to turn the eggs after day 18, but they are getting turned by their own siblings!! Will this cause any problems for the not-yet-hatched chicks? I know I will have more questions, this is just awesome to see!
I would wait until the hatched chicks are dry and are able to walk on their own. You should have a brooder box ready, with temp. adjusted. If not, then make one now; you can simply use a cardboard box if you don't have anything else to use. The temp. should be at least 80* F. but I'm not sure what it should be exactly. Humidity shouldn't be worried over too much now that they are hatched and dry. It's OK for them to peck at the shells. And it's OK for them to stay in there with the unhatched ones for a little while. The peeping and movements of the hatched chicks will encourage the unhatched ones to come out. You should just leave the egg shells alone if they aren't causing any problems; once the hatch is done, then you can clean the bator and sterilize it for your next hatch(if you plan on having another batch of eggs in that same bator). Good luck and enjoy your new baby chicks!
