Removing chicks after hatching

[sadi5678]

Hi one of my chicks has been hatched for a while now but the others haven't hatched yet would it be okay to take that one out? Also, what is a good temperature for the brooder? Thanks so much, Ana

 

[TwoCrows]

Babies should be left in the incubator until dry or they can chill. It is not good to open the incubator if other eggs are pipping and zipping as they need as much humidity as possibly during this time.

However, all this being said, if one chick is still in the incubator after 24 hours and none others have hatched, I like to get that one out to get it into the brooder for food and water. But be quick about it.

Start your brooder temp at 95 degrees. Thermometer directly beneath the heat on the floor of the brooder. Keep the food and water off to one side, the heat on the other. Do not cover the lid of the brooder with anything other than screen or wire. You want good oxygen and heat exchange. Lay down paper towels and sprinkle food all around the brooder floor around the feeder so the chicks can find the feed.

Dip beaks in the water when you first put them in so know where the water is.

 

[sadi5678]

Okay thanks so much! And the chick is pretty much completely dry it's been hatched for probably around 6 hours.

 

[sadi5678]

And the chick keeps pecking around the incubator like he's trying to get out.

 

[ozexpat]

While its tempting to play with the fluffybutts, the chicks are built to not require food or water for up to three days.

I prefer to leave them in as long as possible - a min of 24 hrs

 

[wolfandfinch]

I waited 24 hours with each chick I hatched and I'm glad I did. They were much stronger then. The incubator is the best place for them for that first day.

 

[sadi5678]

Also, when he was in there he was running and jumping on all the other eggs is that going to be a problem?

 

[wolfandfinch]

Nope. As farmerviola says, he's just knocking on doors getting all the chicks to
Come out and play

Mine did the same thing and didn't seem to disturb anyone. That said once I had two in there and a chick that was shrink wrapped they started pecking the shrink wrapped chick badly so as soon as I got to 24 hours and dry fuzz I pulled them out.

 

[ozexpat]

Nope. As farmerviola says, he's just knocking on doors getting all the chicks to
Come out and play

Mine did the same thing and didn't seem to disturb anyone. That said once I had two in there and a chick that was shrink wrapped they started pecking the shrink wrapped chick badly so as soon as I got to 24 hours and dry fuzz I pulled them out.

its pretty hard to shrink wrap a third or 4th chick. it normally means someone has been peeking. When chicks hatch they are like big wet sponges and the humidity spikes. I find that the more I help, the more shrink wrapping i get.

 

[wolfandfinch]

Yup, that's exactly what happened. The third and fourth were shrink wrapped because the 1st pulled the thermometer off the window and got the tape wrapped around its neck. It was a strangulation risk. Lesson learned though, there are sorts of things is do differently and leaving them well enough alone is the main one