Safe to take chicks out of incubator?

[Want Less]

We have 17 eggs in the incubator, the first hatched at 2:30pm yesterday. Number 8 is hatching right now. My humidity has been self stable at 68-74% for almost 4 days now.

My incubator is no doubt crowded right now with seven (soon to be 8) chicks bouncing all over the other eggs and shells. So far I see NO evidence of any others pipping right now. Once #8 is out safe and dry, if I look really good and dont see any pipping, can I quickly transfer the chicks to the brooder?

My concern is that they are going to start cracking some of these eggs because they are running out of room (they are in a Brinsea 20). Because many of our eggs were too dark to candle well, we arent sure how many others are even fertile.

I know the general rule is to leave them until no more eggs are hatching, but what if there are no pips at the time? And I am prepared to get them out as fast as possible to bump the humidity up quick?

Seems my humidity has been higher by itself this whole time than many are able to even struggle coming close to... Im not sure why, but I wont complain! Does that give me any wiggle room to pull chicks out?

 

[champer]

Congratulations on your hatch! Keeping in mind that I have only 1 hatch under my belt, I would take out the chicks, so long as you do it quickly and don't see any pipping. Once chicks start to hatch, it does seem to bump up the humidity and that makes sense with the wet chicks and egg debris in the bator. Good luck with whatever you decide!

 

[quintinp]

Yeah, if you are quick, get the chicks out fast, and the egg shells too. I would also put a wet, warm rag in the water bowel to bring the humidity up quick.

 

[Alexia]

Yes it would be fine. Just open the incubator as little and as quickly as possible. I do it all the time and is fine. I think is better than having the newly hatch chicks turn the eggs that have't hatched yet. If you are concern about losing too much humidity, mist a little bit of water inside the incubator after you opened the lid. I hope that helps. And HAPPY HATCHING

 

[bairo]

x2 as above 2 posts...except I might add that if you mist, make sure the water in the mister is very hot. It will cool coming out of the mister and you want at least 100 degree mist going in there as it raises humidity easier and will not cool the eggs as fast.

 

[Hunter0704]

I have the round Brinsea Incubator that only holds seven eggs and when my first chick arrived, all was well and I left it in there for the six hours suggested by the Brinsea directions and then I removed it to a brooder. However, when number two arrived, it was but a few minutes old when number three just popped out of its shell...never did see any pipping. Amazing. I waited for four hours and then they both were moved to the brooder, plus all the egg shells so any other chicks trying to hatch would have some move around room. I was afraid they would turn eggs over to where any other chicks pipping would find themselves pipping on the floor of the incubator instead of upright. Number four started one small pip the next morning and it took all day long from its first very small pip to finally hatching eight hours later. Unfortunately, the fourth one lived for only 12 hours, seemed to be having trouble breathing all of a sudden and then it died. Even though only three successfully hatched out of the seven originally placed, I was very happy to see those little fuzzy butts!!!

Last night I another seven chicken eggs with a hatch date of February 12th....just in time for Valentine's Day!!! Hope I have a higher hatch rate this time now that I have a little experience. Of course, it all depends on the eggs my farmer neighbor gave me to hatch for him....how old they are, how cold he kept them, whether or not they are fertilized. I let them set out on the counter to warm up in my kitchen for several hours before I put them in the incubator. Will just have to wait and see how many hatch!!!!

 

[Alexia]

Congrats on your new babies

 

[cluckinglooney]

I have had several really successful hatches, and in my experience there is no real damage caused by whipping out the first fluffed up chicks quick and transferring them to the brooder to lessen the stress and disruption to others still enduring the stressful hatching process, - just keep an eye on your humidity levels, and if at any point you get worried, my top tip is to boil the kettle, transfer a little warm/tepid water into a milk jug, and carefully pour into the base of the inccy resulting in an instant moisture boost.

 

[Tumbleweed Farm]

I have had several really successful hatches, and in my experience there is no real damage caused by whipping out the first fluffed up chicks quick and transferring them to the brooder to lessen the stress and disruption to others still enduring the stressful hatching process, - just keep an eye on your humidity levels, and if at any point you get worried, my top tip is to boil the kettle, transfer a little warm/tepid water into a milk jug, and carefully pour into the base of the inccy resulting in an instant moisture boost.

x2 I always do this and have never had a shrink wrapped baby. (I've hatched out 250+) I also watched a broody silkie of mine throw all of her hatching babies out from under her. I was so upset--she just watched them hatched then once they got out she put them back under her. I was sure they'd be shrink wrapped but 100% made it out while she watched!

 

[skookumchuck]

I always remove the chick as soon as they are dry and have never had any problems with the remaining eggs hatching. I just do it fast and watch the humidity.