they finally hatched!...crap...now what?

[Tabatha]

This is my second attempt at incubating some silkie mutts fort kids (first batch we're doing great until day 16 a local transformer blew and knocked out our power for almost 2 days...the eggs got too cold and died). It is day 27, and coming home from duck hunting with the hubs, I hear peeps coming from the eggs I had given up on and was planning on throwing out this Friday. So...4 chicks have hatched out of 7. They are almost completely dry. I've been in the learning center here and it says to move them to brood box when they dry and feed and water them. Most things I've read members and read in chicken books say they don't need food or water til close to day 3 and should stay in the incubator until day three. So which is it? Children are involved here and I can't screw this up. They were devastated over the first attempt, and I was reluctant to try again...but so far everything is great...a little late, but great. Brood or not brood?...until day three. Oh...and when can the kids hold them?

 

[Judy]

They can survive for about 3 days on their yolk if necessary, but that doesn't mean you can't start teaching them about eating and drinking. You certainly can. There is no reason not to move them as soon as they are dry, unless you're doing it to protect unhatched eggs, to keep from opening the incubator too much. And yes, the kids can handle them right away. It will help to tame them. The might need some supervision, of course. You don't want them to get too cold, and you want to give them plenty of time for their many naps and to eat and drink.

 

[RonC]

Move them to a brooder. Keep the temperature correct and show them the food and water. If one learns to eat and drink the others will learn from the one.