two out, ten to go...fingers crossed

[aguirre]

what do I do now? I'm at day 20
My first came out sometime between 1 and 4 this AM, the second came out about 9AM...I have ten more, but only two have pipped....
I am a nervous wreck...what do I do now with the ones doing nothing?
How long can they stay in the incubator without food or water?

 

[skeeter9]

How exciting, Aguirre!!!!! The best thing to do is be patient, hard as it is!! The little ones don't need food or water for 72 hours after they hatch, so they will be fine for a while.

I'm so happy for you!!!

Lori

 

[aguirre]

so then how long until I move them from the incubator?
I read to keep them in there until they are good and dry.....
but how long is too long?

 

[ksacres]

New chicks can be shipped through the mail just fine, two-three days they can survive, especially if they aren't chilled. In nature a hen will sit a few days on a clutch of hatching eggs and the babies are prepared for this. I take mine out of the bator between 12 and 24 hours old. I wait until they are dry and running around peeping at me.

 

[aguirre]

I have five that have pipped...just a tiny bump of a pip...can I help if they sit too long like this?
What is too long?

 

[ksacres]

There's a sticky thread on the subject of helping out chicks. I have done it twice-

the first chick was malformed and never learned to walk

the second is healthy and happy and was just too big for his own good