what to do with dry chicks in incubator

[funonahonda]

After the dry chicks have hatched, and there are still eggs in there that have cracks in them and still hatching can I go ahead and remove the dry chicks and put them in the brooder without messing with the eggs that have not hatched yet!

 

[Teach97]

I do that all the time...no ill effects that I can tell

 

[Jenski]

I would wait until everyone's hatched, to avoid possibly reducing the humidity in the incubator and causing the remaining chicks to stick in their shells. This is critical at hatch time.

To quote MissPrissy's advice to me - "Keep your hands to yourself" until everyone's hatched.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

I take them out before they get into some kind of trouble. I do it quickly and have never found any problems with the remaining eggs/chicks.

 

[Jenski]

gator, that's good to know.

 

[MissPrissy]

The chicks are fine for 24 hours. Don't open the bator unless you have to. You will change the hatching environment and even though the humidity will come back up you won't restore what has been building for the last 3 days.

 

[funonahonda]

Thank very much for all your input, we have 3 that are all the way out of the egg and have about four with little cracks in them, but one or two of them you could see them moving the egg but now they havn't moved for about thirty minutes, hope they are alright.

 

[farmerlor]

So the new babies don't need any food or water or anything? I can just leave them there for 24 hours?

 

[mrsengeseth]

They don't need food right away.

 

[MissPrissy]

When you take them out of the incubator and put them in the brooder have plenty of crumble feed and fresh water available. Dip their little beaks carefully so they will get their first drink then they should pick it up on their own from there.

When chicks hatch they can actually sustain themselves on the yolk they absorbed just before hatch for about 72 hours. I never let mine go longer than 24 - 36 hours. When I feel the hatch is over or it it becomes too crowded I take the dry chicks out and move them to the brooder.