When do I take them out?

[ArabianHaven]

Hi, I was loaned an incubator for 4-H and I just had my very first chick hatched. This chick is a barred rock/cochin cross. Well, I need to know. When do I take the chick out? I have a box with a light set up and I have raised day old chicks before. But, I do not know when to take my chick out.

 

[RevaVirginia]

hmmmm. Not sure as I've never hatched with an incubator. I did read that someone kept it in there a bit to encourage the others. If I remember right it wasn't going to be for long, maybe the rest of that day or another day.

 

[RevaVirginia]

I did stick some eggs in a cardboard box with a shop lite...the recoilable ones. I had some eggs that I knew were close to hatch. When they did hatch I just left them in there until no others hatched. Probably two days and those peeps are doing just fine.

 

[CoopCrazy]

I have heard to leave the lid closed until everybody hatches.... That way you arent letting any heat out.. The chiocks dont need food or water for the first three days....

 

[ArabianHaven]

Okay, thank you.

 

[rarebreedeggs4u]

I prefer not to leave mine that long. Do you have other eggs to hatch that were set at the same time? If so, I'd say wait 24 and see how many others hatch.

You *can* leave them up to 3 days, but I wouldn't personally. I try to get mine out about 24 hours after hatch. If you are removing it and still have more eggs to hatch, open the lid just a little, remove the chick quickly and maybe spray inside the incubator (not the eggs) with a few spritzes of warm water to raise the humidity that will drop when you remove the chick.

Have you checked the temperature under your light in your brooder? It needs to be right or very close to 95 degrees

 

[ArabianHaven]

I have the whole house set at 80* for them and I do not have a fan on and I have lights on them and my room is very warm.

 

[mandelyn]

I've never left them for more than 12 hours... as soon as their little butts are dry I put them in the brooder so I can play with them! I "cheep" to them myself to encourage them to hatch. LOL... it's called "imprinting"... you'll never have tamer chicks than when you talk to them before they're even out of the egg.