When to move chicks?

[vwmomof3]

I've read that some people move their chicks shortly after hatching to the brooder and I've read not to do it until 24 hours after hatch minimum... SO ... when do I move them? I'm having issues with the temp. raising and falling since the first two hatched, as well as the humidity raising and falling too, not to mention all rest of the eggs are being scattered (32 of them). LOL Also it says to open the vent when the chicks start to hatch... but only two have hatched so do I open it or not...
lol
I'm confused!

 

[vwmomof3]

OK so as I read more ... I can remove them as soon as they dry out, but will they dry with the vent plug still in place? sorry for all the newbie questions (I'm still reading all that I can find in hopes that I can answer my own questions.)

One other question; if while a hatchling was hatching they pushed their shell on to another egg and it is sticking to the other egg (a large piece) should I remove that or will it be ok and not bother the other egg's hatching process?

thanks again!

 

[brendapa]

No, don't open it...with only 2 chicks hatched you are only at the beginning. I don't have one with the vent plugs but i would remove them if you've read to do so when they start to hatch. It will get chaotic in there with chicks flopping all over & shells scattering & eggs rolling from one side to the other.
You have a full day of hatching ahead of you.
Don't open the incubator. Go to bed. It will be a long night and an even longer Thursday.

Good luck

 

[Akane]

Opening the incubator risks killing any chicks left to hatch. You should try to avoid moving them until the hatch is done. Sometimes hatches drag out, chicks get too crowded, etc... and you have to slip some out quick. It's best to add some type of quick moisture like a squirt from a spray bottle or a wet paper towel when doing that unless the humidity is already a bit too high. If a pip gets covered by another egg shell it can kill the chick in the egg which happens fairly frequently when you have a big hatch and lots of empty shells getting shoved about so that's one of those cases where you might want to intervene. Keep in mind every time you open the bator you risk killing chicks so make sure it's necessary. If the other shell is not covering the actual pip then the chick should hatch fine.

 

[vwmomof3]

OK, I went ahead and moved the chicks. They were not dry, infact they were just as wet as when they came out of the shells so I didn't forsee any drying while the vent plug was still in. They are doing great in their new home, the big one even had a BM already.. LOL I think the big one is a feather footed but I don't know about the little one. In the other thread someone thought it was a batam? They are drying out quickly, and I'm keeping a close eye on them. We don't have any chicken wire around the pool yet, we weren't expecting so soon... lol Here are the pictures.


The small chick

the big chick

We just had a third hatch...

 

[vwmomof3]

read the replys too late, I've got others piping and one just hatched. I'll leave them alone...
Thanks for the info!

 

[MissDeb]

Just one other suggestion, I would switch out the newspaper for papertowels. Newspaper is slick to those little guys and can cause problems....
What cute little fluffy butts!

 

[vwmomof3]

Got it, I can do that! thanks!