when to move new hatchlings to food and water

[cbourbeau32]

Should I wait until the entire hatch (incubator hatch) to move them to the brooder and food and water or should I move them as they hatch?

Thanks for any replies.

Charlie

 

[RubyNala97]

Charlie,
That's a personal preference. Some leave them until the hatch is finished, some move them fairly quickly and others between the two. I usually wait about 12 hours-ish. It depends on the hatch and how well your incubator recovers humidity after its opened. I try to wait till I have a few but in between pips. How many eggs did you set and how many have hatched? Sometimes keeping them in will encourage the other eggs to hatch. But I don't like mine to go longer then 12-18 hrs without water available.

 

[cbourbeau32]

Charlie,
That's a personal preference. Some leave them until the hatch is finished, some move them fairly quickly and others between the two. I usually wait about 12 hours-ish. It depends on the hatch and how well your incubator recovers humidity after its opened. I try to wait till I have a few but in between pips. How many eggs did you set and how many have hatched? Sometimes keeping them in will encourage the other eggs to hatch. But I don't like mine to go longer then 12-18 hrs without water available.

Started with 20 eggs, 1 was a dud so I took it out about half way through and as of day 18 (lockdown) all 19 that were left appeared to be developing. 7 have hatched so far with the first one hatching during the night last night and the other 6 today. Several more have small holes and the rest (I think) all have movement inside of them. I think I'll wait till morning to move them. Would that be too long?

Thanks again, Charlie

 

[RubyNala97]

Started with 20 eggs, 1 was a dud so I took it out about half way through and as of day 18 (lockdown) all 19 that were left appeared to be developing. 7 have hatched so far with the first one hatching during the night last night and the other 6 today. Several more have small holes and the rest (I think) all have movement inside of them. I think I'll wait till morning to move them. Would that be too long?

Thanks again, Charlie 

Congrats on the awesome hatch!! No, that would not be too long. If it's night and I still have pips, I will wait till morning too. The chicks absorb the yoke so they can survive a couple days without food or water. I tend to worry about moving them to the brooder at night because I like to keep an eye on them for the first day in the brooder to make sure they know where the food and water is. Just make sure you dip their beaks in the food and water when you put them in the brooder because they need to be taught how to eat and drink, but you probably already knew that!

 

[cbourbeau32]

Congrats on the awesome hatch!! No, that would not be too long. If it's night and I still have pips, I will wait till morning too. The chicks absorb the yoke so they can survive a couple days without food or water. I tend to worry about moving them to the brooder at night because I like to keep an eye on them for the first day in the brooder to make sure they know where the food and water is. Just make sure you dip their beaks in the food and water when you put them in the brooder because they need to be taught how to eat and drink, but you probably already knew that!

Thanks Ruby! I didn't know the part about the food and water as my first hatch came the way nature actually intended....a broody hen. It looks like 8, 9 and 10 are close with pipping (correct spelling??) I still believe in the rest of the eggs. I don't expect to be fortunate enough for all to hatch but want to give them the best chance. Thanks again!!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Charlie,
That's a personal preference. Some leave them until the hatch is finished, some move them fairly quickly and others between the two. I usually wait about 12 hours-ish. It depends on the hatch and how well your incubator recovers humidity after its opened. I try to wait till I have a few but in between pips. How many eggs did you set and how many have hatched? Sometimes keeping them in will encourage the other eggs to hatch. But I don't like mine to go longer then 12-18 hrs without water available.

xs 2- totally agree it's a personal choice. You should go by your comfort level and what works for you. If you decide to remove them during hatch just make sure that you have adequate humidity in your bator and it recovers quickly after you've opened it. I remove my chicks as they hatch and I make sure my humidity is above 70%. If your humidity dips you can add a wet sponge to the bator to bring it back up.

Started with 20 eggs, 1 was a dud so I took it out about half way through and as of day 18 (lockdown) all 19 that were left appeared to be developing. 7 have hatched so far with the first one hatching during the night last night and the other 6 today. Several more have small holes and the rest (I think) all have movement inside of them. I think I'll wait till morning to move them. Would that be too long?

Thanks again, Charlie

Those are looking like good numbers.

Thanks Ruby! I didn't know the part about the food and water as my first hatch came the way nature actually intended....a broody hen. It looks like 8, 9 and 10 are close with pipping (correct spelling??) I still believe in the rest of the eggs. I don't expect to be fortunate enough for all to hatch but want to give them the best chance. Thanks again!!

Good luck and yes, it's pipping... ;-)

 

[cbourbeau32]

Thanks for everyone's advice on this. I'm new to incubation but have had one group of new chicks come via broody hen. I'd like to update on this in case it might help someone down the road.

I left the chicks in through early Sunday afternoon and 15 of 19 had hatched with the last 4 getting through today or tomorrow to hatch before I toss them. I moved them to their new temporary home with food, water and heat light (75w bulb). As of this morning late (texted my wife from work to check on them) they are all 15 doing well. I feel very fortunate to have had this good of a hatch rate. I didn't do anything but follow the Hovabator Genesis instructions on which water trough's to fill at the time during incubation they advised they be filled. I used the humidity and temp reading from the incubator only and didn't buy secondary ones. Next up will be a dozen duck eggs. Thanks again for the help from this wonderful forum. Hopefully as I live/learn this lifestyle I can add to the conversations going forward.

Thanks again, Charlie