When to move to brooder?

[Kerrid]

I have my first babies today!!!

Six have hatched and I see two or three eggs with small pips the rest I see nothing. The chicks that have already hatched started today around 11 am. The last about an hour ago. Three or four of the six are dry and fluffy ... should I wait and move them to the brooder tomorrow or tonight?
thanks!

 

[debilorrah]

My common sense says once they are all dry. But I really don't know.

 

[Paganbird]

I don't open the 'bator until the hatch is over... or at least until there are no more pips. If the humidity drops, it could make it more difficult for the pipped chicks to hatch.
My 1st chick hatched at around 10:00pm last night. My hatch is only half over, so all the chicks are still in the bator.
Newly hatched chicks can live for 3 days easily without food or water... that's how hatcheries can ship out day-old chicks. They absorb the yolk during hatching & it can sustain them for a few days.

 

[Kerrid]

Okay thanks!

 

[MagsC]

I do like Paganbird, leave in the incubator until there are no more pips. Though there has been a few times when the incubator was pretty crowded that I quick slipped the hatched ones out, misted with warm water and closed it back up.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Quote:
I do that too when I have staggered hatches. Just be careful not to let too much warm moist air out at a time. i usually get 2 out and wait about 5 minutes to let it build back up a bit before going back in for more.