When to open the bator?

[aglyphic creatures]

Opinions please!!

Day 19....pips
Day 20....15 full hatches
Beginning of day 21 (9 minutes in, lol)...can see 7 more pips
So, my question is...

When can I open the lid!!!!??? There are 52 eggs in there and I don't want to compromise the others that haven't pipped yet. All looked viable at lockdown. It will be 24 hours from the first hatch at around 7 this morning. Wait another 24? 36? The Cute little boogers have stopped playing soccer with their "shelled" siblings and have moved on to bowling! Maybe I should have started with less eggs....cause this "look but don't touch" thing is making me nuts!!!!

 

[debilorrah]

Chicks are ok for up to 72 hours after hatch. They still have a lot of the yolk in them and that provides nutrition. So. Leave them alone. And I feel your pain. I HATE watching them struggle over all the eggs and shells!!!!

 

[IamTheChickenWhisperer]

LOL!!! Congrats....this is why its always good...even with the styrofoamies to have a seperate one EMPTY (so hard not to fill them)

where you can quickly gather up (have ya a basket handy) and move all those little soccer player into your "hatcher/dryer" in one smooth move.

Personally my motto is if the last one is still wet let it be, but if you see dry ones panting...GET THEM OUT. As a rule of thumb mine stay on lockdown for 24 hours but I have had no issues opening real quick when need be. Just plan to go fast.
Sit back and enjoy the view, count your chickens

and relax, mother nature is a pretty smart gal!

 

[IamTheChickenWhisperer]

PS Ive found that the warm eggs help keep them warm so not a biggie nor are the shells, BUT if you have TOO MANY eggs in there with no real space and they are on top of them and you are using a styrofoamie they CAN and WILL burn their heads on the element....just an FYI.

 

[aglyphic creatures]

Thanks!!! It's so hard not to flip the lid and snatch up all those fluffy butts! I'm sitting on my hands, but my eyeballs are stuck to the bator window, lol!!