When to take them out?

[genevieve]

I have 4 chicks hatched out and one pipped right now. Two eggs are rocking. When do I take the hatched ones out? They are fluffy, running around, and pecking the $h!t out of the poor one that is part of the way out of the shell. If I take them out will my humidity drop and doom the rest of the clutch? There are 13 eggs total, but I think only 12 are viable.

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

I would say take them out really quick! But im a newbie to this, im doing my first hatch next week. I dont know if that is the right answer but hopefully this will bump you.

 

[Farmer_Dan]

They can stay in for up to 4 days. If/when you take them out is dependent on you and your incubator mostly. Some people say to take the incubator in the bathroom and run the shower for a few minutes to get it all hot and steamy and take them out there.

If you have a good incubator and can keep it only open for a few seconds, it might be best to take them out, but it's always a risk as you will be dropping the humidity and therefore potentially cause any unhatched chicks to get shrink wrapped inside the egg.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[Bantam Username]

I've also heard people say that if when you take out the chicks you have a warm wet paper towel to pop in as you take the chicks out, it helps replace the humidity lost.

 

[genevieve]

Well, now I am wondering if it isn't too dry in there- the hatched shells are dried out, the chicks are dried off- I don't have a humidity gauge in there. Maybe I need to open it up and add in more water anyways??

 

[Bantam Username]

Its not supposed to be wet in there just humid. You know hot sticky humid summer days don't make you wet, just sweaty.

If your other chicks hatched fine, chances are, your humidity is fine.

 

[genevieve]

Well, the one is still stuck and it looks like one has pipped and quit... 4 came out OK so far.

 

[Eggscited]

Wrap the "pipping" (drying out) eggs in a wet paper towel leaving the open area exposed. I've done that a few times for desperate cases in the past, and it worked for me. Good luck!

 

[genevieve]

Well, I went in to check the one that has been partially out for two days now- some yolk had dried on its wing and stuck it to the side of the hovabator- I dissolved it off and freed it of the shell. Just hope I didn't wait too long and the others are OK- added lots of wet warm paper towels to the incubator hopefully the rest will be OK...

 

[Bantam Username]

Good luck, keep us posted.