When do I remove the chicks from the incubator????

[chick lovers]

I have an incubator with 35 good eggs and they are hatching now. I was wondering was when should I remove the chicks that have already hatched to the brooder, and will it hurt the remaining eggs and hatching chicks when I do it?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I have an incubator with 35 good eggs and they are hatching now. I was wondering was when should I remove the chicks that have already hatched to the brooder, and will it hurt the remaining eggs and hatching chicks when I do it?

That's a personal decision that should be based on your comfort level and what your bator holds for humidity and how quick the humidity comes back up. I pull my chicks as they hatch now. Once they are moving around in the incubator the go to the brooder. I have had two chicks now get hurt by the fan in the bator. I feel better with them in the brooder. I run 70-75% humidity at hatch time so that when I do open the bator my humidity isn't falling dangerously low. There is a small chance that opening can cause "shrink wrapping" to the pippers. I have NEVER had this happen. I just hatched out 33 chicks, opening the bator regularly to remove and not one issue with pipping chicks. If the humidity starts getting to the border-line area, I wet my sponge and stick it back in the bator and my humidity comes right back up.
Some people will NOT open the bator for any reason until the hatch is complete. (Chicks technically can remain in the bator for up to three days.) Either way is acceptable and no way is right or wrong as long as it is working for you and for your chicks. Good luck on the hatch!

 

[scflock]

That's a personal decision that should be based on your comfort level and what your bator holds for humidity and how quick the humidity comes back up. I pull my chicks as they hatch now. Once they are moving around in the incubator the go to the brooder. I have had two chicks now get hurt by the fan in the bator. I feel better with them in the brooder. I run 70-75% humidity at hatch time so that when I do open the bator my humidity isn't falling dangerously low. There is a small chance that opening can cause "shrink wrapping" to the pippers. I have NEVER had this happen. I just hatched out 33 chicks, opening the bator regularly to remove and not one issue with pipping chicks. If the humidity starts getting to the border-line area, I wet my sponge and stick it back in the bator and my humidity comes right back up.
Some people will NOT open the bator for any reason until the hatch is complete. (Chicks technically can remain in the bator for up to three days.) Either way is acceptable and no way is right or wrong as long as it is working for you and for your chicks. Good luck on the hatch!

+1

Personally, I wait until the hatch is complete now. I've had my best hatches that way. I think the additional bodies and noise encourage the others to hatch, but like AmyLynn said, it's all personal preference. You would probably get a 50/50 vote if you asked all members on BYC. The first 2 hatches, I felt like I just had to get in there and help. Now, I just let nature take its course and I pull them out and close it down on day 23, no matter what is happening (unless there's a zip)

 

[AmyLynn2374]

+1

Personally, I wait until the hatch is complete now. I've had my best hatches that way. I think the additional bodies and noise encourage the others to hatch, but like AmyLynn said, it's all personal preference. You would probably get a 50/50 vote if you asked all members on BYC. The first 2 hatches, I felt like I just had to get in there and help. Now, I just let nature take its course and I pull them out and close it down on day 23, no matter what is happening (unless there's a zip)

I don't hold out anymore for late eggs. If it's past due date, or all my eggs have hatched and no more have pipped, I pull them to candle. If there are any obvious signs of life, (strong blood vessels, internal pips, movement) then those will go back in. Any that have no movement and no other signs of life proceed to eggtopsy regardless of wether it's day 21 or day 23. I do not hold out hope for days after the hatch. Generally anything that is going to hatch hatches w/in 48 hours (with exceptions yes,) of the first hatcher.

 

[chick lovers]

Thanks for all the replies I took the chicks out in groups right after they had hatched. I hatched 25/34 I hatched two bantams, five lav orps, three EE's and the rest were mixed breeds so I guess that wasn't a bad hatch. My last two hatches have been failures so this was a little bit of a confidence booster. Thanks again for the advice.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Thanks for all the replies I took the chicks out in groups right after they had hatched. I hatched 25/34 I hatched two bantams, five lav orps, three EE's and the rest were mixed breeds so I guess that wasn't a bad hatch. My last two hatches have been failures so this was a little bit of a confidence booster. Thanks again for the advice.

That's great! Congrats!