Should I move to brooder?

[atomic]

Hello all, I have another thread but I have to go to work soon and really need an answer. I’ve had one duckling hatch, but it is still wet and is struggling to stand. The incubator has a slick floor which isn’t helping. It keeps knocking into the other eggs as well. Should I move it into the brooder before I leave for work? It hatched several hours ago.

 

[Debbie292d]

Hello all, I have another thread but I have to go to work soon and really need an answer. I’ve had one duckling hatch, but it is still wet and is struggling to stand. The incubator has a slick floor which isn’t helping. It keeps knocking into the other eggs as well. Should I move it into the brooder before I leave for work? It hatched several hours ago.

No. I'd leave it in there. It's normal for the hatched ones to bumble around in the incubator and it doesn't hurt the unhatched ones.

We use rubber shelf lining in the bottom of our incubator, so next time maybe consider getting some if yours is slick, for the next time you incubate.

I'd wait until the rest have hatched. He'll do best to stay in there.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I agree, leave it where it is. It is better off.

I use 1/4" hardware cloth on my incubator floor to give the chicks something to help keep them stable. If you can get it to lay flat window screen mesh works well also.

 

[Susan Skylark]

Shelf liner is the best! I also like moving babies out of the incubator when they reach the bumbling stage, but then I have quail and my humidity hovers around 80% so they never dry. I also don’t like leaving neonates of any species in the ‘calving’ pen for very long, kick those lambs and calves out on grass or chicks to a clean brooder instead of a moist, warm small area contaminated with fecal material and birth/hatching fluids. Even for pathogens the solution to pollution is dilution!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Shelf liner is the best!

I know this is just opinion but I do not want to restrict airflow. So this might depend on which incubator you have. They are set up differently.