How long do you leave chicks in the incubator?

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Wed May 04, 2016 3:45 pm

If every chick popped out of it's shell right on day21, it would be easy to hold them for 24 hours in the incubator and then take the whole hatch out. But what do you do when there's a few early chicks and the bulk haven't hatched? What is the maximum time you can leave a hatched chick in there before things go south? I keep reading conflicting advice, I've heard no more than 24 hours right through to 48 hours.
I don't want to sacrifice early chicks waiting for late ones. Any thoughts? I hear plaintive peeping coming from the incubator but there are a lot of pips! aaarrghhhhhh. The sportsman isn't very chick removal friendly so I can't even really just pop out those early chicks.
I don't think I will hatch in the Sportsman again, it's not really good for hatching chicks in. I need a dedicated hatcher! Next time.

kenya · Post by **kenya** » Wed May 04, 2016 4:57 pm

If no one else is pipped I quick take it out.

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Wed May 04, 2016 5:50 pm

Lots of pips, so I'm trying very hard to wait until tomorrow morning and hopefully by then most will have hatched. 36 hours hopefully won't be too long? Most will be younger.,,,,,, Tonight at 9 is 21 days. Like I'm gonna sleep! I keep peeking through the window! But I've resisted opening the incubator.

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Wed May 04, 2016 6:50 pm

Ok I cheated- I hung a wet towel in the spare bathroom incubator room, and got the room air humidity to 71%- higher than the incubator humidity of 66%- so I dove in and snagged the older chicks. 33 so far. Hee hee every one has a pea comb! They all look like dad- one Buckeye or another!
And finally, finally I have my much- anticipated Buckeye x Cornish chicks.
They are resting comfortably in their brooder.

Doug The Chickenman · Post by **Doug The Chickenman** » Wed May 04, 2016 7:11 pm

I just open it up and take them out. In nature mom gets up to go bathroom and eat so it ain't going to matter.
I don't lock down anything I am in and out all the time add water for humidity, remove hatch lings.
nature doesn't lock down so why should we. it was something created by the Incubator salesmen.
Talk to the older folks and they don't know what you are talking about.

Jaye · Post by **Jaye** » Wed May 04, 2016 8:47 pm

YAY! Happy things turned out well for you, Robbie.

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Thu May 05, 2016 12:13 am

Thanks Jaye. I am overflowing with chicks........... update tomorrow.

Poultryprincess · Post by **Poultryprincess** » Thu May 05, 2016 12:34 am

WOW, I'm feeling overwhelmed with just 18 Silkie chicks....you ROCK Robbie!!!!

Post by **Killerbunny** » Thu May 05, 2016 8:08 am

BTW Robbie - NEVER apologise for that spare bathroom being used for chicks. I always wondered what it was for until we had chickens!

Doug The Chickenman · Post by **Doug The Chickenman** » Thu May 05, 2016 8:18 am

It is not a spare bathroom it is the chick Hatchery / nursery.