Is my pekin bantam male or female?

[kinsk]

This is our first hatch and I am starting to panic

 

We have 18 eggs in a rcom 20. Our first chick hatched last night, two more this morning and another one about to at any moment. The first two are blundering around and I was wondering if it's better to open the incubator and take the empty shells out to make more room, or is it better to leave alone.

 

Another question - as they are hatching at different times when to move them to the brooder? Wait to do it all at once or should I say move these first three out tonight? The first two are dry and fluffy now.

 

I am guessing taking the lid on and off too much will be detrimental as the temp and humidity will fluctuate, or does it not make too much difference at this stage. I noticed when candling that once the lid is back on it does get back up to temp/humidity fairly quickly.

 

Complete novice to this

[Redwing]

I'd not open the lid if other eggs are pipping. I would leave these ones and the empty eggs in till this evening at least even tomorrow morning, let a few more hatch then when there is a lull whip them all out quickly and leave the stragglers to hatch

 

The movement of the already hatched chicks encourages the others out

 

If the empty shells start to cause a problem then open the lid and grab those out quickly

 

It's not so much about the humidity recovering quickly (which it will in the rcom 20) it's the fact that it was suddenly lost in a rush, this is enough to cause problems

[kinsk]

That makes sense! Thank you.

 

Deep down a voice was telling me to leave alone, but then excitement takes over and you think you should be doing something!