Chicken bald back

[jameslcfc]

Hello again, I am hatching some eggs under my broodie atm but am reading about incubating eggs either in the future or should my broodie change her mind. I cant find any info on when to remove them from the incubator. I have a circular 7 eggs incubator with no room for anything apart from eggs, it was only cheap. It says leave chicks in the incubator for 48hrs after but that wont be possible in mine. Should I be removing them when they start pipping and put them in a brooder? Its all conflicting things on the internet and not very detailed?

[Beantree]

There are two stages to incubation Jamesicfc. The first is at 37.5C and 50% humidity for 0- 17 days turning the eggs back and forth on their axis by 90 degrees three or five times a day, the second is at 37.0C and 75% humidity without any turning days 18-21 when they should hatch. Leave the chicks in for 12 hours to dry off and then move to a brooder which should be at 35C (I think) under a heat lamp (we use red for first 7 days then put them onto night and day) free from draughts. They should want to eat and drink a full day after hatching.

 

There is a lot to it. A broody is simple but you get far better results artificially in our experience. I'd get a copy of Katie Thear's book 'Incubation. A guide to hatching and Rearing', which is the only publication we reference to on this subject. ISBN 0-9061-3725-X, rrp £6.95 (or it was anyway).

[jameslcfc]

Thanks I will try and find that publication. How do you check humidity and increase it as I only have a small water tray. I will try and get a photo. Will the chick stay in the shell for that time as there is no room to move?

[jameslcfc]

[Purplemaniacs]

I bought a thermometer that also showed humidity.

 

Once a chick has forced its way out of the egg it will sleep quite a lot and will often lay its head on top of one of the other eggs. When it has regained its strength it will walk around pushing eggs out of its way, it will not be gentle with the other eggs. I was quite shocked first time but I had been warned by the lovely lady I got my eggs from.

 

You need to leave the chick in the incubator to dry out and fluff up. When you have two dry fluffy chicks then you can transfer them to the brooder.

 

Good luck.

 

Chrissie

[miller30]

Don't like to sound negative James but that is a cheap Chinese import incubator that are not safe they can catch fire take a look on brinsea site it has a list of dodgy ones and yours is on the top leanne.

[jameslcfc]

They do say if its to good and all that. I will get rid then and look for another. Thanks for the heads up

[sjp]

I've got a small brinsea incubator that hold 7 eggs it'll hold 7 large fowl chicks for 24hrs which is long enough for them to dry and fluff up as long as the humidity isn't to high after they've hatched the first time I hatched with it I had to top up the water reserve on day 18 and all but one hatched over night day 19-20 which coupled with a damp night shot the humidity up and the chick stayed damp luckily the last chick had more or less hatched by the time I'd realised what was happening so I took them out dumped the water and dried the inside of the 'bator put them back in and with in the hour them were all dried out and in the brooder and under the electric hen by evening

personally I prefer a broody as I think broody raised chick make better adults and I find them easier to add to the mob. with hatches rates for me it's seasonal all my bad hatches have been mid March to late April early May my best ones are early and late season ones with eggs from my mob