Sponsored Post A How-to Guide to Hatching Your Own Chicks

hennyfarm22 said:

I plan to keep some eggs from my layers to hatch . I have a buff orfington roo and a mix of other hens. mostly RI reds and a few Wyandottes. So I want to pas this tidbit on- someone told me that if you keep the eggs that are more rounded than pointy, you will have more hens than roosters. this person told me that it is an old theory and that they have used it with pretty true results. So- I am going to try it out. I'll be starting incubation in the next few weeks, so I'll post as thing progress.
Has anyone else ever heard of this?

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Well, haven't been on this site for some time..... this theory did not prove too work so well. Out of 11 eggs, i ended up with 6 hens, the rest roosters. I'll try again this year if I can get an incubator.

I am trying to make a "cheat-sheet list" of do's and don't for hatching. Please add to this!
So far:

1.make sure the incubator stays at 99.5 (no less than 99, and no more than 102 without dire consequences)
2.keep the humidity above 35% always, and normally 40-50%. and the last four days keep it at least 65%. Marans eggs need about 80-85% at the end to hatch.
3. Don't candle before day 7 (although i am not sure why this hurts). I candle day 8, 9 or 10, to make sure I can tell through dark shells. Use a little LED flashlight! I find it works best. They are really bright, and don't heat up the eggs at all. And because I use a small one, if fits tight against the egg without having to add any cardboard or anything. A nice LED candling light would be great, with a soft rubber egg holder, but costs more I'm sure.
4. Candle again at least once in the middle of the hatch, to look for bad eggs and get them out.
5. Don't forget to take out your turner at day 18, increase the humidity, and don't candle them again (although, I don't know why, I've just been told not to).
6. RESIST THE URGE to open the incubator once they have started to hatch, unless you have to add water. Only add HOT water, so you don't chill them too.
7. If you have to open it: first get your bathroom hot and very steamy. Keep hot water running to keep up the humidity in the room. Take the incubator in that room, take out the hatched chicks, take out most of the broke shells, help open any that have spent more than 6 hours with only a peck hole to get a bit more going, and add water to the incubator. Close it back up, and don't open it again till everything is finished.

Chicks can last 48 hours in the incubator just fine after hatching, but sometimes it does get really crowded and taking out the first half of them is useful, especially when you have 38 out of 40 hatch. Their interest in pecking everything that moves is not helpful for poor little chicks that hatch late, and have 6 brothers trying to peck his face, as he's just trying to get out of his shell.

Okay: so is there anything I have forgotten?
PLEASE add to this if you think of something.

Why would high humidity be needed after they hatch? I thought it was only heat at this point.

can you eat furtle eggs and what would be the diff ? granted i would love I mean love more chickens lol i got dolly madason jackie kenedy and martha washington and now i just have to get the rest of the first ladies.

Please I need some help! I'm new to hatching my own eggs.My incubator didn't come with a fan or egg turner. I bought a fan to hook up but afraid to loose to much heat while doing it and I turn my eggs every six hours.But they lay on there side not up.Today is day 7 going to start candling eggs.Beings they are on there side how do i candle them? I did do one at day 5 and it looked okay.Air sack and embryo both.I know when my hens lay there eggs are on the side.Just trying my best to hatch some little beauty's of my own.also have some duck eggs.I believe I have read everything I could find.Seems like this is the right place to get good information! Thanks so much God Bless..

I'm happy that you posted this. You just helped me and didn't even know it.My humidity has dropped and couple times to around 38%.But I caught it pretty quick.I didn't know that I could help the babies.I Read that we couldn't.I have read so many different things.I'm going to use your check list to if you don't mind.Thanks so much..Best of luck with the little ones..Joan.