August Hatch-A-Long

[Sylviaanne]

double post

 

[Mamasaurus]

Quick question - I've set up the brooder ready for these ducklings and I have just about burnt my eyeballs looking at that incandescent bulb and I remembered that some pics include bulbs with aluminum foil wrapped over them. Is this just so your eyes don't feel like mine

, does it increase the heat - what is it done for?

Lordy, hatching little ones like this is a lot of work!!

 

[Mamasaurus]

Also, my faith egg, she's been working at cracking her egg for 38 hrs now - she's made most progress in the last 12 - should I think about helping her soon or just let it be? None of the other eggs seem to be making progress - I wonder if its time for candling and intervention????????

I'd like to leave them be if I can - we are on day 30/28

 

[Tazbeaux]

Quick question - I've set up the brooder ready for these ducklings and I have just about burnt my eyeballs looking at that incandescent bulb and I remembered that some pics include bulbs with aluminum foil wrapped over them. Is this just so your eyes don't feel like mine

, does it increase the heat - what is it done for?


Lordy, hatching little ones like this is a lot of work!!

Try a 90Watt yellow bug light bulb in one of those clip on reflector sockets, both available at Walmart. It is a lot easier on your eyes and the babies eyes too.

 

[Mamasaurus]

Try a 90Watt yellow bug light bulb in one of those clip on reflector sockets, both available at Walmart. It is a lot easier on your eyes and the babies eyes too.

Walmart is a long way from here....like, halfway round the world!! But I can get the bug lights at my hardware store, only they are 100W and I was worried that the 100W I had was too hot....The brooder box isnt all that big (not my idea) and when I had the 100W on testing it, it heated up real quick - I have the thermometer in the bator right now but plan on keeping it in the brooder. What sort of temp should I be keeping in there? ...and can I use the foil to cut down the glare from the bulbs I already have?? I got coloured bulbs but the blue one isn't all that blue, it's just works like a duller bulb, the red one is good though. Only 40W for when they are bigger, the red one.

 

[Tazbeaux]

Walmart is a long way from here....like, halfway round the world!! But I can get the bug lights at my hardware store, only they are 100W and I was worried that the 100W I had was too hot....The brooder box isnt all that big (not my idea) and when I had the 100W on testing it, it heated up real quick - I have the thermometer in the bator right now but plan on keeping it in the brooder. What sort of temp should I be keeping in there? ...and can I use the foil to cut down the glare from the bulbs I already have?? I got coloured bulbs but the blue one isn't all that blue, it's just works like a duller bulb, the red one is good though. Only 40W for when they are bigger, the red one.

100 watts will be ok, For baby chicks you want the brooder to be around 95 degrees under the light, raise or lower the light to achieve this. They should also have an area where they can move away from the light if they need to cool off, keep the water in the cooler area. Reduce the temp by 5 degrees each week, until they don't need the heat anymore.

 

[Mamasaurus]

Thanks Taz,

You are awesome! despite asking for a design with an adjustable lamp, I was given a fixed connection without consultation and told "she'll be right!" (Very Australian, my bloke!

) so I'm stuck having to change out globes! I can get a 75W but I think it won't fit into the brooder with other things in the way up top so I've searched here again and decided to try and use foil on the underside of the lid to reflect the heat from the 60W bulb back down to where the ducklings will be. Good note about the water!! Will shift that.....what though, should I do about my dear eggs? What happens if I lift the lid of the bator? If I put in dishes of water or wet cloths would I raise the humidity? Faith has made cracks but has not REALLY broken through anywhere, and there is no hole for her to breath! I'm becoming keen to just whip her out and pull back that shell where it is pipped to allow air in. Aaaargh!!!

 

[KendyF]

My first August hatch is done, and I have 5 lives chicks, 2 don't look so hot. 5/10. I have a staggered hatch with another batch of 18, in three days! Pictures to follow.

 

[Tazbeaux]

Thanks Taz,

You are awesome! despite asking for a design with an adjustable lamp, I was given a fixed connection without consultation and told "she'll be right!" (Very Australian, my bloke!

) so I'm stuck having to change out globes! I can get a 75W but I think it won't fit into the brooder with other things in the way up top so I've searched here again and decided to try and use foil on the underside of the lid to reflect the heat from the 60W bulb back down to where the ducklings will be. Good note about the water!! Will shift that.....what though, should I do about my dear eggs? What happens if I lift the lid of the bator? If I put in dishes of water or wet cloths would I raise the humidity? Faith has made cracks but has not REALLY broken through anywhere, and there is no hole for her to breath! I'm becoming keen to just whip her out and pull back that shell where it is pipped to allow air in. Aaaargh!!!

Well Faith is roughly 2 days overdue, and has been trying to break out for a long time, I really think she needs some help. Maybe try breaking in at the air cell, where you can see inside and see whats going on with the membrane and whether or not it still has lots of active veins or not. also read up on the assisted hatching articles.

About the brooder, try connecting the light to a dimmer switch, that way you can adjust the heat.

 

[Mamasaurus]

Well Faith is roughly 2 days overdue, and has been trying to break out for a long time, I really think she needs some help. Maybe try breaking in at the air cell, where you can see inside and see whats going on with the membrane and whether or not it still has lots of active veins or not. also read up on the assisted hatching articles.


About the brooder, try connecting the light to a dimmer switch, that way you can adjust the heat.

*Sigh* I don't know what I should do! BUT I'm fairly sure my humidity is good (not too dry in there), none of the other eggs have even started yet and she still seems to have enough energy to rock her egg a fair bit, so maybe I'm best to give her another overnight bout - she did a lot of work through the early morning hours this morning - I checked her at 2am and there was no progress but by 8am she'd been busy! I know she is resting now anyway, so right now is not a good time.

I'm also thinking that if she hatches now I'm risking the others by lifting the lid and only so Faith is in the brooder on her own ( ducks like ducky friends

). I DID have the temp down low and there are stories here of chicks being 7 days late....maybe I need to trust? and all will happen in good time. Something tells me Faith is a pretty tough duck!

It's a tough decision - I appreciate that you gave me the answer I was looking for, but I had dreams last night about rushing things and them becoming disasters - I'm also going to college next year to become a midwife, and I trust women's bodies to birth their babies...I really should practice what I preach....I have read and re-read the assisted hatch guide at least three times - I get the feeling that what was trying to be relayed was that the chicks really need to go through the 'birth' process because nature has a wonderful way of ensuring the survival of the species, it's us who like to interfere!!

That said - I am Sooooo glad of your company while I go back to waiting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!