Making brooder/removing egg turner

[ok1242]

I set 45 eggs on 2/12/08 at noon. I am going to remove the turner on 2/29/08 at 2pm. Is that too soon? This is a classroom project, and the room will be locked on 3/1/08.

I am trying to make a brooder for the 38/45 fertile eggs. I have a big card board box and a 250watt red bulb. What should I line the box with?

Any other advice for the hatching stage?

 

[brooster]

Well if that is the only time you can take the turner out, then it will have to do. Its only a day early no big deal. Line the brooder with pare towels for the first few days the bedding, or just bedding. Make sure you raise the humidity. What breed ya hatching, and in what? Good Luck

 

[allen wranch]

There is a whole thread on brooders in the Raising Baby Chicks section.

Put some pine shavings on the floor of your brooder and cover it with paper towels as brooster says. As the chicks get a little older, you can take the paper towels out.

 

[ok1242]

A got an assortment (heavy breeds) of eggs from some friends. There are 5 Delaware and 4 Buckeye eggs in there as well.
This is my first attempt at incubating eggs. I am extremely nervous.

 

[brooster]

What bator are ya using? Oh and put some sugar in the water electrolytes are even better, but sugar gives them a nice boost of energy!

 

[ok1242]

I am even more nervous to say that I am using a Little Giant circulated air incubator with an egg turner. It does not seem to work well for lots of people (from what I have read). It has maintained it's temp just fine for us so far. But we still have a week to go!

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Try not to be nervous you will do just fine...we have all been where you are with a first hatch....just make sure your heatlamp is secured well and can't drop into your box...also might want to place a thermometer in there right under the heatlamp to keep the temp around 95 for the first week...make sure the brooder is roomy and big enough that they can get away from the heat if need be...