She said/He said Who's right? Who's wrong? No one!

[scflock]

This promises to be entertaining as well as educational.

I just hope people don't mistake my sense of humor for being mean. Amy really does need one of these

once in a while, though

 

[hennible]

Lol

 

[scflock]

There is so much great info on BYC. I kind of just took what would work for me, sounded logical, and went with it. I take out the chicks after each is dry, maybe 4-6 hrs or so, and put them in a box that I have set up with clean shavings and then clean paper towels on top of that close to the incubator..I make the humidity in the box about half of what the incubator is and it is about 98 degrees. They stay in there for about 12 to 18 hrs, then go to the brooder (95 degrees and DRY)...I did this thinking that going from 75% to 12% humidity would be a shock. I have some a week old now from the first hatch, and I havent lost one chick yet.

I did leave the pheasants in for 24 hrs though. And, I was going to leave the turkey in longer...(pouty face)

I hate to hear that about your turkey. It's a shame to lose the only one when it looked like it was trying. I couldn't tell you what the humidity or temperature is in my brooders. They're not huddled, not running from the light, so I figure it's ok...

 

[scflock]

Lol

Just watch her, you'll see! "Oooohhh, the poor babies are all alone! I have to sweep them out of there and let them know mommy loves them before they run away from home!", or "oh no! That chick bumped into an egg. I'd better straighten it out before the baby gets vertigo!!!"

 

[Meaola]

I hate to hear that about your turkey. It's a shame to lose the only one when it looked like it was trying. I couldn't tell you what the humidity or temperature is in my brooders. They're not huddled, not running from the light, so I figure it's ok...

If I am correct, most of you live in a more humid climate? I am in the High Desert in southern California. I know from experience what happens to me when I travel and then come home. It is so dry here...it just seemed to me that after hatching and staying in the incubator at 75%, going straight to the brooder that is dry air(in the house) it could be shocking to their little lungs, etc. So, I made the extra effort to try and "acclimate" them a bit. Maybe they would have been fine...but, I am a worry wort. I am also a vet tech, so I try to prevent EVERYTHING. Living and working with me and my care of all of my animals is tough, I am sure, because I always go the extra mile

 

[Meaola]

Just watch her, you'll see! "Oooohhh, the poor babies are all alone! I have to sweep them out of there and let them know mommy loves them before they run away from home!", or "oh no! That chick bumped into an egg. I'd better straighten it out before the baby gets vertigo!!!"

LOL...that sounds too much like me!!! I love that the two of you can rib each other! "I kept saying...Look! they think I am their mother, they just want to cuddle and feel safe!" and "Crap, my MIDGET is getting thrown around!" I take a lot of ribbing for being too nurturing. I have cry baby turkeys in the house, and my hubby says they are training me...I argue that they just want to feel safe...Mars and Venus

 

[scflock]

If I am correct, most of you live in a more humid climate? I am in the High Desert in southern California. I know from experience what happens to me when I travel and then come home. It is so dry here...it just seemed to me that after hatching and staying in the incubator at 75%, going straight to the brooder that is dry air(in the house) it could be shocking to their little lungs, etc. So, I made the extra effort to try and "acclimate" them a bit. Maybe they would have been fine...but, I am a worry wort. I am also a vet tech, so I try to prevent EVERYTHING. Living and working with me and my care of all of my animals is tough, I am sure, because I always go the extra mile

I live in SC. The temp and humidity are usually the same...

 

[scflock]

LOL...that sounds too much like me!!! I love that the two of you can rib each other! "I kept saying...Look! they think I am their mother, they just want to cuddle and feel safe!" and "Crap, my MIDGET is getting thrown around!" I take a lot of ribbing for being too nurturing. I have cry baby turkeys in the house, and my hubby says they are training me...I argue that they just want to feel safe...Mars and Venus

I take pride in seeing how many fluffy chicks I can cram in the Octagon 20

 

[Meaola]

I take pride in seeing how many fluffy chicks I can cram in the Octagon 20

LOL

 

[scflock]

LOL

I float back and forth between joking and serious, so seriously, I have ammended my position on how long I leave them. My last hatch was like popcorn on day 21, and I had 22 viable eggs. I was still in the mindset of not opening until day 22. By the end of day 21, the incubator was full of chicks, but I could still see 4 that had not pipped. I left it that way until I got home from work. When I took the fluffies out, there were 2 remaining pipped eggs. The first basically exploded open within 30 minutes of removing the others. The last was pipped, but the pip was face down and had been under all of the other chicks all day. 99% of the time I will not assist, but this was my fault. I peeled back the dried part of the membrane, and zipped the shell myself. I let the chick kick out on its own, and she is still happy and healthy. I have now decided to remove the chicks if the bator is full, but there are still a few that could possibly hatch. It will be a judgement call that I will make when needed, but I still won't take them out as they hatch