California - Northern

[casportpony]

Quote:

Quote: Oxygen in the Air:

The oxygen content of air at sea level is about 21%. It is impossible to increase this percentage appreciably
in incubators unless pure oxygen is introduced. Generally, the oxygen content of air in the setter remains at
about 21%, but there may be some variation in the hatcher where large amounts of carbon dioxide are produced
by rapidly developing chicks. Hatchability will decrease about 5% for each 1% that the oxygen content of the
air drops below 21%. The main danger in these cases is that high levels of carbon dioxide become toxic.
Air Supply is Generally Adequate:
As the embryo ages, its oxygen demand increases and more carbon dioxide is given off to the environment.
Each process grows approximately 100 times between the 1st and 21st day of incubation, as shown in the table.
On the 18th day of incubation, 1,000 eggs require 143 ft3 of fresh air per day (oxygen in the air at 21%). An
incubator holding 40,000 eggs would need 5,720 ft3 of fresh air per day, or approximately 238 ft3 per hour.
Based on expected O2 requirements for a hatch, air in most incubators needs to be changed about eight times
a day or once every 3 hours. This rate of air exchange is the minimum required. Air exchange rates in most
machines are usually more than adequate. In some cases, care must be taken to ensure that excessive loss of
moisture due to over-ventilation does not become a problem.
TABLE. Gaseous Exchange During Incubation (per 1,000 eggs)
Day of Incubation Absorption of Oxygen Expulsion of Carbon Dioxide
ft3 ft3
1 0.50 0.29
5 1.17 0.58
PUTTING KNOWLEDGE TO WORK
The University of Georgia and Ft. Valley State College, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and counties of the state cooperating.
The Cooperative Extension service officers educational programs, assistance and materials to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex or disability
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10 3.79 0.92
15 22.70 11.50
18 30.00 15.40
21 45.40 23.00
Carbon Dioxide Tolerance:
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a natural by-product of metabolic processes during embryonic development which
begins during gastrulation. In fact, CO2 is being released through the shell at the time the egg is laid.
Carbon dioxide levels increase within the setter and hatcher when there is insufficient air exchange.
Younger embryos have a lower tolerance to CO2 than older ones. The tolerance level seems to be linear
from the 1st day of incubation through the 21st day. During the first 4 days in the setter, the tolerance level
to CO2 is about 0.3%.
Carbon dioxide levels above 0.5% in the setter reduce hatchability somewhat, levels above 1% reduce
hatchability significantly, and levels above 5% are lethal. Hatching chicks give off more CO2 than embryos
in eggs, and their tolerance level in the hatcher is about 0.75%.
Recording devices are available for measuring the CO2 content of the air, and some incubators have them
as standard equipment. The best place to measure the CO2 is in the exhaust duct coming out of the setter or
hatcher. Measurements taken inside a machine are not as accurate because opening the door will change the
environment in the machine.
Speed of Airflow:
The most important aspect of airflow in an incubator is to ensure proper mixing of temperature and
humidity throughout the incubator cabinet while bringing in fresh air for oxygen and exhausting stale air to
reduce carbon dioxide, moisture, and heat. Different incubator manufacturers have different means of
circulating air: paddles, blades or fans. In most cases, it is the pattern of airflow that is most important.
Air, like water, follows the path of least resistance. An incompletely closed baffle door, a poor door seal, or
a fan out of alignment will negatively affect air flow patterns. In a poorly maintained machine, insufficient
air is circulated through the mass of eggs resulting in hot and cold spots, which in turn creates slow
hatches, reduced hatchability, and poorer chick quality. Incubator maintenance is critical to achieve
optimum air flow.
References: Romanoff, A. L., 1930. Journal of Morphology 50:517-525.
Thanks... will have to read this after I do my evening chores.

In case anyone is curious, the reason I'm asking is because I've been taking muscovy eggs from hens at about day 32-33 and putting them in the bator with the humidity at 70-80% and they have been hatching better than ever for me.

-Kathy

 

[HighStreetCoop]

My chicks from @Papa Brooder have shipped!!! I will be obsessively checking the tracking number all night ...

 

[LittleRedCoop53]

Fun....new babies

i have eggs in an incubator due to hatch Halloween night....

 

[Honora]

My chicks from @Papa Brooder have shipped!!! I will be obsessively checking the tracking number all night ...

How exciting! What are you getting?

 

[Chickengirl1304]

I'm in Stanislaus county. Anyone close to me? Looking for breeders of show quality birds for my 4h kiddos. Most are first year primary kids. Not interested in bantams. Mostly looking for Orpingtons, Marans, and Australorps, but open to just about anything that is good with children except game birds. Thank you.

I have orps and marans http://gracefulchickens.com

 

[bootsNbirds]

Quote: Why not @Audio51 ?? I did not know that could be a problem.

have I been doing something terrible to my boys all these years?!

 

[ronott1]

I have orps and marans http://gracefulchickens.com

How have you been?

 

[Minflick]

Because the roosters don't lay, so don't have any way to shed the excess calcium. You have the same issue with dairy animals - the males should never be fed the same diet as the lactating females, since they do not lactate.

 

[bootsNbirds]

Because the roosters don't lay, so don't have any way to shed the excess calcium. You have the same issue with dairy animals - the males should never be fed the same diet as the lactating females, since they do not lactate.

Ok. They won't "overdose" if I'm free-choicing the oyster shell with a low-calcium feed, will they? Just if the food itself is too high in calcium?

 

[ronott1]

Ok. They won't "overdose" if I'm free-choicing the oyster shell with a low-calcium feed, will they? Just if the food itself is too high in calcium?

The roosters will not over dose on free choice calcium. The hens will eat what they need.