- Jun 29, 2014
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Before I did my first ever hatch I spent much time here on byc. I have used much of it. Raising chickens has been a success.
However hatching was not a success at first for me
It is very dry and hot here in the Okanagan of B.C Canada, considered a desert.
I decided to hatch chicks for the first time this year. Filled my incubators and had a very bad hatch rate. followed the incubator instructions but in my dry climate it was not enough, I filled hovabator incubators full, 82 eggs and only got about 20 chicks. ( sorry for starting with so many)
Most were fully formed and did not hatch. I candled day 14 and 18, dispatched some infertile eggs. and had some Mal positions. incubator humidity was raised up when it fell below 45% and was sitting around 55-60%
My next hatch 31/42 eggs hatched. only one weak chick death.
How i succeeded using 3 trays in the hovabator
- No candling
- Open 1-2x per week only for adding 68-75% humidity, keeping humidity above 60 % using three of 4 trays
- I opened vent holes at first peep
- Removed chicks only once there had been enough hatched, you can tell when the humidity raises above 80% and condensation appears
- Placed chicks into a 95 degree dry brooder, a box with a red light, nothing fancy.
- Closed again 24 hr and all the rest hatched. removed again when hatch humidity caused condensation
I have now repeated this twice, with 30 + chicks hatching of 42 eggs.
Good luck to anyone who has a chance to do this in a desert climate.
I continue to have infertile eggs keeping me from a full hatch but I think with a properly fertile 42 i would have a 90 % plus success with this method.
I have only had one infertile egg sweat and smell a bit, I took it out when I removed chicks and noticed. the rest seem normal well past 21 days
However hatching was not a success at first for me
It is very dry and hot here in the Okanagan of B.C Canada, considered a desert.
I decided to hatch chicks for the first time this year. Filled my incubators and had a very bad hatch rate. followed the incubator instructions but in my dry climate it was not enough, I filled hovabator incubators full, 82 eggs and only got about 20 chicks. ( sorry for starting with so many)
Most were fully formed and did not hatch. I candled day 14 and 18, dispatched some infertile eggs. and had some Mal positions. incubator humidity was raised up when it fell below 45% and was sitting around 55-60%
My next hatch 31/42 eggs hatched. only one weak chick death.
How i succeeded using 3 trays in the hovabator
- No candling
- Open 1-2x per week only for adding 68-75% humidity, keeping humidity above 60 % using three of 4 trays
- I opened vent holes at first peep
- Removed chicks only once there had been enough hatched, you can tell when the humidity raises above 80% and condensation appears
- Placed chicks into a 95 degree dry brooder, a box with a red light, nothing fancy.
- Closed again 24 hr and all the rest hatched. removed again when hatch humidity caused condensation
I have now repeated this twice, with 30 + chicks hatching of 42 eggs.
Good luck to anyone who has a chance to do this in a desert climate.
I continue to have infertile eggs keeping me from a full hatch but I think with a properly fertile 42 i would have a 90 % plus success with this method.
I have only had one infertile egg sweat and smell a bit, I took it out when I removed chicks and noticed. the rest seem normal well past 21 days
