First time hatching chicks

[Ilovechickens2525]

Congrats on your eggs developing! So exciting. I throw my non developers away. I usually put them in a ziplock bag first in case they break open in the trash, but probably not necessary.

I live in a dry place as well and from the pics it looks like you have the chickcozy incubator? I have that one and with mine I usually have to add extra wet cotton balls or wet sponge pieces during lockdown because mine won’t stay humid enough. I usually keep mine at 65-70% at lockdown. And I keep the temp the same. I think some people lower the temp like .5 degree when the first egg pips. But not needed. You should put them in lockdown on day 18, at least that’s when I do with mine. Good luck, super excited for your hatch!

It is the same incubator!

Yes I was already thinking I may need to do something extra to get the humidity that high. So if you put in damp cotton balls prior to going into lockdown do you have to open it again to add more to keep the humidity high? Obviously once they start to pip you can’t do that…

 

[talkinboutchickens]

Reading this comment again, when I move them to this brooder in the garage, could I put that garden fabric on top of the hardware cloth as a barrier, and then put the pine shavings on top of that? Or do you think the chicks would peck at that? I bet that garden fabric would make clean up a breeze!

Or cardboard underneath shavings?

I vote cardboard I'm not sure how good the garden fabric would work, because the poop could drip right through probably.. But you can try it and experiment!

 

[Slothinc]

It is the same incubator!

Yes I was already thinking I may need to do something extra to get the humidity that high. So if you put in damp cotton balls prior to going into lockdown do you have to open it again to add more to keep the humidity high? Obviously once they start to pip you can’t do that…

I put the wet cotton balls in a shallow lid to keep any water contained (I usually use baby food jar lids but any kind will work!) and I place them under the air vents. Then if I need to moisten them without opening the lid, I use a drinking straw and put water in it while holding my finger on the top then release the water right on the cotton balls.

I have struggled a bit with my chickcozy, mostly with temp (I now have to set it to 102 after finally figuring out that the temp shown is about two degrees lower.) but also with the humidity - I have had several chicks with dry membranes that have had a hard time hatching. Now try to keep mine at least 50% during incubation and 70% during lockdown. It has helped some. It seems like certain areas in the incubator do better as well, for mine it seems like the sides do better than the middle. Anyways, I hope you have a great hatch in yours!!

 

[Ilovechickens2525]

I put the wet cotton balls in a shallow lid to keep any water contained (I usually use baby food jar lids but any kind will work!) and I place them under the air vents. Then if I need to moisten them without opening the lid, I use a drinking straw and put water in it while holding my finger on the top then release the water right on the cotton balls.

I have struggled a bit with my chickcozy, mostly with temp (I now have to set it to 102 after finally figuring out that the temp shown is about two degrees lower.) but also with the humidity - I have had several chicks with dry membranes that have had a hard time hatching. Now try to keep mine at least 50% during incubation and 70% during lockdown. It has helped some. It seems like certain areas in the incubator do better as well, for mine it seems like the sides do better than the middle. Anyways, I hope you have a great hatch in yours!!

That is a good tip about the cottonballs, the chicks don't try to peck at them when they hatch? I might try that as I predict it'll be difficult to get the humidity up.

I haven't had any issues with the temperature. I have it set at 99.5 and it actually seems to run a half degree lower than my external thermometer reads. Before putting eggs in I tested it with a govvee and thermopro hygrometer, they both read pretty close to eachother, so now I just go by those for the most part. The humidity reads about 4-5 degrees higher though, like you're saying yours does. I would say I've kept mine at about 50% on the incubator reading, and the external hygrometer has been about 45% most of the time. I do like that I don't have to open it up to adjust the humidity though. I did have to add a bit of water to the outer trays to get the humidity up to 45% in the first place though, so I think when I'm trying to raise it higher, to 65-70, I'm going to have to do something more than just fill those trays. Mine has been holding the humidity and temperature very well once I did get the humidity up in the first place though.

 

[Fluffy Feet]

Hello! I have hatching eggs on order for the very end of Feb and have a few questions…

I plan to move them after maybe the first week to a big wooden brooder my father in law built, it’s out in our heated garage. Opinions on heat lamp vs brooder plate? Also the bottom and sides are all hardware cloth, he read that that will make it easier to clean. I’m worried about their little feet catching on the bottom…

I have 24 eggs ordered, I assume not all will hatch, and I plan to give away the roosters (I have people who will take them). Assuming though that a lot hatch or take a while for me to give away (if others want them to be bigger before taking for example). I’m thinking they’ll outgrow this brooder, it’s decent size but 20+ chicks is a lot. Any ideas for someone who is not handy and doesn’t want to spend a bunch of money lol. I already have this nice brooder and a very expensive secure run.

Once they are bigger and I’ve pawned off my roosters. How/when do I introduce them? I currently have 9 hens and no roosters. I’ve had to quarantine and reintroduce injured chickens before so I’m ok with sorting out pecking order issues, but wondering at what age it would be safe to introduce (as I said I’m concerned about them outgrowing this brooder) and wondering about having the original 9 on layer feed and new ones on grower feed, how do I handle that?

It’s really not feasible for me to wait until 6-7 months to introduce them, nor is it feasible for me to build off a separate secure area for the new ones. We have a lot of predators and roaming neighbourhood dogs in our area so I can’t throw up a cheap temporary run or they’ll all be killed.

My heated garage IS very large so they can stay in there until they can fly, possibly longer if I brought them out into a temporary run when I’m home supervising during the day and then put them back enclosed in the garage in the evening. My original 9 lived in this garage for a few weeks when we got them as chicks last spring until they were big enough to go out without heat, so probably lived in there for 3 weeks or so.

I am definitely sure I’ll have more questions as I get closer to the incubation/hatch but these are my questions I have now in order to get myself prepared/figure out a plan for their arrival so I’m not scrambling! Should add that this breeders egg have very high hatch rate as her packaging is excellent and they are just coming from nearest city so not an extremely far distance to travel, so I may have more hatch than some shipped eggs… meaning more space issues in the brooder lol.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Fluffy Feet]

Be sure and "CANDLE" your eggs when they arrive to make sure they are fertile before going in the incubator. Do no clean them, it removes the coating on them that protects them from bacteria getting inside. If any are cracked, discard and let the Seller know first thing! I always had better luck with day- old chick's or having a silky hen to set the eggs (they are the best for the job!)

 

[PennelopeSpeaks]

Hello! I have hatching eggs on order for the very end of Feb and have a few questions…

I plan to move them after maybe the first week to a big wooden brooder my father in law built, it’s out in our heated garage. Opinions on heat lamp vs brooder plate? Also the bottom and sides are all hardware cloth, he read that that will make it easier to clean. I’m worried about their little feet catching on the bottom…

I have 24 eggs ordered, I assume not all will hatch, and I plan to give away the roosters (I have people who will take them). Assuming though that a lot hatch or take a while for me to give away (if others want them to be bigger before taking for example). I’m thinking they’ll outgrow this brooder, it’s decent size but 20+ chicks is a lot. Any ideas for someone who is not handy and doesn’t want to spend a bunch of money lol. I already have this nice brooder and a very expensive secure run.

Once they are bigger and I’ve pawned off my roosters. How/when do I introduce them? I currently have 9 hens and no roosters. I’ve had to quarantine and reintroduce injured chickens before so I’m ok with sorting out pecking order issues, but wondering at what age it would be safe to introduce (as I said I’m concerned about them outgrowing this brooder) and wondering about having the original 9 on layer feed and new ones on grower feed, how do I handle that?

It’s really not feasible for me to wait until 6-7 months to introduce them, nor is it feasible for me to build off a separate secure area for the new ones. We have a lot of predators and roaming neighbourhood dogs in our area so I can’t throw up a cheap temporary run or they’ll all be killed.

My heated garage IS very large so they can stay in there until they can fly, possibly longer if I brought them out into a temporary run when I’m home supervising during the day and then put them back enclosed in the garage in the evening. My original 9 lived in this garage for a few weeks when we got them as chicks last spring until they were big enough to go out without heat, so probably lived in there for 3 weeks or so.

I am definitely sure I’ll have more questions as I get closer to the incubation/hatch but these are my questions I have now in order to get myself prepared/figure out a plan for their arrival so I’m not scrambling! Should add that this breeders egg have very high hatch rate as her packaging is excellent and they are just coming from nearest city so not an extremely far distance to travel, so I may have more hatch than some shipped eggs… meaning more space issues in the brooder lol.

Thanks in advance!

Personally, I prefer a brooder plate. They are MUCH safer to use (heat lamps have a risk for fire, especially with pine shavings and such)
and it makes the brooder easier to transfer if you need to move it, and gives the chicks a nice place to sleep and get heat when they want. The only downside is that you can't really see them when they are under it ):

I've never had more than 3 chicks at a time, and I don't know how big your brooder you're starting with is, but as my chicks get older I typically just move them into a bigger and bigger storage container it works quite well, can be moved easily, and covered with wire so they can't fly out and if it's clear on the sides you can watch them!

Good luck with your hatching!

 

[Ilovechickens2525]

Saw movement in all of them, the first egg had less movement but did look like something was moving, the others were really moving around!

This was the night of day 17, going into lockdown in the morning so I’ll post if I’m having trouble getting humidity up etc!

Getting very excited!

 

[Ilovechickens2525]

Personally, I prefer a brooder plate. They are MUCH safer to use (heat lamps have a risk for fire, especially with pine shavings and such)
and it makes the brooder easier to transfer if you need to move it, and gives the chicks a nice place to sleep and get heat when they want. The only downside is that you can't really see them when they are under it ):

I've never had more than 3 chicks at a time, and I don't know how big your brooder you're starting with is, but as my chicks get older I typically just move them into a bigger and bigger storage container it works quite well, can be moved easily, and covered with wire so they can't fly out and if it's clear on the sides you can watch them!

Good luck with your hatching!

I ended up placing a small order earlier so I have 4 eggs going into lockdown tomorrow! I have a big sterilite tote for them with a wire lid ready to go. Got the Brinsea ecoglo heat plate!

 

[Ilovechickens2525]

Lockdown today! I’ve got the humidity up to 58/59… aiming for 60 but that seems to be difficult. My incubator says to keep it between 55-65. The 58/59 is coming from my external thermometer so I trust it, the incubator says 61/62.

The eggs have been rocking quite a bit.