First time incubating

[mbelim]

an easy thing to do would be to get a 1"x1" or about size piece of wood the same lenght as your carton and attach it to the center on the bottom then you could rock it from side to side that way. 

Awesome idea and here we go.....

only problem now is my capacity is halved.... incubators has capacity of 130 eggs on net and now only 70.... So I must see to create more space

 

[mbelim]

Awesome idea and here we go.....

only problem now is my capacity is halved.... incubators has capacity of 130 eggs on net and now only 70.... So I must see to create more space

How many times should I tilt Daily? On day 18, do I leave eggs as is or should I place them on wire?

 

[Jessshan8]

Quote: tilt an odd number each day at least three times daily but always an odd number. if your bator has a fan for circulation you can add another shelf once the hatch is done

 

[AmyLynn2374]

How many times should I tilt Daily? On day 18, do I leave eggs as is or should I place them on wire?

tilt an odd number each day at least three times daily but always an odd number. if your bator has a fan for circulation you can add another shelf once the hatch is done

X2- What jessshan said. The more the better, always an odd number. You can place them on the wire or leave them in the cartons as long as the cartons are stable so they aren't going to tip once chicks are hatching and jumping around.

 

[mbelim]

1st----ALWAYS get your incubator running at the proper temp at least 24 hours before you add any eggs.
 Its not unsusal for two thermometers to read a little different---which one is right??? I do not know----divide the difference---add 2 tenths to the lowest and minus 2 tenths for the highest---hatch a load of eggs---if they hatch a little early or a little late then you can write on the thermometer you need to add or minus a little to get them to hatch around late day 20 early day 21.

If your humidity is to high---put a slightly smaller water pan in it. In most places the humidity will rise at night if you are set-up in a uncontrolled building---BUT Your humidity is close according to your readings.

You seem to be planning to hatch alot of chicks---forget that shelf---to many chicks, to much poop to have to clean out----1/2" wire floor brooders is the way I would go with poop catcher trays that you can dump every day or two without having to remove the chicks everytime.

Why Not turn the eggs on day 2? Never heard of that. My eggs get turned from the day I put them in the incubator to day 18 and I have a real high hatch rate.

Hi River,
This brooder thing is playing on my mind...
I wanted some more insight if possible..

This is my current brooder..

This I got from a friend of mine who had one extra...

I will be using this for my first batch of chicks
However, almost immediately (4 days later) I am expecting a second batch of chicks.

I have been told that the ages cannot be mixed.

So I am working on ideas for a second brooder box...

I have posted earlier about my shelf I wanted to convert.
I cane across this tray at my local plastic store and had an idea...

So, I was thinking if I could mabe use these trays in my shelf by inserting them longwards....

I like things to be neat and in an orderly fashion hence the stackable ideas are more appealing to me...

Another thing I came across was this chicken cage box which is also stackable....

I was wondering if this could work as a brooder?
I would obviously be stacking one brooder on top of the other if this is possible.

This cage measures:
700mm Length
492mm Width
265mm Height
How many chicks would I be able to fit in one?

I'm a total newbie so please don't laugh at any of my crazy ideas....

 

[PD-Riverman]

Hi River,
This brooder thing is playing on my mind...
I wanted some more insight if possible..

This is my current brooder..


This I got from a friend of mine who had one extra...

I will be using this for my first batch of chicks
However, almost immediately (4 days later) I am expecting a second batch of chicks.

I have been told that the ages cannot be mixed.

So I am working on ideas for a second brooder box...

I have posted earlier about my shelf I wanted to convert.
I cane across this tray at my local plastic store and had an idea...



So, I was thinking if I could mabe use these trays in my shelf by inserting them longwards....

I like things to be neat and in an orderly fashion hence the stackable ideas are more appealing to me...

Another thing I came across was this chicken cage box which is also stackable....



I was wondering if this could work as a brooder?
I would obviously be stacking one brooder on top of the other if this is possible.

This cage measures:
700mm Length
492mm Width
265mm Height
How many chicks would I be able to fit in one?

I'm a total newbie so please don't laugh at any of my crazy ideas....

The wooden box looks good---I would just want to take the boards out the bottom, staple some 1/2" hardware cloth on the bottom, then make a catch tray('s) the size of the bottom that will slide out so you can easily clean. The red stack totes could be modified to work, because you are going to need a way to heat part of it as well as a bottom that will catch the poop so the bottom trays do not get pooped on. As I stated before----you sound like you are going to be raising alot of chicks----alot of chicks create alot of poop---mess and cleaning up the mess needs to be as easy as possible.
Also I have Never had a problem putting just hatched chicks with a week old chicks, that are the same size----meaning I would not put just hatched bantams/silkies with 1 week old larger breed chicks. Also I would not mix 1 day old chicks with 2 or 3 week old either---a few days apart is fine for me.

 

[mbelim]

Good Luck!!

Now a few questions----How many light bulbs are you using?
That Cabinet is Huge----is it still air---I did not see a fan?
How is the humidity and temperature now?
How do you plan to increase the humidity at lock-down(day 18)?
Did you test it before you put the eggs in to see what it takes to get your humidity up to 70+% for hatching?
Have you got vent holes in the box?

X2 with all but the light bulbs, vent holes are the most important there will be a huge build up of carbon dioxide and it builds up quicker as the eggs develop,e so ventilation becomes more important the chicks will actually suffocate and die to to carbon dioxide build up in the incubator if adequate ventilation is not attained

I keep my vents open as well from day one. Unless I have a dip in temp (Styro bator) and then I will cover one to try to get it back up w/o touching the gage, but they mostly stay open. And yes, it does make a difference if they were shipped, I wasn't thinking about that. good catch. Because there are so many I just assumed they were local. Local eggs do need to be turned from day one.

Hello People,

I am sooo excited today... this is why...

MY FIRST HATCH!!!

So I need to know what to do next? I have been told to keep them in Bator for 3 days.
Then move them to brooder....
Please advice on temperature of brooder box etc...

 

[Jessshan8]

I would not wait an entire three days and never have. the most I would wait is two and then take the dry ones out as quickly as you can ( to save humidity) and move them to a brooder.
Note though if you wait the three days it will not hurt them, I just never do because the chicks will walk around and start shuffling the eggs all over the place.

 

[Jessshan8]

The brooder should be large enough to house all the chicks with space to move around. The brooder light should be at one end and maintain a temp of about 99 to 100 deg at the level of the chicks. This will allow the birds to move away from it if they get too hot and they will position themselves as to where the temps are most comfortable for them. Have the food and water away from the light as well.

 

[Jessshan8]

By the way CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!