First time trying to hatch a chick may be a double yolker

[Hdomaille]

Hi guys. I have a few people here in guernsey offering advice but though it would be great to join here and get som more expert opinions and help

we are on day 10. My daughter was convinced some chicken eggs we bought off the hedge had chicks!. I thought would be a lovely project especially at this time of lockdown. First couple of days they sat in a home made incubator. A lot of work and also had to substitute the heat pad with a hot water bottle and airing cupboard at night.

On day 4 it was pretty obvious only 1 was fertilised. I then managed to get a tiny incubator. We are now on day 10. Yesterday day 9 it’s developed hugely!!!!.
As the incubator doesn’t have a solid floor is it ok to put shelf liner over egg tray? Or will this stop fan from working?.
I’m aware that double yolkers are notoriously difficult to hatch. So lots of potential problems.

 

[Floydie]

I have that incubator and it does hatch chicks ok we have loads of little quail from it, the last lot hatched over the Easter weekend. With my first two hatches I incubated them in the egg tray and added a cut to size piece of egg crate with non slip matting for the lock down and hatch. The last two hatches I had too many eggs to do that so I left them in the egg tray for lock down and hatch. Don't know if you can make out the egg crate in the second photo? But you can buy it on eBay.

 

[Floydie]

Also the little temperature wire you have pointed towards the top of the incubator. Bring it down a bit and have the end pointing near the top of the egg, you want it to be reading the temperature around the egg, heat rises.

 

[Hdomaille]

Oh that’s amazing!!!! Did u add water in lockdown? I’ve got this to do it

I have that incubator and it does hatch chicks ok we have loads of little quail from it, the last lot hatched over the Easter weekend. With my first two hatches I incubated them in the egg tray and added a cut to size piece of egg crate with non slip matting for the lock down and hatch. The last two hatches I had too many eggs to do that so I left them in the egg tray for lock down and hatch. Don't know if you can make out the egg crate in the second photo? But you can buy it on eBay.
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That’s amazing!!!! So lovely to see it works. Did u add water in lockdown.? I’ve managed to do this. Also could u send a link for the exact liner crate u used pleas

 

[Hdomaille]

Could u send link of exact liner crate u used please

 

[Floydie]

Just a sheet of egg crate like this you will have to cut it to size with wire cutters and sand the edges. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/352646316751

 

[Floydie]

For lock down I filled the tray at the back to the top, if there was no pips and it needed refilling then I refilled it. If there was pips I added cut up wet sponges to up the humidity.

 

[Floydie]

And this kind of matting (you can probably find it for less) it's good to use in the broody box too as it will help the chicks to stand and move about without their legs slipping out from under them. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/292894615523 it's just a non slip shelf liner, rubber with little holes.

 

[Hdomaille]

For lock down I filled the tray at the back to the top, if there was no pips and it needed refilling then I refilled it. If there was pips I added cut up wet sponges to up the humidity.

The water runs out every day

And this kind of matting (you can probably find it for less) it's good to use in the broody box too as it will help the chicks to stand and move about without their legs slipping out from under them. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/292894615523 it's just a non slip shelf liner, rubber with little holes.

Could cut this then line?

 

[Floydie]

Yes it does, but I found to dry hatch with it works better for me. I top it up around 4 times in the hatch and only start adding water after the first week. A damp sponge will raise the humidity that the first chick needs for hatching, after the first chick is out the humidity will shoot up anyway.
You may be able to use that.