Hatching Today at Portland UK

[PortlandUK]

OK, with 6 chicken eggs under my Buff Orpington and 12 ducks + a few Nankins under my broody duck, I'm devising a back up plan in case either of the girls abandons the eggs. I have candled the eggs and they're looking good.

I've had a look at some of the home-made incubators some BYC members have made and thought I'd have a go at making my own. I disinfected an old aquarium and have some wet sponge in the bottom with a pipe and funnel to allow me to add extra humidity when it's needed. I've attached a heat lamp successfully and have insulated the aquarium, leaving a viewing window through which I can view my thermometer and hygrometer. Now I'm looking for some helpful advice from anyone who has made their own incubator. Here's a few thoughts going through my mind at the moment:

What temperature and humidity should I be settling at?
a) for ducks
b) for chickens

Can I mix the chicken and duck eggs?
The duck eggs started with the broody a week before the chicken so I am anticipating they will all have approximately the same hatch date.

Any advice truly appreciated. Thanks. xxx

 

[sumi]

I incubate duck and chicken eggs at the same temp and humidity. 45% humidity and 65% + for lockdown. Temperature 99*F in a forced air incubator. (Still air needs 101* measured at the top of the eggs) You can hatch them together, as long as you started the duck eggs a week before the chicken eggs.

 

[PortlandUK]

Hi Sumi, I am maintaining 36 degrees C (not sure what this is in F) and humidity is stable at 46%. I think it needs a degree or two more (Centigrade). Im going to have to put my Nankin eggs in as the duck is struggling with too many.

Yesterday we had two chicken eggs roll out from under the broody hen and placed them back under her but they were out again this morning and judging by how cold they were I think they had come out in the night. I have now circled my Heidi (that's my Buff Orp) with extra hay to stop the remaining 4 eggs from rolling out.

Being of a scientific mind I was curious to see the developing embryos so this afternoon I opened the eggs up at the air sac and the fetuses were amazing. If I can manage to download the pictures I will do so (though the more squeemish BYCers may not want to look!)

Vanessa xx

 

[sumi]

O.K. you're also working in Celcius! Aim for 37.5*C. Humidity is good.

Yes, those embryos are amazing and the whole egg developing process is really interesting. We have an eggtopsy thread here with lots of pics, I'll get it for you in a minute. But I warn you: it's graphic.

ETA: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/363717/eggtopsy-what-happened-to-my-egg-graphic-pictures

 

[PortlandUK]

I've put the eggs in and the temperature dropped to 34 degrees C but is now increasing again slowly. The humidity went up a little when the temperature went down - loving the scientific element to all this but is this right?

I've marked X and O on them and know to turn them 3 times a day, one way one day and the opposite day the next (clockwise then anti-clockwise). It's going to be a wonderful labour of love and I'll be thrilled if the hatch is successful so here's fingers crossed!!

The duck and chicken eggs are around day 12, give or take a day, but the Nankin eggs were added to the duck's brood after she had been on the duck eggs for a week. I'm worried that when the humidity needs to increase for the last few days for the older hatchlings, what will I do about the Nankin's that are a week younger? Should I transfer them to the broody hen for a few days and hope she stays sitting on them (she has 4 other eggs under her)?

 

[PortlandUK]

TAKE CARE - GRAPHIC EGGTOPSY IMAGES BELOW....

IF YOU THINK YOU MAY FEEL OFFENDED, PLEASE DO NOT SCROLL DOWN. THESE EGGS WERE ABANDONED AND COLD AND WERE OPENED FOR SCIENTIFIC CURIOSITY. BOTH FETUSES WERE DEAD.





This was really interesting... I opened the eggs very carefully from the air sac even though they weren't fully developed. The chicken embryo was similar to that shown at day 12 but not quite as large in proportion to the yolk so I am guessing it was around day 9. The duck embryo was smaller, maybe day 7?


This is the chicken embryo. I could just see the beginnings of feather stubble. The eyes are enormous. There is a tiny light coloured spot at the end of the beak which I assume is the forming egg tooth?


The duck embryo I think is younger than the chicken. There is no sign of feather stubble and the embryo is much smaller.

It was really sad to lose these two but they were definitely too cold to think they would have been ok to go back under the broody. I am glad I opened them up though, I can now visualise what is going on inside the other eggs - amazing!

I hope my other eggs under the broody chicken and duck go develop well and hatch successfully. I've now got my home-made incubator up and running too.

 

[PortlandUK]

Success! One of the eggs under the Broody Orpington hatched today while I was at work! I was so pleased! Four more eggs under her now and keeping fingers crossed

 

[PortlandUK]

Out of the five eggs under my Orpington, two hatched successfully and are doin

g very well.

 

[PortlandUK]

The other chicks are growing healthy too, including my random frizzle, Fizz!