HEATING lamps for eggs/newly hatched chicks

[grace21]

Ocassionely our hens hop of the nest before all the eggs have hatched. So I try to hatch them myself under a light, could anyone give me any ideas the best way to do this, such as temperatures required and the best type of light and environment.
Last time we were lucky because the chicken excepted the chick after we hatched it.
Thankyou

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

A heat lamp mostly works at the very end of hatching, otherwise it dries out the egg too much and provides uneven heat. You would have better luck keeping a cheap Styrofoam incubation where humidity can be controlled. I would be interested in hearing if anyone has had any success using one though. I have been lucky that I use my Bantam to hatch eggs and there's always someone willing to take the eggs.

 

[realsis]

you can get a "little giant" brand incubator fairly cheap. this allows you to adjust humidity. Also has a attachment that turns the eggs while incubating. I have this unit. it's available at most farm stores. I HIGHLY recommend it instead of a lightbulb. all kinds of issues could happen to the chick with a bulb. I got my incubator a few years back but with the egg turning attachment and all it was UNDER 80 dollars. the attachment was around 12 dollars and very much worth it! I hope this helps. and this is the stryofoam one above post speaks of. with the automatic egg Turner it's a good unit.

 

[grace21]

Thanks so much guys
It needs to be something that can keep baby chicks warm until they can keep up with there mums and the rest of the chicks , would the 'little giant' work for this purpose ?

 

[lazy gardener]

An incubator is designed to hatch eggs, not to brood chicks. IMO, once chicks are dried off, they need to be moved to a brooder. It depends on how long you would need to hold them before trying to foster them to a broody hen. Best to do that within the first day or two, so technically, you could move them from bator to hen, assuming that her existing clutch wasn't much older, and assuming that she accepts them. Much age difference may result in bator hatched chicks being left behind, as the hen may not wait for stragglers to catch up.

 

[realsis]

LoL.I thought you were talking about hatching eggs! ha ha I better put on my glasses!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I think the Op is talking about finishing a hatch with a heat lamp because the hen gets off the nest with the ones that hatched and has left a few eggs unhatched, that's how I understood it.

 

[grace21]

Yes, sorry thats what i mean
thanks guys