Hello from Texas, first time hatcher.

[ashswag14]

I'm hatching 18 birds in an incubator that holds 30. This is my first time but I have done research...everyone has to start from somewhere. I do not plan to keep the birds but I will give them away or sell them to trusted farm owners. I live in Texas so they are not hard to find. Anyways, I read on here to rotate them 3 times a day, and also to keep them small end down. In which direction do I rotate them if the small end is supposed to stay down? And after hatching, how long until I send them to their new homes? Do I need to keep the box they'll be in heated with a lamp? If so, all day and night or specific times?

 

[Lanicus]

It dosent matter which direction you turn them as long as they lay on the opposite side. They will need to move into a brooder a couple of days after they hatch, and depending on the accomadations of the farmers you are giving them to they can be moved whenever. They need the heat lamp on at all times but there needs to be a cool side of the brooder so they can get away from the heat if they need to

 

[1muttsfan]

Hi and welcome to BYC from northern Michigan

Look in the Learning Center for the article Hatching 101, and for the Raising Chicks section to help you be better prepared.

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas, ashswag14, and

! Great to have you with us! Good luck to you and happy hatching!

 

[drumstick diva]