How to separate hatching eggs or determine which chick is which?

[onehorse]

I am running Hovabators 2362N, takes 42 eggs and I have up to 4 different groups of eggs, (same breed of chick, some the same color, but different origin) in a bator. At hatch time how can I keep them separated, so that I know who's who? Are there dividers that you can buy/make for these incubators or is there some other way, other then an official hatcher?

Thanks!

 

[mstricer]

No dividers that I know of you can look on hendersons breed chart and then under the breeds that you are hatching there are abbervations for another web page feathersite that as you scrool down to the bottom of that page has pics of the chicks, I have the same bator and have 17 eggs in. I love my bator it seems to hold temps and humidity great.

http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

 

[austinhart123]

what i do is make cardboard dividers, they will need to be tall enough to not let chicks out but not tall enough to hit the heating element, keep extra thermometers in there because adding the cardboard can cause temp spikes and be sure to do it in a way that will not catch fire

 

[austinhart123]

you could probablt bend cut down hardware cloth into squares and put groups of eggs in those as well, might be safer and allow for better ventalation

 

[havi]

I dont remember where I saw it, but I think I might try this idea as well. I have two different araucana sets that I would like to seperate.

From what I remember..During the first 18 days the eggs were in a turner. But when it came to lock down, he put them in small makeshift wire boxes. They werent huge, just big enough for the chicks to be able to stand. The box had all 6 sides to it. And I think the top hinged open. The wire he used was the wire that comes in the hovabators. I will try my best to find the pictures or where I saw it at.

 

[onehorse]

Hummm, I like the hardware cloth idea, either dividers or boxes. I thought about the cardboard, but like mentioned, was concerned about circulation. SO works metal, so I am thinking he has a job to do! Thanks all, most helpful.

 

[kathyinmo]

I read where someone else uses those little baskets that strawberries come in.