Little Giant Incubation Experiment - Day 21 - Hatch Day!

[bpetry]

In the last 2-3 days I do find that I have to tap it down slightly to keep it at my 99.5ish. Some people drop their temp a degree at hatch time. I do not adjust to drop it that degree, just to keep it at my 99.5.

Is there a reason people vary on the temps? Some places day 101degrees others 99....

 

[WalnutHill]

101-102 at the top of the egg if you don't have a circulating fan in your incubator, because the temperature gradients will be 98 or so at the bottom of the egg, and average will be around 99.5.

99.5 if you have a circulating fan in your incubator, because the heat will be more evenly distributed (at least in theory).

 

[lazy gardener]

Awesome! I guess you mean a vitamin supplement for the hens? How long do you stop it before it affects the shell density? Just curious...

Yes, I had them on a vitamin supplement as part of my experiment. I can't say how many days I had to stop to affect the shell density. Not very many.

I thought I read somewhere that once the eggs reach a certain point they start putting off their own heat and the temps in the incubator may need to be adjusted down to compensate... sound right? If so when should I be watching for this?

I find that I have a temp spike around day 7, again around 14, and then during the last 3. I think it depends a lot on your bator, how much ventilation you have, and your stocking density.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

101-102 at the top of the egg if you don't have a circulating fan in your incubator, because the temperature gradients will be 98 or so at the bottom of the egg, and average will be around 99.5.

99.5 if you have a circulating fan in your incubator, because the heat will be more evenly distributed (at least in theory).

At least in theory is right...lol

 

[bpetry]

Great thanks guys. .. sorry to be so needy. .. total rookie. Also my chickens pending any of them hatch will be relocated to my friends farm. .. how long on average do chicks need to be kept before allowing them freedom. I'm not in any hurry to get rid of them but also don't want to hold em back. A few weeks? A few months?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Great thanks guys. .. sorry to be so needy. .. total rookie. Also my chickens pending any of them hatch will be relocated to my friends farm. .. how long on average do chicks need to be kept before allowing them freedom. I'm not in any hurry to get rid of them but also don't want to hold em back. A few weeks? A few months?

That's what we are here for. Most of us like to help (or think we are helping

). It all depends on what your friend has for a set up. If they have a brooder and want to experience raising from the beginning, they can go as day old chicks. If they don't want to be bothered with the brooding part, I would say 6 weeks or once they are fully feathered. If they want to be sure they get a certain sex (and they are not sex linked chicks) then you are looking at (for certainty) till it crows or lays...lol

 

[WalnutHill]

If they are going to be put into an indoor brooder with regular attention, that can be within a couple of days, as soon as they are on their feet and eating and drinking. But you will have too much fun with them to let them go so soon...

In a couple of weeks they will be fine under a brooder lamp in the barn.

I wait 8 weeks before they have outdoor secured run access without supervision.

I would probably wait until around 12 weeks to let them free range.

If they were with a broody, none of these rules would apply, she would take care of that. But unaccompanied youngsters don't recognize the many threats that they will face. If there are turkeys or other mature poultry around, they can model their behaviors.

 

[fiset94]

What to do now??? I can't get the heat to go above 100 degree! I Have been bumping it up all day long... and that thing won't budge!! My empty bator LG is sitting there nice and toasty at 102... of course... and this Hovabator with the turner is driving me crazy!

I am still in shock that Moving the probe from the top hole to putting it in the side had that much of an impact on temperature!


Michele

 

[123RedBeard]

I am still in shock that Moving the probe from the top hole to putting it in the side had that much of an impact on temperature!

My GUESS ... If I understand you correctly ... Is that even though the tip of your probe was at about the same location height wise ... That the vertical probe is either not recording actually at the tip, or ... The hotter air is heating the probe further up towards the top, and the metal of the probe is acting like a heat sink and giving a false reading ... With having it horizontal ... The whole length of the probe is at the same height, and therefore at the same temp!

 

[WalnutHill]

What to do now??? I can't get the heat to go above 100 degree! I Have been bumping it up all day long... and that thing won't budge!! My empty bator LG is sitting there nice and toasty at 102... of course... and this Hovabator with the turner is driving me crazy!

I am still in shock that Moving the probe from the top hole to putting it in the side had that much of an impact on temperature!


Michele

I learned the lesson about probe placement long ago after killing three sets of turkey eggs that gave all the symptoms of low temp incubation but with the incubator reading right on. I do believe that the tip is NOT the only part that measures temperature. Heat soak makes a difference.

Make sure that the probe is not keeping the lid open, that the lid is properly closed all the way around, that the windows are seated, and so on...

And be sure that your thermometers are reading the temp at top of egg height. 100F should work though...should be MUCH better than what it was before! If anything, in a still air, you may be only a half day or day late.