Questions about Red Golden Pheasant eggs/chicks

[Momlovesgoldens]

For some reason one of my red golden hens has started laying. All of the literature I've read indicates they aren't supposed to lay until April. I have candled them and so far all of them are fertile. Question #1: Hatch times for these birds are 22-23 days. Is that from the date the egg was laid or when the egg goes into the incubator. Granted, I'm not experienced with red goldens (or any birds for that matter) but I'm trying to hatch these eggs. Have I messed up by putting the eggs in the incubator on the day the egg is laid? I have written on the egg the date it was laid.

Question #2: I have had one egg hatch but it pipped toward the wrong end of the egg. I believe that it was caused by my placing the egg in another incubator too early. I took it out wanting to follow some hatching instructions I found online that said to take the egg out of the automatic turner 3 days before hatching so the chick can orient itself for hatching. Apparently my date calculations were wrong because this particular egg hatched 4 days after I placed it into the 2nd incubator. The chick took about 30 hours to get out of the shell, and is still getting its "land legs". How long should the chick remain in the incubator before being transferred to the brooder? I read that 24-48 hours are sufficient, provided the chick is dry. Also, when should it be fed/watered? Any chance some sugar water will help? It looks rather weak, but it has a fairly strong peep. I want to give every chick the best chance for life that I can provide, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Tony K T]

22-23 is correct.Putting them in the day the egg is laid will not have any effect on the bird in any way.
The chick should remain in bator until he is dry,then needs to be in a brooder at 95 degrees for a week then drop temp to 90 2nd week and drop 5 degrees each week.This time of year you will need to brood to room temp and they will need to be raised inside until spring.
You will need to dip it's beak in the wqater and then in food a few times a day until they get the hang of it.
You can put electrolytes and vitamins in their water once a week it is available at your feed store.It' a powder,I think it's 1/4 teaspoon per quart,but read package as I am not positive.
In N.H.,Tony.

 

[Momlovesgoldens]

Tony,

Thanks for the quick reply. It figured out how to eat and drink on its own. I followed the article in the learning center and left the chick in the incubator until it was dry. My wife is thrilled that the chick is doing well. I have watched it preen and it tends to hang around close to the heat lamp. The thermometer in the box reads 90 degrees so I have moved the lamp closer to increase the temp to 95.

Bill