My son and I mostly him though, is incubating chicken eggs for a FFA home project at school. OUr incubator is a couple years old but the newest one that we have, the guy at school told My son to keep the incubator between 80 to l00 degrees I think that's what he said, my incubator has shot all over the place, from 99 down to 90 up and down in that area, is that ok? the eggs have been in there for about 4 days now. we do have a little water in the bottom of it and my son turns the eggs daily.
28 days is incubation period right? their rhode island red chicken eggs.
any help would be appreciated . It's been quite a while since I incubated eggs and wanted to make sure.
kathy
Incubating eggs questions
28 days
turn them 4 times a day
keep the humidity up
and incubate at 99.9 degrees
the temps will fluctuate,its hard in some incubators to keep a solid temp but it shouldn't go down 10 degrees...maybe 1 or 2
ok, thanks
Keep plenty of water in the incubator. On the 25th day of incubation, put as much water in the incubator as it will hold. After your last turn on the 25th day, don't open the incubator at all. You do not need to turn the eggs from the 26th day until they hatch. The baby chicks should be in position for the hatch by then. Moisture in the incubator is very important while they are hatching. If the egg dries out, it is harder for the chick to make his way out, and the eggs shell sticks to him. Good luck with your project.
28 days?
Mine always seem to hatch in 21 days, but the instructions with my incubator said to keep them at 99 degrees. Maybe if they are cooler it takes them longer to hatch? Maybe mine are hatching too fast.
Mine all hatched at 21 days. But I think ducks and maybe turkeys (?) take longer. All the chickens I have hatched were exactly 21 days though. Maybe the breed makes a difference ?
Thanks peggie for that info, I thought it was 26 days, mine will be hatching early then LOL
I am sorry, chickens do take 21 days... ducks take 28 days. I am in the process of incubating duck eggs. Anyway, on the last three days of the incubation, don't turn the eggs and make sure you fill the incubator with water on your last turn on the 17th day.
I"ve had water in it thewhole time, is that a bad thing? they always seem to hatch off ok with me doing that.
You should add water all along, but, what I am saying is, the last three days of the incubation period, I try not to open the incubator unless I have to. I don't want to even open it to add water. You lose the moist air in the incubator each time you open it. For that reason, I make sure that all the water compartments are as full as I can get them for those last three days. Having plenty of moisture for the hatch is very important. If the air is too dry, the membrane of the egg will dry out and it will be impossible for the baby to hatch.
When you hear the babies start to "cheep" inside the egg, they should hatch within about 24 hours.
Chicken eggs hatch in 21 days. Geese and turkeys take 28 days. Muscovy ducks take 35 days. You need to control the humidity and temperature very accurately. The temperature in a still air( no fan) should be 101 degrees The temperature in a incubator with a fan should be maintained at 99.5 degrees. The humidity needs to be between 45 and 55 % during incubation. This is critical for development in the egg.
You must turn the eggs at least 2 times a day 3 times a day is even better. You can candle the eggs after 7 days and see development of the chick. Use a flash light in a darkened room to see inside the egg.
Linda
Oh I forgot . This is important stop turning the eggs at day 18. This is so the chick can position itself to open the egg so it can begin breathing. The first hole in the egg is called the pip. After the chick pips the egg , it often begins chirping. Again , good luck.
Linda
Where are you going to put the chicks after they hatch? They will need a warm place to live. The temperature needs to be maintained at about 90 degrees for the first few days. The chicks will need water and chick starter. I brood my chicks in a plastic childs wadding pool. I use two heat lamps . Last year I hatched over 300 chicks and 45 turkeys in my inubator. I only lost 4 babies. Can't wait to get started on this years batch.
Linda
I have a warm place with a heat lamp set up for them, got plenty water inside won't open again till I see them peeping the egg. I have one or two out of abou t 55 that aren't full y developed. (fertile but not fully developed) the rest look really good, but they sure don't look like their ready to peep LOL with only 2 days left to go till 21 days. That's fast work for mother nature.
Sometimes when the temperatures are higher or lower than they should be the hatch will be delayed or come early. Your hatch may be a couple of days early if the temp was too high or a couple of days late if too cold. Considering the temp fluctuations you had, I would give the hatch a few extra days.
Linda
duh
I just read what I wrote
21 days....not 28
duh
what a idiot I am.....
I had posted this on the 'Strange facts' thread @ Mid-south forum.
Hatching ducks under a chicken is amusing. Chickens see water as a hazard, ducks see it as safety. When mom sounds the alarm the babies jump in. Mom is terrified.