Noob poultry question

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Noob poultry question

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mousjoos

Joined: 05 Jun 2006
Posts: 1986
Location: VERY Sunny SW France

Posted: Wed Apr 30, 14 2:33 pm Post subject: Noob poultry question

I was given some Indian Runner eggs & stuck them in my new, & very basic incubator; 28 days later (last evening) I found a yellow fluffy thing staring at me, with 2 more in the process of "coming out of their shells"

My question to the panel is "how long after hatching can a chick stay in the incubator without being cooked or suffocated?"

I'm assuming there's a period after which they need to drink & feed

btw I phoned a lady who is in the know with these things & she told me if a chick had started to break the shell, I should continue to remove it so the littl'un didn't wear himself out in the process

Of the 3 that hatched (2 having help) 1 died this morning, & the other 2 are under a lamp & seem fine

I'd be interested to hear what other people have to say on this as it was a "suck it & see" type of thing at the beginning & I feel now I was under prepared

Thanks in advance

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9714
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Wed Apr 30, 14 2:40 pm Post subject:

chicks can do a couple of days without food or water as they absorb the yolk to see them through the first bit - I imagine it is the same as for ducklings

Ideally you don't open the incubator whilst there are some pipping as this will mess with the humidity and they may dry and become stuck - better to leave them to it. I tend to open up about 24 hours after the first one hatched if i cant see any pipping and remove the fluffy chicks/ducklings. You really shouldn't need to help them out of their shells and I understand part of the hatching processes is for the chick to break the membranes and absorb the yolk in the process on the way out, saying this I have tried to help them out before when they just couldn't break out themselves - having tried for 12 hours, and mostly they die anyway - perhaps because they werent right and hence they couldn't get out, or perhaps because of being helped. In general, helping is a bad idea, IMO

mousjoos

Joined: 05 Jun 2006
Posts: 1986
Location: VERY Sunny SW France

Posted: Wed Apr 30, 14 2:47 pm Post subject:
Thanks, I wasn't really sure if it was a good idea Will know next time Thanks again

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9714
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Wed Apr 30, 14 2:52 pm Post subject:
ducks are harder than chickens, to hatch in an incubator, so not a bad result for a first go with a new incy

mousjoos

Joined: 05 Jun 2006
Posts: 1986
Location: VERY Sunny SW France

Posted: Wed Apr 30, 14 2:58 pm Post subject:
Feeling quite chuffed as it goes

Nature'sgrafter

Joined: 22 Feb 2012
Posts: 527
Location: Sanday , Orkney

Posted: Wed Apr 30, 14 6:19 pm Post subject:
I agree helping them out is never a good thing most of the one's I've tried it with have not survived. But well done with the hatching so far.

mousjoos

Joined: 05 Jun 2006
Posts: 1986
Location: VERY Sunny SW France

Posted: Thu May 01, 14 6:03 am Post subject:
Thanks, 2 more overnight....1 actually tapping the cover of the incy 1 however looking a little like the other who didn't survive, so keeping an eye on things

mousjoos

Joined: 05 Jun 2006
Posts: 1986
Location: VERY Sunny SW France

Posted: Thu May 01, 14 1:28 pm Post subject:
another hatched a midday all doing very well at the moment

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