MISCELLANEOUS INCUBATION TIPS

Expecting shipped hatching eggs? Here are some good tips to better hatching and healthier birds:

FIRST is to have your incubator cleaned and disinfected (we use and recommend Tek-Trol and Valley Vet has the best price we’ve found yet!)

Get your incubator up to temperature and proper humidity and STABILIZED at least 24 hours before you expect the eggs.

If your incubator is equipped with automatic turning or humidity, make sure that those parts are functioning.

Place eggs pointy-end down either in the setting trays and allow to “rest” for about 12 hours prior to placing in incubator. NOTE: If your incubator is still-air or doesn’t have trays, or uses the cup system, leave the eggs in shipping trays to rest them. (The eggs should be opened up and not left all wrapped up tight any longer than necessary.) This allows the air bubble to reform.

You will want to place the eggs where they can come up to room temperature, optimum is 75-80 degrees F BEFORE placing them in the incubator.

Remember not to place your incubator in a window or where it will receive direct sunlight as this can cause the incubator to overheat and the embryos may be damaged or killed.

During incubation, try to keep the door/lid closed as much as possible, only opening for candling about the 7th-10th day, adding water, or turning the eggs if the incubator isn’t equipped with automatic turning.

Remember that the smaller the egg, the more susceptible it is to damage from abrupt changes in temperature.

If you are running more than one batch of eggs at the same time, or different varieties at the same time, set eggs so that you have provisions for the continued turning of the newer eggs and the resting of the eggs ready for hatching.

Watch humidity levels for different breeds of humidity. Example: ducks take very very high humidity and chickens do not.

You can put that old baby monitor to good use by setting it up near your incubator and you can hear when chicks are pipping and hatching.

When chicks are peeping and/or hatching, be careful that any pets or small children do not unduly disturb the incubator. Remember that you can still shock the eggs at this stage by drafts caused by opening the incubator. You should do this no more than about three times a day.

When the hatch is all done and you are finished with the incubator, CLEAN THE INCUBATOR AND DISINFECT IT BEFORE USING AGAIN OR STORING IT UNTIL NEXT TIME!!! You can’t clean and disinfect the incubator too often, and it’s better to do this an extra time or two verses spell disaster for yourself later on down the line. (The same goes for ALL poultry equipment, especially for incubation and brooding!)

Bacteria is the poultry fancier’s worst enemy!



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