Some chicks may struggle to hatch, but do not assist. The first-hatchlings will be okay to go 24 hours without eating or drinking while they wait for all other chicks to hatch. Make sure that the chicks are completely dry and fluffy before opening the incubator and moving them into the brooder. Hatching takes a lot of energy and it will be a slow process usually taking a full 24 hours for all chicks to complete the hatch. Some of the eggs will likely begin to rock around a bit as the chick pecks on the shell and repositions itself. On day 21 you will begin to hear peeping from the inside of the eggs. The day before chicks hatch, prepare the brooder. You will also increase the humidity during this time to 65-70%. At this point in the process, the chicks are almost fully developed and will begin to position themselves for hatching. On day 18, stop turning eggs manually or turn off the automatic egg turner. The period is referred to as "lockdown" because you stop turning the eggs and opening the incubator until after the chicks have hatched and dried. Any underdeveloped or rotten eggs should be discarded. Candling also gives you a good opportunity to check if eggs are still viable and growing. You will still be able to see a small air sac at the large end. At day 14, the embryo will be much larger and the egg will be hard to see through. On day 7, the embryo will be a small dark spot with spider-like vessels branching out from it. Between days 7-14, you are able to see the most growth. ![]() Relative humidity should be kept between 45-55%.Ĭandling eggs is the process of using a high-powered light source to see the growing embryo inside the shell. Temperature should be kept at 99.5° F in a incubator with a fan, and between 100° and 101° F for still air incubators. Along with frequent turning, you must also keep a close eye on your temperature and humidity levels during this period. Eggs should be turned every 6-8 hours to avoid the embryo sticking to the shell membrane. Although opening the incubator results in loss of temperature control and humidity, more frequent egg turning results in higher hatch rates. If you don't have an incubator with an automatic turner, you will turn eggs frequently by hand during this period. Even if you have an automatic turner in your incubator, marking helps you ensure that the turner is working. Marking the shell helps you visualize that they have all been turned properly. During the incubation period, you will rotate the eggs frequently. HELPFUL TIP: When you are ready to place the eggs into the incubator, mark an X on one side of the shell, and an O on the other end. Generally, you add humidity by increasing amount in water reservoir and you lower humidity by allowing more fresh air intake. Follow your incubator manufacturer’s directions for how best to maintain humidity for your specific model. During winter months the humidity may be difficult to keep high enough and in the summer you may struggle to keep the humidity low enough. It is not as critical for the eggs to maintain a precise humidity in the incubator, and you may notice the humidity will fluctuate.
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