AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUM™

The Biggest Poultry Forum in the world
It is Mon Dec 09, 2024 8:58 pm

All times are UTC + 10 hours




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 8 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: URGENT ADVICE NEEDED - INCUBATOR VS HEN
PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2007 6:15 pm 
Offline
 
 
User avatar

Joined: Sun Sep 02, 2007 9:55 am
Posts: 1176
Location: Hunter Valley/Port Stephens, NSW
Hi again everyone,

I set 12 pekin eggs in an "Incubators & More" incubator on Monday night, but am having terrible trouble regulating the temperature and humidity, even though my wonderful husband has let me keep it in the house. It fluctuates between about 98oF and 102oF and is driving me crazy! It hasn't gone outside those temps, but I just can't get it stable.

Last night, my lovely white silkie hen, Lucy, decided that she wants some babies and has gone broody. I've shifted her from her nest of choice (in the garden where she can get eaten) to an enclosed pen, and she has been sitting on the eggs all day.

My urgent question is - can I move some of the eggs from the incubator to the hen tonight? I don't want to set any new eggs as we are on a bit of a hatching deadline as we are going away for a few days after the chickens are due, so I would really like to put half of the ones from the incubator under the hen to better my chances of getting something to hatch.

Would this work if I do it quickly so the eggs don't cool down???

Thanks.

Deb :-?


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2007 7:28 pm 
Offline
 
 

Joined: Fri Sep 14, 2007 8:32 pm
Posts: 76
Location: Victoria
In the 30 seconds or so it should take to get the eggs from the incubator to the chook nothing bad will happen! :) A broody chook will get off the eggs on occasion for up to 20 mins to eat/drink etc and the eggs do not suffer.
Personally, and I think a lot of people will agree with me, a broody chook is easily the preferred method of hatching :!:
You pretty much don't need to do anything. The only thing I do is lift the chook off the eggs every second day or so if I feel they are not eating and drinking because they're "too" broody. Usually they're back on the eggs within a few minutes and it also encourages them to rearrange (turn) the eggs.
Being in a very cold area I also bring the chook and her eggs inside a day or so before the hatching is due (the coop is too cold for chicks).
I put them in my bathroom under the "tastic" heat light.
That's probably a bit of overkill though :oops: most people have a "brooder" coop which is just a small coop (a chopped off small water tank is perfect) with a heat source (light globe) where the chicks can live for the first few weeks.
Good luck!
:-D


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2007 7:41 pm 
Offline
 
 
User avatar

Joined: Sun Sep 02, 2007 9:55 am
Posts: 1176
Location: Hunter Valley/Port Stephens, NSW
Thanks schnapper. I am finding the incubator really hard work, so I will shift some of the eggs - unfortunately, she can't take all 12!! I'll pick the ones I really want to hatch and put under her I think and leave the others in the incubator just in case it works. Could a silkie handle 6 pekin eggs?

I think we are ok temperature wise outside, as our last silkie sat in about June/July - middle of winter!! The crazy bird managed to hatch 2 out of 3 borrowed eggs (the 3rd was clear) when the temperature dropped to about 3 degrees overnight.

Thanks again!

Deb


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2007 7:59 pm 
Offline
­
­
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2002 9:14 am
Posts: 310755
Hi Debbieo4914, Yes move them if the Incubator is fluctuating that much. You will need to be fairly quick when you move them but don't panic as the inside egg temp is far higher than the outside. A Pekin/Silkie hen can take 12 eggs; we have quite a few on 14 right now.


Thanks
Peacocks Australia :lol: :lol:


Top
 Profile E-mail  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2007 8:11 pm 
Offline
 
 
User avatar

Joined: Sun Sep 02, 2007 9:55 am
Posts: 1176
Location: Hunter Valley/Port Stephens, NSW
Thanks PA. I was really relying on quick replies this time, and haven't been disappointed! :-D :-D :-D

I will move the eggs after the kids go to bed. It would have been nice if Lucy had told me she was feeling clucky and I wouldn't have wasted $400 on the incubator!!! Patience really is a virtue!

Are the eggs still likely to be ok after 48 hours in that temperature range?


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2007 8:42 pm 
Offline
­
­
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2002 9:14 am
Posts: 310755
Debbieo4914, if the Bator didn't go over 103, for any period then the eggs will be fine. Chook eggs are quite resilient and will take more extremes than many others.

If only chooks could talk!!

We would recommend you experiment with the Bator in the off season, not to hatch but learn the settings; every Bator has its own little habit.

Good luck with the eggs, please keep us up to date.


Thanks
Peacocks Australia :lol: :lol:


Top
 Profile E-mail  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 3:50 pm 
Offline
 
 
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2007 7:51 pm
Posts: 1454
Location: Noble Park, Melbourne
I don't think you can beat Mother Nature, but I understand some using artificial hatchers if they have lots of eggs to hatch. Just my 2 cents worth :P



Jeff chicken.gif


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 4:06 pm 
Offline
 
 
User avatar

Joined: Sun Sep 02, 2007 9:55 am
Posts: 1176
Location: Hunter Valley/Port Stephens, NSW
I was too impatient to wait for a clucky hen, and the day after I bought the incubator my white silkie hen decided to sit, and I also now have a pekin hen sitting, however I'm not putting eggs under her until Wednesday as we are going away for a couple of days later in the month and I don't want to miss the hatching.

I moved 7 of the incubator eggs out under the silkie hen, and the incubator has been working perfectly with only 5 eggs in it - maybe the full load was too much??

Broody hens are much less work than a temperamental incubator!!!

Thanks for your input everyone. :-D


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 8 posts ] 

All times are UTC + 10 hours


Who is on the Forum

Users browsing this forum: 10Geese, 12 Guinea Fowl, 6 Ducks, 6 Gunea Fowl, 70%cocoa, 9 Ducks, Abbey's Birds, ABC Poultry, Adam Pike, Adam Smith, Adeiela, Akeet, Alex Cooper, alexanderpeafowl, Alexandra Poultry, Alison Wright, Allan White, AlligatorCrkHeritageBreed, Ally Mays Fowls, Alpine Poultry, Amature Chookz, American Gamefowl, ANCONA CHICK, Andrew Brown, Andrew James, andrewschooks, Anette Morison, Angela Fisher, Angela Mills, Ann Meek, Ann Owen, annh, Appleton Australorps, Arlene, Arlene Guineas, artemiss, arvoducks, Ash Maree, Ashlee Patterson, auctioneer, Australorps Australia, Avi Rare Breeds, Ayam Cemani, B C Bantams, BabyPea, Backyard Chicken Chat, Backyard fowl, Backyard Serama, Badger Creek Fowl, BaliDuckz, Bantam Rhode Island Red, Bantamenance, Barnywood, Baz Fitzgerald, beakybird, bearfred, BeatenEgg, Beaudesert Mandarins, bemba, bembared, Ben Newton, benalla park, benavon, Bendigo Poultry, Berryjj, Best Birds, Betts Guinea Fowl, Betty Smith, BigDucksOz, BigQuackers, Billy Brown Fowl, birds101, Birds4u, birdsrock, Birdz4u, Black Cockatoo, Black Lories, blackdotte, blackleghorn, BlackSwan, Blackswan1, Blue Australorps, bluefirelady, Blythe Poultry, Bob Brookes, BokBok2, Bonniedoo, Bonny Loft, Boolaroo, Boonah Guinea Fowl Farm, Booths Bantams, Boxwood, Brad M, brerrabbit, Brian Jack, BriansPeas, Broadwing, broken bird, Brookes Pekins, BROOKES POULTRY, Bruce Stephens, BT Homestead, BUBO, Buddy & Moby, Buff Pekins, Buggsy, BushPig, ButtercupBreedGroup, BYC, byhookorchook, Cackles, caladenia, Caladenia Cottage, Callaghan Cattle, Calum H, Cammo Qld, CamsBantams, Candice Williams, Carawatha Chickens, Cashmere, Cassowary, cassycat, castaway chicken, Catherine Jones, Catheryn Lee, Cathy Owen, cc's poultry, Cessnock Poultry, Chang Lee, Charmhaven Chooks, Chattering Chicken, Cheeky Chooks, Cheesman Chooks, Chicken Unity, chicken-boy, Chicken-Clucky, Chicken07, ChickenBone, chickenlittle, Chickens Mad, Chickhorn, Chikyboy, Chook Lady, chookasaurus, chookgirl, chookiebum, ChookieG, ChookMamma, ChookMum, Chooks Galore, Chooks R Us, Chooks&Guineas, chookslife, chookyinoz, ChookzGallour, Christine Shaw, Chukar, Cindy G, Cindy Gibson, Claire Bear, Clarendon Guineafowl, Cliff Wyandotte Bantams, Clucky Henz, CluckyDeb, coastalchookies, Colac Sussex, ColacWaterfowl, Colin Rogers, Collector Peafowl, Collin Rogers, Comobella Poultry, Connor Peafowl, cookie, Cootes, Cordelia, Country Bird, CountryChookz, Cowhide, CQ Poultry, CrackerChook, Craig Jeffries, Crash, Crescent Head Bantams, D Kennedy, Daggy Guineas, Dan Fox, Dan41, Dani Atkin, Daniel Baker, Daniel Lawton, Daniels22, Danni Boyd, Danny, Danny Brown, Darebin Poultry Rescue, DARLING DOWNS PIGEONS, Darren James, darrssy, daviburn, David Fitzgerald, David Martin, David Simons, DavidGraham, Deb Lee, Deb Thomas, Debbie C, debbilee, Denis, Denise Davies, Desborough Birds, Desborough Poultry, Dewhirst, Dianne Carter, DillDale, Dimbulah Guineas, Dodds Birds, Domestica, Dominique GF, Doogan, doug wallace, Down Under, DragonsDen, Dreaming Guineas, Ducks & Guineas, Ducks D Ducks, duckyfromoz, Duckz44, DylanP, Eason Chooks, Easter Eggerz, Eat Chooks, Ecovald, eggnog, EggSellent, eggy, Elizabeth Dumbel, Erika Morgan, Erin Bower, eugenia, Ewan Watkins, Exodus, Exotics Galore, Fancychooklady, Farmer Benji, farminglad, FattyFarm, FeatherFoot Poultry, Feathergarden, Feathers01, Feral Cheryl Silky's, Ferny Creek Marans, Fiona McNeill, Flash, Flightfeathers, FlockPheasants, Flogs, fluff fur & feathers, FluffyBum Silkies, Fowl Smythe, FowlMan, Fraggle, Frances Brahmas, Frans Plymouth Rock, Fraser Island, French Wheaten Maran, FrogLeap, Furze Chooks, Gaggle of Geese, Gails Guinea Fowl, Game Guineas, Gamebreeder, Garden Peas, GarrysGuineas, Garth Lester, Gatton Chickens, GavinGoose, Gavs Gunieas, GawlerPoultry, GAYLE NEWTON, geckodan, Geelong Guineas, Georges Birds, Geraldton Guinea Fowl, Ginny, girlfriday, Glen Fowler, Glen T, Glen Williamson, Go Guinea Fowl, Gold Hornets, Gold Laced Wyandotte, Golden Macaws, Golden Pond, Golden West Waterfowl, Goodwin Ducks, Goodwin Guineas, Goran, GorgiaUS, Gosford Geese, Got GuineaFowl, Goulburn Heritage Poultry, grabby, Graham Varly, gramps, great guineas, GreenWest, Greg Clarke, Greg Davies, Groth, Grove_Guineas, Guinea Coop, GUINEA FOWL, Guinea Fowl Australia, guinea fowl galore, Guinea Fowl Mad, Guinea Fowl Troop, Guinea Gang, Guinea Gardens, Guinea Groove, Guinea Love, Guinea Obsession, Guinea owner, guineafowl, GuineaFowlLove, GuineaGate, GuineaHomer, GuineaMania, Gunnedah Poultry, Guthrie Chooks, Haggis, hairycanary, Hale Family, HAPPYHENS, Hardfeather, Hawkes, Healesville Arucana, Heavenly Homestead, heggie, Heidi F, Heijo, Helen Smith, Helenchooks, Helmeted Guinea, Henny Penny, HillbillyGirlWA, Hitchcock Guinea Fowl, Holdsworth Guinea Fowl, Hood, Hooked on Chooks, Howard Hens, Huff Poultry, Huon Sussex, hylandpark, Hyline Brown, Ian B, Ian Davis, Ian Hunt, infoaddict, Isa Brown, Isachooks, Island Fowl, Ivan J, J Hicks, Jack Murphy, Jack Osborne, Jack Porter, jaffa, James Willis, Jamie Wilson, Jan Richards, Jane Stewart, Janelle Marshall, Jane's Chooks, jap jumbo quails, jarry, jarryd, Jarryd Holmes, Jeff Duncan, Jen71, Jenny Young, Jersey Giant, Jess Mitchell, Jett, Jill McDougall, Jimboomba Poultry, JJ, JKH, JL Birds, JLockett, Jocon, Joe Martin, John Cole, John Glover, John Greenville, John Pike, johnstoneparksussex, Johny Nicholls, jojochooks, Jomo, JonksGuineas, jose, Josh Welsummers, Joyces Guinea Fowl, jr, JRA, Judith King, Judy Appleton, Julia Davies, Julie Hall, Julie Hart, K&S Farms, Kaki Fella, Kalimna Heritage Poultry, kardella poultry, Karlisa, Katanning Fowls, Kathryn Green, Katie Hill, Katy, KAZZA64, Kearney, Kelly Lewis, KellyP, KEMPSEY NAKED NECKS, Ken Johnstone, Kerry Thomson, Kevin's Poultry, kezabel, Khaki_Ducks, Kim Martin, Kims Hairs, Kin Kin Silkies, Kings Guineas, Kingscote Chickens, Kingsthorpe Fowl, klw, konopiste, KoopKing, kowie, Krisp's Birds, KT, KTNQ, kyall3, Kyle Lyne, Kylie Morgan, LadyAmherst21, lanceview, Lara Miller, Laura Mackay, Lavender Guinea Fowl, Lawnton Poultry, Lecks Poultry, Lesley Thomson, Leslie Cooper, Lilly, Lilly Pilly, LillyPonds, Linda P, Linda Turner, Lindy Patrick, Linz, Lisa Hill, Loxton Leghorns, Lozzy, LozzyLoose, LozzyR, Lucindale Guineas, LueT, luvmychook, Lyn Heath, Lyndon Cameron, madrex, makentracks, MamaPyjamaHens, MamasPyjamas, Manalan Chooks, Mandy More, Mannie, Marek, Marengo Heritage Poultry, Marg Mooney, Margaret Stuart, Margie Goodwin, Margret Young, Marie P, Marissa's Fowl, Mark Godwill, MaryJ, MaryJanet, Matt Burdon, Matt Hamo, Matt Knight, MattsGuineas, MaxiHens, McClaren Waterfowl, Mcginniss Fowl, Me Guineas, meander, Mears Fowls, Meg Denning, Megan Pratt, Mel Collins, Melanie Y, Melissa Clare, MemoryLane, Michael Hall, Michael Holmes, Michael Underwood, Michelle Evans, Michelle Turner, Mike Taylor, Milo, MinistryofDucks, Minorca&AndalusianStud, MinorcaCoop, mitchell07, MitchesMarans, Monique, Monto Poultry, Moonshine Farm, Moriarty Poultry, MrPeabody, Mrpeewee, mrsgoose, Ms Frankie, Mt Barker Pekins, Mt Pheasant, Mulbring, mummaroo, Muzz Pheasants, mycoola, Myflockoblues, MyFlocks, mysticviews, NanangoGuineaBoy, Narrung Peafowl, Nat Kirby, Natasha Moore, nathanael bantams, nek minnit, NellyG, Nel’s Pekins, NEP, NepeanBirds, New England Watefowl, Nic James, NightMare, Nionie, Noel Cox, Noel Mathews, Noosaville, Norman Australorps, Northern Exotic Birds, NSW King Quails, NZ Guinea Fowl, NZ Pekin Queen, oakey, Oaklands, OEGS, Old Goat Biden, Oldmanrooster, Olivia N, ONE TREE HILL, Ozchook, ozflock, ozguineafowl, OzGuineaz, ozibirds, O'Connor Sumatras, P_Edwards, Pam, Partridge Brahma, Patrick Kelly, Patterson Silkies, Paul Clark, PeaBee, Peafowland, peamad, pearcey, Pearl Eye, Peel Waterfowl, PeepGuineafowl, Perth Birds, Perth Pigeons, perthchooks, Petchookies, Peter Mead, Peter Thompson, Peter Werren, Pheasant Lad, Pheasant Man, Phil Thomas, Philip Jeffrey, PHILL, PingLee, Pinnacle Pygmies, Pitts_Poultry, PixieSunshine, pj hatchery, Playford Layers, Plumb's Guineas, Podgie, PossumCorner, Poulsen, Poultry, Poultry Hoarder, Poultry Matters, Poultry Menagerie, Poultry mum, Poultry Rare Breeds, poultrynut, PrestigePeafowl, Pretty boy, Priens Fowl, prorooster, Prouten, Pure Poultry Images, Quail4Me, QuailFarmer, QuailQueenGC, QUAILSRUS, QuailTales, Quailz, Quamby Chickens, Rainbow Chickens, RarePoultryBreeders, Rawlinson, Ray English, Ray Jones, realimagery, red horse ranch, redeyekeet, redjohanna, Reeves Family, Regency Geese, Rhiannan H, Rhode Island White, Rhode Red, Rick Bobby, Riverchase, Riverside RIR, RJJ Fowl, Rob Kean, Rob Smith, Robert King, Robert Winton, Robyn Riley, RobynH, Rocky Bobby, RockyRoos, Rod Taylor, Roger Parkin, Rohan, rollyard, Roma Runners, Rose, Rosemary Roosts, RoslynE, RossGuineaFowl, Roundyard, rowan1, ruff, rwood, Sam Rose, Sandra Clarke, Sandra O'Neil, Sandy Nelson, SantaClaws, satchell hens, Scots Grey Stud, Scratch N Hatch, seeing_spots, shairlyn, Sharni N, sharpsruss, Shawn Dalby, shayne, Shaza Rawlinson, Shaza Reeves, Sheffield Pekins, Shelly Roberts, shintaro, Shirley Willis, Shoalhaven Fowl, Show Silkie Stud, Sideswiped, Silkie Pure breed, Silkies Yeah, silver duckwing game, Singleton Poultry, SJC Poultry, Smallflock, snowball, South Aust Rouen Ducks, SouthernDucks, SouthSussex, Spack Fowls, Sparky, Speckled Barnevelder, splash laced Wyandotte, springcreek, Stark Waterfowls, Stelan, Stephen Richards, Stephen William, Steve Ashby, Steve Davies, Stewart Grant, Strange Guinea Fowl, Stuart Turner, Sue Bailey, Sue Cameron, Sue Clarke, Sue Hall, Sue Hill, Sue Jones, Sue ONeill, Sue Sheppard, Sue Wards, sue55, Sultans Stud Qld, Sumatra Stud AU, sunrise, Sussex Light, Sussex19, swiftwood pheasants, SwineoSam, SydneyOEG, T.A.S.S™ [Bot], tania carter, TANYA, Tassie Yokohama, TasV, TazBarnies, Tea Tree Gully, The Barnyard, The Browns, The Chook Man, The Farm House, The Good Life, The Gotfeather, The Guinea Gal, The Spotted Egg, TheChookBlock, thechookhouse1, TheGuineaFella, Titan Aviaries, Tolmie Guinea Fowl, Tolmie Peafowl, Tolmie Pheasants, Tony & Linda, Toolern Vale Fowl, Trace Wakeford, Tracey Lamb, Tracys Poultry Farm, Trany Naked Neck, Tribe of Honk, Tribe's Guineas, Tropic Poultry, Tropicana Macaw, Trott Park, Trout Runner, TSK, Tumut Gunea Fowl, Turkey Man, UK GuineaFowl, Varley Pheasants, Vella Layer Hens, Vicki Joy, Victorian Waterfowl, Violet Town, Vivian Stephen, Volley Chooks, W Brown, WA GUINEA FOWL GUY, WA Guineas, Walker Guinea Fowl, warmblood, Webbs Orpingtons, Welsh's Araucana, WendyT, Wheatley Silkies, white modern game, Whittlesea Poultry, whittls, wildman, Willow Park Poultry, winglet, wolfgang, Wombatbird, Wonderful Silkies, Wongarra Poultry, Wood Duck, WoodAviaries, WoodyPoultry, WotTheFlock, Yeppoon Guinea Fowl, YOUTH AG, Yvette, Zammit, Zanne and 5661708 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  

A.P.F - Australian Poultry Forum TM 1566349 all rights reserved 2002 - 2024

APF supports

Stop Forum Spam