[laurelrus]

So, our first try incubating and with 9 days to go I want to get ready for the next stage!

Of the 6 eggs we got by post one we found to have nothing developing when we candled at 7 days,  we candled again last night and three look very promising, and the other two we couldn't really tell so we'll wait and see.

I know i need the brooder lamp and something to keep the chicks in, a non-slip mat, plus a feeder and drinker.  I'd be glad of advice on what we can make for them to go into straight after the incubator? Also anything else I might need once they hatch (hoping that they do!)

Thanks very much

[Womble]

Hiya, If you haven't already got a heat lamp, I'd recommend you buy an 'electric hen' heat pad like this one instead. They're a more expensive to buy, but use SO much less electricity, you'll win in the long run.

You'll need some sort of brooder ring or cage for them to go in initially. If you only have a few, you could use a big cardboard box. We definitely have never ever used either the bath or shower for this purpose  , nobody saw us, and you can't prove anything.

You can leave them in the incubator for a while after they hatch (until they dry out and fluff up). This is better than disturbing the humidity in the incubator by opening the lid to take them out before the others have hatched.

Apart from that, just some chick crumb, and you're good to go I reckon! 

[laurelrus]

Thanks Womble! That's everything i needed to know!

[Marches Farmer]

They can live on the reabsorbed yolk sac for 24 hours after hatch.  I prefer to use an infra red lamp so I can see how the chicks are doing and spot any problems like splayed legs.  I use a shallow saucer of water and of chick crumbs for the first couple of days so the chicks can access it easily.  A large cardboard box, lined with a split feed sack and shavings will give them a good grip and absorb a degree of moisture from droppings.  I start with the lamp about 75cm above the shavings.  The chicks will huddle under it if it's too high and scatter away from it if it's too low.

[laurelrus]

Thanks for the info Marches Farmer, very helpful 

[Womble]

Oh, another thing: An anti-slip mat (already on your list) is really good for stopping splayed legs from developing. You can get really good ones at the pound shop and similar. They're either sold as mats to stop things from sliding about on your dashboard, or as non-slip drawer liner sheets  .

[Eve]

Definitely prefer electric hen over heat lamp, much safer. I put mine in a clear plastic box with electric hen and on kitchen towel / shavings. After a few days they outgrow it and go into a rabbit hutch.

[Caroline1]

Get ready for the poo clearing, I am still amazed by how much a little chick can poop! Having a bundle of kitchen roll on hand is a must!

[Marches Farmer]

Get ready for the poo clearing, I am still amazed by how much a little chick can poop! Having a bundle of kitchen roll on hand is a must!

I have two boxes set up and transfer them to the second box as soon as the first gets mucky - simply lift up the split feed sack and lob it into the burning drum.  By the time they're ready to go outside in sheltered housing and under cover I'd be doing this every other day with a hatch of around 70 chicks.

[laurelrus]

Thanks for all the tips.
I've bought an electric hen, bought the liner and have a plastic crate ready which I'll line as suggested, with a second one to switch them over into when the first needs cleaning out.
We'll only have four chicks maximum, if all of those that looked good when we candled, plus one that looked possibly okay, hatch!

[Marches Farmer]

I put mine in a clear plastic box with electric hen and on kitchen towel / shavings. After a few days they outgrow it and go into a rabbit hutch.

I leave chicks under the lamp for around 18 days then gradually harden them off, much as one does plants going from greenhouse to garden - a cuple of days with heat only at night, then a couple without heat but still in the house.  They then go into a 4 foot square box (size chosen because it's a sheet of 8 x 4 with three cuts), roofed with half clear corrugated plastic and half a chicken wire opening flap for access to feed and water.  I cover this with clear plastic the first couple of nights.  The whole thing is in a very sheltered fox proof pen with plenty of light, where they stay for another three weeks

[Stereo]

Main thing is probably not to panic and open the incubator too soon. I've read that they can live for 72 hours on what they get from the egg so don't panic just because 1 or 2 have hatched. If you have chicks pipping and you open the incubator you risk 'shrink wrapping' them and then you'll have to manually extract at some point. The best thing is that if you feel you really need to get in there, wait 12 hours. More chicks have died from early intervention than have ever starved to death.

With mine, if they started hatching say Monday night, I will leave the lid on until Wednesday and then see where we are. Never lost a chick this way. I let our school borrow the little incubator back along and tried my best to drum this point in over and over but they panicked and opened it. Result was not good. Why they thought they knew better than me I'll never know.

So, all that said. For small hatches we have a large plastic storage box with lots of holes for ventilation (or you could use a mesh lid of some sort). We have dogs and cats so it needs to be secure. Little Brinsea electric hen and I just use an old folded towel for the first few days. You get 4 uses out of it by turning it over and then burn / bin. Then they have wood shavings etc.

Give some thought to what you will do later as they will grow faster than you expect and you can end up in a mess! Simple is best though. They won't mind and it doesn't need to be posh, just safe and warm.

[laurelrus]

Thanks Stereo, extremely helpful!

[Stereo]

Just to add: the reason I use an old towel is that it helps them grip. Their legs are not so strong at hatch and if you put them on a slippery surface you can risk splay leg. Kitchen towel and other suggestions are fine too. I like towels as they are absorbent and provide plenty of grip for day 1/2 while they get their strength up.

Oh and also, when they hatch, they will look half dead for 12-24 hours. Don't panic about this. They won't be. Just knackered.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[laurelrus]

Thanks Stereo, especially for the part about them looking half dead for the first day. I'm a real panicker and it's good to know that's to be expected!
We're on lock-down now, and keeping our fingers crossed. We started with 6 eggs, 3 are left and it would be so good to have 3 chicks out of that!