How often to remove chicks from hatcher

[jgalo]

How often should you remove chicks from the hatcher.  Have 650 eggs and about 200  have hatched.  Removed about 150 that were fluffed out with 1 dead smushed by the other chicks.  Its getting wild in there, but I don't want to open the door too many times, but I don't want to lose chicks either.

[wildergamebirds]

  Depends a lot on the hatcher, how quickly it recovers, and the ambient temperature, and humidity.

  Ambient conditions could be the most important, and always mist the eggs with very warm (100F-105F) water, after opening.

  It is best to not open it more than 2-3 times per hatch, but I usually do more than that.  If eggs are in hatching baskets, there shouldn't be a problem, just remove all dry chicks 20 hours, or so after first hatch, then when they are finished.

  Cold air on wet chicks is more deadly than piling, at this point.

[jgalo]

Thanks.  I had placed 470 GGBW's, 200 Valley and 50 pheasants in the hatcher at the same time.  About 400 of the GGBW have hatched, only 17 Valley and 0 pheasants.  I have 68 more pheasants that I left in the Lyon and only 3 have hatched there.  1 a day for 3 days.  The Valley and pheasants were bought on ebay.  The Valley and some of the pheasants came from "Grousething".  Second and last time I buy from him.  Lousy hatch rate both times.  GGBW's are from Wadley.  Good rates both times.

[wildergamebirds]

  That's generally the hatch rate I've gotten with Wadley eggs, when packed well, and shipping goes OK.  They do enough business to keep their eggs pretty fresh. 

  I think the humidity level for Pheasant, and Valley eggs should be 8-10% lower than for Bobwhites, shouldn't it?  Plus, this is a little into the late season, for Pheasant, at least.  The Meadows clan keep their layers conditioned, and lighted so they have good eggs year round.

  I don't know if this can be done with Valleys, or Pheasant.  Steve should know, if he will tell us.

[Pheasant Hollow Farm]

These are the setting that I use on my GQF Sportsman's 1502. Although setting as far as temps and humidity vary from manufacture to manufacture. I would really suggest that you follow the instructions pertaining to the incubator that you have.


Hatch time for pheasants: 23-28 days
Temperature (F) 100*
Humidity (wet Bulb,)F* 82-84
Final day of egg rotation: 21 days
Temperature during the final (3) days: F* 99.5
Humidity during the final (3) days of incubation (wet bulb,)F* 92-95


Hatch time for Bobwhite Quail: 23-24 days
Temperature (F) 100*
Humidity (wet Bulb,)F* 84-86
Final day of egg rotation: 21 days
Temperature during the final (3) days: F* 99.5
Humidity during the final (3) days of incubation (wet bulb,)F* 90-94

I don't have any data on Valleys.

If you are going to incubate the Bobwhites and Pheasants together, and if you can keep the relative humidity at wet bulb F* a constant 84* (the maximum for the pheasant incubation period, and the lower for the Bobwhite quail incubation period) then this can be accomplished.

The same for the final 3 days for the hatching stage also. Holding a constant wet bulb F* at 93* should also produce the same desired hatch.

I have hatched chickens and pheasant(Ring-necked and Melanistic) at the same time using the mid-range incubator wet bulb settings, along with the hatcher wet bulb F* settings without any major consequences.

I did not include the humidity in % . I have found that between manufactures of the digital thermometer that give both the the temps in F* and humidity in the % range vary within 5-8%

The wet bulb is by far the most accurate in the relative humidity in the readings as long as the wick is clean. When the wick become calcified and scummed up the wet bulb will start to read a higher humidity nearing the same incubator box temps. To correct this, either replace the wick or clean.

As wildergamebirds has stated:

Depends a lot on the hatcher, how quickly it recovers, and the ambient temperature, and humidity.

  Ambient conditions could be the most important, and always mist the eggs with very warm (100F-105F) water, after opening.
 

I would also like to add that if you can use sterile water as a mist the chances of bacteria are greatly reduced.

If your hatcher has enough drawers to accommodate your incubator tray racks you shouldn't have a problem of either piling or trampling on the smaller newly hatched chicks.

The ideal set up is to have the same manufactures incubator and hatcher. The incubator eggs trays will be in relation to the hatcheries egg trays.

If this can't be done, finding a larger hatcher is most prudent in the survival space needed during the hatching process.

Removing the dry chicks shouldn't be done more then once in a 24hr period. If it is not possable or feasible, make sure the ambient temperature and outside humidity is as close as possible in your incubator and hatchery house and away from any direct drafts.

Again as wildergamebirds stated:

Cold air on wet chicks is more deadly than piling, at this point.

Cold air is anything less then what would be in the hatcher at any given point.

Steve
Pheasant Hollow Farm

[Pheasant Hollow Farm]

Also I want to add that if you want the same hatch dates, put the lesser hatch date eggs in a day or two later from the longer hatch date eggs. But then again, you had already known that

Steve
Pheasant Hollow Farm

[jgalo]

Thanks,  Most of the GGBW's hatched within 2 days.  Probably less than 100 unhatched.  3 dead in the tray.  a few semi hatched and stopped( probably from opening the door)  The 17 Valley's hatched on the same day, 1 more day before yesterday and 1 more yesterday.  The pheasants have been hatching 3 to 4 a day for the last 4 days.  Is it normal for these long hatches?  It seams every time I spray them with hot water a few more hatch.