Incubation Procedures
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Important Incubation Procedures to Follow:
- Incubator:
- Locate the incubator in a room with a constant temperature, away from drafts and direct sunlight.
- Sanitize the incubator.
- Ensure that the humidifier and wet bulb wick are in working order.
- Eggs:
- Wash hands before touching eggs. Keep germs, dirt and oil away from incubating eggs.
- Only incubate egg species with similar incubation lengths at the same time in one incubator.
- The small end of the egg should not be higher than the large end.
- Turn eggs at least five times a day until the last 3 days before hatch.
- Do not turn for the final 3 to 4 days.
- Provide a cloth or rough paper surface upon which chicks can walk.
- Keep a daily record of incubator data.
- Temperature: Check temperature daily and keep it at 99.5 degrees F to 100 degrees F.
- The eggs of almost all domestic bird species can be incubated at the same incubation temperature; because of that, eggs of several different bird species can be incubated at the same time within the same incubator.
- The recommended temperature within an artificial incubator depends on the type of incubator being used. If the incubator used has a fan for air circulation, the temperature must be adjusted to 99-100o F. A "still-air" incubator (one without an air circulation system) requires a higher temperature as the temperature in such an incubator is measured using a thermometer with the bulb positioned at the same level as the top of the incubating eggs. The recommended temperature in this type incubator is 102 F. The reason for different temperatures is that circulating air warms all points around the egg shell while still air temperatures are warmer at the top of the egg than at the bottom. Therefore, increasing the temperature at the top of the egg will compensate for the egg's cooler parts. The same average egg temperature of 100o F can be maintained if the higher temperature of 102 F exists at the egg's uppermost point.
- Do not allow temperatures to exceed these recommendations as temperatures only a degree or two above the recommended temperatures can kill chicks within 15-30 minutes, depending on how high the temperature is and the stage of development of the chick embryo
- Slightly lower temperatures will not kill the chick embryos, but can increase incubation times and produce weakened chicks. .
- Humidity:
- 45 to 50% for the incubation period
- increase to 70% for hatching
- Ventilation:
- Increase ventilation during the last one-third of the incubation period.
Emergency! The incubator broke down and eggs are at risk of dying! It is always best to keep a cheap incubator as a back-up. If none is available, you might try to use some heat packs like the sportsmen use. Other options are heating pads or reptile rocks.
The below test pinpoints the incubation stage of the egg, if unknown.
- If the eggs are cool to touch, incubation has either not commenced yet or the eggs have been abandoned.
- If the eggs are warm, one can assess the stage of development by placing the eggs into a pail of water. Please refer to below illustration.
NOTE: This is a popular science project and quite accurate, but not recommended for breeders, as any significant temperature change the egg is exposed to is likely to hurt the developing chick.
Click Here For more in-depth information on egg incubation, step-by-step instruction - important technical specifications to follow (pdf format)
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