How to properly raise chickens in a household incubator?

The incubation period is a crucial time, you need to control the temperature and humidity on a daily basis, as well as air and turn the eggs in a timely manner. Beginners are intimidated by this responsibility, so we present a set of rules describing the hatching of chickens in an incubator at home. Please note that all recommendations are mandatory, otherwise some of the chicks will die in the bud.

Selection of eggs

Success in business depends not only on the efforts of the owner, but also on the quality of the eggs. Therefore, before hatching chicks correctly in the incubator, pay attention to their selection. Interestingly, the process of hatching chickens must be started with the chicken. Indeed, you need to make sure that she is not sick with anything and does not have any genetic diseases. Otherwise, the genetics of the chicks will also be disrupted. Next, we pay attention to the eggs, the quality indicators are as follows:

• odorless, possible deviations - moldy, pungent, grape, putrid and other odors;
• freshness - with a shelf life of no more than 5-7 days;
• correct storage - at a temperature not lower than 10-12 ° C, those who have been in the refrigerator must be disposed of;
• optimal shape - for chicken eggs it is an oval shape slightly narrowed on one side, without outgrowths, indentations. Spherical or overly elongated are also subject to marriage;
• no damage - carefully check the shell for cracks and dents, dirty dried spots are permissible only in small quantities;
• optimal weight (50-60 g) - weak chicks often appear from small ones, and large ones turn out to be with two yolks.

The egg shell is porous so that air can penetrate through it, and also has its own microflora. It is strictly forbidden to wash or wipe the eggs.

When checking eggs, they must be scanned with a special device - an ovoscope. When translucent, pay attention to the differences in the shades of the content. You need to find the yolk and air chamber. The yolk should be in the center or slightly close to the blunt end. You cannot take an egg in which the yolk is adjacent to the inside of the shell. The air chamber must be at the blunt end. The normal volume for her is about a teaspoon. An egg with a small air chamber will not work.

Defective

During selection, as well as during the hatching period of chickens in an incubator at home, it is necessary to inspect the contents and dispose of eggs with developmental pathologies. Before hatching chicks in the incubator, remember the possible irregularities during embryo maturation.

Stains

Usually appear under the shell, caused by various bacteria. The spots can be of various shades and sizes.

Tumac bacterial

A type of infection by putrefactive bacteria in which the protein liquefies and becomes greenish. At the same time, the egg is opaque.

Drying

With this pathology, the yolk floats and dries to the inside of the shell. At the same time, the egg may have a pungent smell.

Bloody stain

In this case, blood inclusions are present on the surface of the yolk or in the protein.

Krasyuk

During ovoscopy, the contents look uniform with a reddish tint. The yolk and air chamber are not visible.

Tyok

Pathology develops after damage to the shell membrane during storage for more than one day.

With any of these pathologies, the egg must be disposed of; you cannot fry or cook them for eating.

Incubation period

From the moment the eggs are laid, their incubation begins. The incubation period ends after the last chick has bite. Breeding chicks in an incubator differs from breeding goslings in terms of incubation, maintaining temperature and humidity.

Loading eggs into the incubator

Before leaving chicken eggs in the incubator at home, prepare them and the incubation chamber. The inner chamber of the device is thoroughly disinfected and ventilated. While preparing the incubator for hatching at home, it is best to leave the eggs at room temperature for 8 hours to warm them up gradually and evenly. It is advisable to mark the blunt and sharp end with a pencil with a cross or zero. This will help in controlling the overturning of the masonry.

Controlling incubation conditions

The temperature and humidity in the chicken egg incubator must be monitored every hour. Even a slight change (0.5-1 ° C) will lead to a slowdown in the growth or death of embryos. After loading the eggs, the temperature should rise to 37 ° C in 3-4 hours. During the entire incubation period, the temperature and humidity will change several times.

Incubation schedule

The maturation of embryos is divided into 4 stages, they are briefly given in the table of incubation of chicken eggs in an incubator.

Stage 1 - from 1 to 7 days... The heart, circulatory system and the rudiments of internal organs are being formed. During this period, ventilation is not required, but by the end the embryo already needs oxygen. The most optimal temperature is 37.8 ° C. Humidity is maintained around 55%. Eggs need to be turned every 6 hours, that is, 4 times a day. At the same time, it is highly discouraged to open the incubator.

It is better to equip the incubator with a tray with automatic egg turning.

Stage 2 - from 8 to 14 days... During this time, the skeleton and beak are formed in the embryo. The temperature is the same as in the previous period, but the humidity is reduced in stages over 3-4 days to 45%. You need to change the position of the eggs every 4 hours - 6 times a day. It is also required to air the eggs for oxygen supply, this should be done 2 times a day for 5 minutes.

Stage 3 - from 15 to 18 days. It is also necessary to turn the eggs 6 times a day, while the airing is increased to 15-20 minutes, also 2 times a day. The humidity is increased to 50%, the temperature is made the same. At the end of the period, with successful hatching, the chicks begin to make barely audible sounds and turn over in the egg.

Stage 4 - from 19 to 21 days. First of all, they stop turning the eggs, the chickens are strong enough and do it on their own. Reduce airing time to 5 minutes twice a day. The humidity is increased to 65%, the temperature is reduced to 37.3 ° C. At the end of this period, the chicks hatch in the incubator.

If you follow all the above rules and monitor the operation of the devices, then the brood will turn out to be numerous. From small eggs, chicks are selected first. After hatching, the chicks are allowed to dry out, gain strength, after which the chicks from the incubator move under the hen or heater. Conditions in it are not suitable for chicks. After all chicks hatch, the incubator is cleaned and disinfected.

Control and probable complications

Even the highest quality incubators and responsible owners are not immune to emergencies. To protect yourself and your eggs from power outages, purchase incubators with a spare power source. If the offspring overheat, you need to open the incubator for a while and cool the eggs.In case of hypothermia, you can cover the camera for 2-3 hours with hot water pads. Slight fluctuations in temperature and humidity will not kill the young, but all these procedures must be carried out immediately.

Of course, the egg grooming schedule must be followed, and you also need to closely monitor how many days the chicks hatch in the incubator. The noughts and crosses on the eggs should help you navigate the turning of the eggs.

It is also necessary to control the development of the chickens with an ovoscopy. All defective eggs must be disposed of immediately. It is recommended to perform transillumination on the 6th and 11th day. On the sixth day, the blood vessels and heart should be visible. On the eleventh day, the egg on the sharp side should darken.

Breeding chickens in a simple incubator - video

We greet you, our dear readers, and express our gratitude for visiting the web resource! Today we will reveal the topic of the reproduction of feathered offspring by means of its maturation in an artificial way. Instructions for raising chickens in an incubator in our material.

General Provisions

The owners of many poultry farms are engaged in raising young animals, creating all the appropriate conditions, but the scale of private farming does not always allow achieving these. Hatching offspring in a natural way with the help of chicks mummies is also very troublesome, its result depends on the breed, health and even on the temperament of the chickens.

Since most modern poultry breeding has completely forgotten the instinct of motherhood, this format is most problematic for industrial factories. Recently, artificial reproduction of poultry has been successful, in view of the cost-effectiveness of the method. "Incubator" ("couvez" from the French "couveuse", ie "hen") is a useful item in private households.

In general, if you are looking for opportunities to provide yourself with chickens, there are two main options available to you:

• purchase on a livestock farm;
• self-cultivation in special equipment.

The first method may turn out to be in some sense expensive, in addition, the buyer does not always have an understanding of the conditions for raising offspring on the farm. This prompts the idea of ​​purchasing your own equipment, in which you can already raise chicks.

Using incubation devices at home saves significant amounts of money and time. To breed chickens on the territory of the personal plot, you should acquire specific tools.

Instructions for hatching chickens in an incubator video

Selection for incubation

In order to produce high-quality offspring with the help of a household incubator, it is necessary to be guided by a number of rules. The key factor is the selection of quality eggs and the adjustment of the correct operation of the equipment. The correct solution in this case is to take the advice of a specialist who will help with the choice of a compact set for home areas.

Experts and people with experience in caring for a domestic hen in this way, among other factors, recommend taking into account the time of year.

Firstly, the equipment is designed to work and maintain an average temperature suitable for embryos, if the passport regulations for operation are observed, and secondly, after the pussies grow up, they will need to be sent to acceptable "adult" living conditions.

A dubious decision is the rearing of young animals in the "apartment" mode. The ideal time for poultry breeding can be called spring, when it is warm outside and the soil is well warmed up by the sun's rays, which provide the habitat of the chicks.

Quality of raw material selection

Attention is paid to the selection of incubation raw materials regardless of the modification of the equipment.

Assessment criteria:

• The optimal weight is 50-60 gr.;
• Shelf life no more than a week;
• Dents, cracks, build-ups and roughness are a marriage;
• Angular, elongated and spherical units are subject to rejection;
• Instances that have been in the refrigerator, with foreign inclusions and / or dystrophy of the air chamber are unsuitable.

The size of genetic carriers has an important aspect, since weak chicks hatch from too small ones, and large ones are often two-yolk, which completely excludes hatching.

To select quality material, it is best to use an ovoscope. The device makes it possible to distinguish all deviations from the norm. Although slight lateral displacements are allowed, do not leave specimens with the yolk close to the shell for propagation.

The correct position is centered or close to the blunt side of the air chamber.

Ovoscope

To determine the onset of embryonic development, some poultry farmers scan the eggs with an ovoscope. On the last day, it is necessary to conduct an inspection, then turn over the "houses" with future chicks with the sharp end downward, and the total number of overturns is 18 times (see the section on the circulation amplitude).

From the very beginning, the procedure is quite complicated, but it is worth it - the understanding comes after the appearance of the first grown fluffies.

Ultraviolet! Next, you should process the bookmark using an ultraviolet lamp.

Egg storage before incubation

In the practice of breeding chickens, fresh eggs are used, which are stored for no more than a week in special cardboard boxes, as already mentioned - vertically, with the tip down. At the same time, the climate control in the room is adjusted from 8 ° C to 12 ° C, due to thermal fluctuations, fetal development may be disrupted.

The instructions for hatching chickens in an incubator indicate such importance: the samples must be clean, but it is strongly discouraged to wash them - after that they lose their natural condition, there is a reduction in volume and microfiber moisture absorbs the pathogens present in the external environment.

Accurate mechanical cleaning of stubborn dirt is acceptable. You can increase the shelf life of eggs to 15 days, after keeping them for 5-6 hours inside the sphere of the incubator at 38 ° C, and already before incubation, keep them at room temperature for about one third of the day.

Also, if the material is fertilized, all the regulatory parameters are observed in it, but the protein inside adheres to the shell, the birth of chicks will be impossible.

Incubator hatching instructions

The process schedule is very time consuming. There is a huge variety of jugs modifications, differing in the volume of eggs stored, service functions, etc.

High results are achievable with the implementation of certain manipulations with the incubation material of the bookmark: constant overturning, as well as monitoring indicators within the perimeter - periodic cooling or additional heating.

Rules during the incubation period:

• control of the correct operation of the device;
• compliance with temperature and humidity.

Following these categories will ensure that the hopes for a good brood are met. It is worth noting that babies are born first from medium-sized eggs, followed by those that were laid from layers.

Couvez. Special attention!

The thermostat is adjusted so that the humidity level in the working area is 60% at 37.5 ° C. According to the instructions, water is added to the lower pan.

Important! If the breeder uses his own equipment, then experts recommend the use of a "Soviet-style" thermometer.

Experience shows that this particular model shows the most accurate results with minimal errors.

Features of egg turning

Trays with masonry must be turned over 2 times a day, directing - in the morning with a blunt end down, and in the evening - with a sharp end. The operation of the entire system is monitored throughout the entire process of "incubation", the check is carried out 6 times a day.

A failure that lasts more than four hours can lead to disastrous results - the loss of offspring.

The artificial cultivation algorithm throughout the entire period is divided into four main stages:

• First week. This is the time for the formation of the heart and some organs. By the middle of the period, the embryo is already able to absorb oxygen. At this time, the temperature is kept within 37.8 ° C, and the optimum humidity is 55%. It is highly discouraged to open the device unnecessarily, and it is necessary to turn the masonry at six-hour intervals four times a day. Modern models are equipped with an automatic bookmark circulation function, which greatly facilitates the whole process.
• Second week. The period of complete formation of bone tissue and the appearance of the beak. The initial temperature regime is maintained, but the humidity is reduced to 45%. Turning over is performed with a greater frequency - up to six times a day;
• 15 - 18 days. The temperature indicator remains in the basic state, but with two cooling times - the lid is removed from the device for 15 minutes. The air humidity rises to 50%. Turn over in the mode of the previous paragraph. A crucial stage, at the end of which the chickens are already moving in the shell, making subtle sounds;
• 19 - 21 days. Before hatching the offspring, the moisture content is increased to 65%, slightly lowering the temperature to 37.5 ° C. Forced cooling and turning of sections stops. Finishing stage - "passengers of the capsule" open their eyes and get out, punching the shell.

At each stage of incubation, it is recommended to conduct a control examination of the clutch for timely culling and identification of possible deviations in the development of the bird. Those units in which ovoscopy showed a stop of development a week after the laying should be removed.

Monitoring and troubleshooting

When breeding birds using an incubation method, strict control of compliance with a whole range of key operations is required. Even extra-high-quality equipment does not guarantee the absence of failures. Unplanned, minor overheating entails a risk to the life of the chicks, an immediate reduction in thermal surge and cooling of the equipment is necessary.

In cases of hypothermia, for example, when the power supply is cut off, urgent measures should be taken to restore the supply of heat.

Slight cooling, of course, is not able to destroy the brood, however, the best way out of an emergency is to use hot water pads placed on top of the incubator. This measure will help overcome the predicament for several hours.

What's next?

Babies, as follows according to the technology, appear in three weeks, and this happens in 5-6 hours. As the chicks appear, they dry them, give them strength and promptly move them out of the apparatus. It is forbidden to leave the brood inside for too long, as this is detrimental to health - its conditions are categorically unsuitable for the future life of newborns.

The scope of using the equipment is limited to the moment the chicks appear and some time of their drying. After that, they must be carefully moved to a nursery, under a heater or hen.

According to the technical documentation, the "maternity hospital" should be left empty for a short time for "rest" and technological revision, so that when the next batch arrives, there will be no troubles.

Conclusion

The instructions for hatching chickens in the incubator turned out to be large and detailed. The process of maturation of birds in a kuvez is similar to incubating a live hen, but requires the constant, direct presence of a specialist (breeder). Responsible attitude determines the success and effectiveness of this method of brood of birds.

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Breeding chicks is a profitable business that does not require a lot of time. Anything is possible if you have the right skills. Most farmers resort to incubation as an excellent way to raise their chicks. From our article you can find out how you can hatch chicks yourself in an incubator. What breeds of chickens can be hatched by incubation at home. And how to properly lay eggs in the incubator. But a particularly important task is not only to raise chickens in the incubator, but also to properly maintain them until they are a week old, so that they get stronger.

Breeding chicks in an incubator at home

At home, it is possible to raise chickens for yourself and for sale. These can be meat chicks or egg chicks. The popular ones include the following names breeds.

1. Brama chickens.
2. Chickens master gray.
3. Kuchinsky yellow chicken.
4. COBB Eggs - 500.

Each of the chick breeds performs well during the incubation period. Cultivation takes place according to the standard scheme, which you will learn about a little later.

1. Chickens Lohman Brown Are small yellow chicks hatched from an egg. They are distinguished by the fact that they do not inherit the qualitative trait of their parents. This feature arises as a result of the selection of this breed. In order to preserve all the characteristics of the breed, it is worth creating unusually whimsical conditions for keeping the young. There are rare cases when the effectiveness of such a breeding at home occurs. As a rule, Lohmann Brown is grown commercially on specialized livestock farms. You can buy eggs of this breed on such farms. You can buy either chicks or hatching eggs, which are sold at genetic poultry farms.
2. Breeding chickens COBB-500 is the most popular destination within Russia. This is directly related to the fact that there is a high survival rate of chicks. Broiler chickens can survive up to 97% by hatching. Chickens of this breed have a yellow skin color and quickly gain weight. You can slaughter chickens upon reaching one month. The incubation process follows the standard scheme described in this article.

Breeding chicks in an incubator at home: choosing an incubator

The primary concern for a chicken farmer is choosing an incubator. Such a device replaces the hen for chickens. But in order for the chicks to hatch from the eggs, the incubator must meet certain requirements. It stands to them carry:

• Maintaining the required temperature and protecting the incubator from temperature drops.
• The incubator must have a proper level of humidity.
• Airing function.
• Automatic mode support.
• Flip function of the egg tray.

An automatic egg device is expensive, but it frees the farmer from all the hassle of this job. But there are other, more economical incubator options. This is a DIY incubator or a mechanical incubator.

Hatchery Chicks: Egg Selection Criteria

In order to raise decent chickens, you must follow all the rules of the incubation period. But to hatch chicks, you need to select the right eggs. It is necessary to make sure that the egg from which it is planned to hatch the chick was laid by a healthy hen. Therefore, before placing the eggs in the incubator, you should carefully examine them. We offer you a basic list of what to look for Attention.

1. No egg smell.And also any pungent smell should alert you. The smell of mold is especially dangerous.
2. Egg size. The egg should be 50-60 grams. A frail chicken will hatch from an egg that is too small, and a yolk one from a large egg.
3. When choosing an egg, you should pay attention to the shape. It should be smooth and even. Do not lay an egg that has bumps and a dent. Also, do not put eggs in the incubator that are round or oblong.
4. The freshness of the egg plays an important role. The egg must have been laid no more than seven days ago. And also do not put eggs in the incubator that have been stored below ten degrees Celsius.
5. Any damage to the surface of the egg is considered unacceptable. Cracks, dents in the shell should be avoided. Large amounts of stains and dirt are also considered unacceptable.

It is strictly forbidden to wash or wipe the surface of the shell before laying eggs. In addition, there is a special device that helps many farmers to determine the required characteristics of the egg. The ovoscope accurately detects the location of the yolk and air sac. In a good egg, the yolk is located in the middle or closer to the blunt edge. The air bag can be located close to the blunt end. In addition, the ovoscope allows you to select only the best eggs and see the pathology in the development of the embryo. Most frequent pathology This:

1. Spots of various colors and shapes indicate the presence of bacteria on the egg.
2. Bacterial tumak - damage by putrefactive bacteria may indicate that the egg is of an opaque appearance.
3. An egg with a pungent odor and a yolk that is stuck to the shell indicates the presence of a dryness.
4. A blood blotch can serve as a signal of pathology.
5. The presence of krasyuk indicates a homogeneous structure of orange color and difficult viewing of the location of the yolk and air chamber.
6. The fact that the scraped shell was damaged may be evidenced by a leak in the egg.

How to hatch chicks in an incubator: laying eggs

The main thing is temperature eggs when laying it in the incubator. The optimal indicator is a temperature of twenty-five degrees Celsius. It is recommended to keep the eggs in a warm place before setting. In addition, before laying eggs, it is necessary to clean and disinfect the incubator.

And also the incubation mode is checked in advance. It is worth noting that the temperature when laying should be thirty-six degrees. Eggs should be laid with the blunt end up. In the event that you have a mechanical incubator installed, you need to monitor the slope of the tray, its temperature and humidity.

But if you are a happy owner of an automatic model of this device, you do not need to check each of the above parameters. In the event that the tray is turned over 180 degrees, then horizontal laying of eggs is possible. It is best to lay eggs after 6 pm. It is recommended to start with a large egg. After four hours, you can lay out the medium ones, and after another four hours the smallest ones. Thus, the offspring can be considered homogeneous.

How to use an incubator: incubation process

It should be noted that the incubation period is divided into four stages. Withdrawal continues for twenty one days. The first stage takes place over seven days. The second stage is from the seventh to the eleventh days. The third stage lasts until hatching chicks. The fourth is the birth of chicks. Let's consider each of the stages in turn.

First stage

At the first stage, all the necessary organs are formed in the chick. In the first three days, it is necessary to maintain the temperature regime at a level of up to 38 degrees Celsius. It is especially important to maintain a normal humidity level, which should be 70%. On the fourth day, the temperature regime drops to thirty-seven and a half degrees, and the humidity drops to 55%.

In the event that you use a mechanical incubator, then it cannot turn the tray over, then it is worth performing the necessary turns up to three times a day. Each time the coup must be carried out at the same time. Be careful to turn the tray over. In order not to forget when the previous turn was made, it is best to make a mark on the egg.

Second phase

At the second stage, the skeleton, claws and beak are formed in the chick. In order for the embryo to develop normally, it is necessary normal temperature 36-38 degrees with humidity up to 45%. In this case, the overturning continues three times a day at the same time intervals.

Stage three

At this stage, the embryo has a fluff and a stratum corneum on the claws. The temperature drops to 37 degrees, the humidity is kept at 70% and in some cases can be increased. The main thing in the third stage is ventilation holes. At this stage of development, the embryo should receive a good supply of air.

It is necessary to use an ovoscope at this stage, because then a scheduled check is carried out. The circulatory system may be considered. On the twentieth day, the eggs are turned on their side so that there is a large amount of space.

Fourth stage

At this stage, the chicks can be seen hatching. The chickens tear the air sac and then the shells. At first, he grabs the air, and then utters a squeak. In the cut of the minute, the chick opens eye sockets and they come out of the shell. As soon as the chicks hatch, they are moved under the hen or in a special place - a brooder.

Inspection of hatched chicks

After the chick is born, after six hours it should be examined. If the chicks were raised as a beef breed, then it is recommended to examine them after ten hours.

A healthy chick should have the following external signs.

1. Absence of traces of blood, the umbilical cord is closed.
2. The chicken should have a yellow sheen. The coat should be soft to the touch.
3. The eyes are clear and not cloudy.
4. The beak must be firm.
5. The wings should fit snugly against the body.
6. The chick should be active and respond well to noise.

When the sex of the chick is important to the breeder, there are several ways to define his.

1. The chick must be taken by the scruff or legs. The cockerels hang, calm, and the hens will draw their paws and pull their heads up.
2. During incubation, only the hens hatch first.
3. The chicken has long feathers that alternate with short ones. The rooster is distinguished by the presence of only short feathers.

In livestock complexes for determining the sex of the chick. The chick's cloaca is examined for a tubercle.

It will be useful for a novice farmer to know how to determine floor the future chicken in the egg.

1. The shell is the main way to determine the sex of a future chick. For this, it is probed, and if a tubercle or ring was found on palpation, then a rooster will hatch from the egg.
2. The ovoscope can also indicate the future sex of the offspring. This can be determined by the position of the air bag. If it is centered, then a male representative will hatch.

Care and maintenance of chicks after incubation

Incubating chicks is a great way to save time and money. But after the offspring are bred, it is especially important to keep and care for the chicks before they get stronger, namely in the first week of their life.

If a chicken was born with the help of a perch, then, of course, his mother takes care of him - this is a chicken. But if - this is an artificial method - an incubator, then care falls on the shoulders of the breeder. It is worth noting that the first days the chicks are kept in a box. But it is also important to follow certain rules that will help grow healthy chicks.

1. Mode temperature... It is worth remembering that future birds should be at a temperature of thirty degrees.After five days, it can be reduced to twenty-eight degrees.
2. Birds must have access to light around the clock.
3. If the birds live in a box, then they need to be constantly looked after. The box should contain purely... Therefore, at the bottom it is necessary to lay a soft cloth, which must be changed daily. After five days, it is best to move the chicks to a cage with a good floor and a dung shield.
4. The number of chicks per square meter should not exceed thirty heads. It will probably be possible to increase the space from the age of four weeks.
5. The first feeding of the chicks should be done twelve hours after the chicks have hatched. The first meal may be corn grits. On the second day, you can give semolina, wheat porridge. It is also possible to give the chicks low-fat dairy products. On the third day, greens can be introduced into the diet. In order for the chicken to eat grass, it is best to scald it with boiling water and mix with porridge. Feeding is best done every two or three hours.
6. It is imperative to water the chicks. The main thing is availability drinkers in a box of clean water. In the first hours of life, the chicks are given a glucose solution. Over time, it is poured into yogurt or other dairy products.

There is only one conclusion, raising chickens in an incubator with your own hands is not a simple, troublesome business. It takes a lot of time. The only way out for busy farmers is an automatic incubator that does all the work for you. With such a device, it is possible to achieve the effect in the shortest possible time.

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How can you hatch chicks in an incubator? Raising chicks in an incubator is a skill-driven process in the poultry industry. Every Farmer Should Know how to use the incubator.

With the right approach, you can organize a small business for breeding select chicks. But there is no need to take incubation lightly: some novice poultry farmers receive a brood of 50 or 30% of the total set of eggs.

Collection and storage of eggs for incubation

Collecting eggs correctly plays an important role in subsequent incubation. The nests must always be clean and dry so that the eggshell does not absorb bacteria. The collection of the product should be carried out 3-5 times a day. Wash your hands thoroughly before collecting eggs.

Material that has lain for more than 18 hours is not suitable for hatching chicks. The technique of removing eggs from the nest also has its own nuances: the product must be taken with two fingers at the blunt and sharp ends.

If the chicken has just laid the egg and it is still warm, there is a protective film on the surface. By touching the whole egg, you can damage this film and bring in pathogenic bacteria inside.

Only laid eggs can not be wiped with a dry cloth, as well as washed with running water. Dirty eggs are best discarded immediately. If the number of eggs is limited, then you can wash them in a weakly diluted lime solution. Lime prevents mold from spreading inside the shell. Of course, it is best to avoid this procedure.

Storage.

1. Eggs for setting in the incubator should be stored for a maximum of 5 days at 12-16 ° C. Humidity plays an important role during storage. It should be 70-80%. At temperatures below 6 ° C, the embryo "falls asleep". Such an egg will not develop. Conversely, at very high temperatures of 25-30 ° C, the egg begins to develop rapidly with numerous pathologies.
2. The material is stored in special trays with the sharp end down. In this position, the "air cushion" will not move sideways or downward. Every 2–3 days, the eggs are turned at a 90 ° angle to prevent the egg from stagnating. A dried-up embryo is not able to develop.
3. There should be no temperature drop in the place where the material is stored. The room needs to be ventilated from time to time.

Preparing a home incubator for hatching chicks

Before hatching chicks in the incubator, it needs to be completely cleaned of previous bookings. All feathers and dirt are removed from the surface of the incubator. During the cleaning process, the home incubator is completely disassembled into parts. The grates are thoroughly washed with a brush and laid out until completely dry in direct sunlight.

Before hatching the young, the incubator must be washed with soapy water with the addition of iodine. Iodine disinfects the work surface from bacteria. Another more time consuming method can be used to disinfect the incubator - fumigation. This method is less popular when cleaning incubators. To use fumigation (smoke treatment), it is necessary to ensure complete isolation of the incubator, as well as the room itself where the treatment will take place.

Ingredients:

1. Formaldehyde 40% - 20 ml.
2. Manganese - 20 gr. per 1 square meter.

After processing the incubator with formaldehyde, the room must be well ventilated. This processing method is too aggressive, so not all poultry farmers want to use this method. Before proceeding with disinfection, you need to make sure that the chicks are resistant to such treatment. The embryos of some breeds of birds do not tolerate such procedures.

Usually, formaldehyde disinfection is carried out only in extreme cases, if various kinds of infections appear in the incubator, which lead to the death of the offspring.

How to identify the gender of a chicken when sampling material in an incubator

1. Roughness at the sharp end of the testicle. In some eggs, the sharp part is smooth, while in others it is rough. It is by this roughness that the sex of the chicken can be determined. Cocks hatch from eggs with a rough end, and layers hatch from material with a smooth shell at the end.
2. Circles on the sharp side of the testicle. If there are no such circles, a chicken will emerge from the egg. Conversely, if there are circles, you can wait for a rooster.

Laying eggs

Before placing in the incubator, the eggs are checked for chips, cracks, and shell thickness. An ovoscope is used to accurately determine the integrity of the egg.

It can be made with your own hands or purchased in specialty stores. The ovoscope is a wooden box with an incandescent lamp inside.

On the upper surface of the device there is a hole in which the egg is placed.

Transillumination reveals:

1. fatty yolk;
2. dried embryo;
3. location and size of the air sac;
4. shell chips and microcracks.

Bird eggs are laid horizontally in the incubator. They will warm up better and more evenly. Large eggs can be laid vertically on the sharp end, tilted slightly to the side. If eggs of different birds are laid in a home incubator, for example, geese, ducks and chickens. At the very beginning, a larger product is laid, then medium and small. The interval between laying should be at least 5 hours. When laying out, it is necessary to take into account the incubation period, because chickens hatch faster than geese and ducks.

Hatching period

Ducks	26-33 days
Geese	28-33 days

Incubation conditions

During the entire incubation period, the eggs must be turned. As needed, water is added to the special compartments of the incubator.

1. Manual mode... To hatch offspring in such an incubator, you will have to turn the eggs manually. The downside is the constant opening of the lid of the device, which leads to temperature changes.
2. Mechanical mode... The turning of the eggs is done with a wire. The wire moves the net and the eggs turn over to the other side.
3. Auto mode... In expensive models of incubators, the revolution takes place with the help of a motor.

The temperature inside the incubator must be measured with different thermometers, since all thermometers have different errors.

The eggs should be turned over at regular intervals; in the first days of incubation, they are turned over every 2 hours.After 7 days, the eggs must be checked with an ovoscope to identify defective and fatty eggs.

For 10-14 days, continue to turn the eggs. The humidity can be reduced slightly.

On 16-18 days, the incubator must be ventilated, 2-3 times a day, briefly open the lid for ventilation. The ovoscope will determine the complete filling of the egg with the embryo. Frozen embryos are also discarded. This week you can already hear the chicks squeaking.

On days 19-21, the temperature should be lowered to 37.5 ° C. The humidity rises to 70%. At this stage, the eggs are no longer turned over. Chicks begin to hatch. It is not necessary to remove chicks from the incubator until they are completely dry.

Important! In the last days, when turning the eggs is no longer required, the grate between them must be removed so that the chicks do not break their legs against it.

Care of young animals immediately after hatching

It is important to properly care for the young after the incubation period.

1. Content... If the farm has hens, then it is better to put chickens under it. In this temperature regime, young animals will be most comfortable. If there are no hens, then it is necessary to provide a comfortable environment. Before starting to hatch chicks, it is necessary to equip a temporary house. This can be a guardrail, a cardboard box, or a wooden box. The place for chicks should not be on the floor. There should be soft, dry bedding at the bottom of the box. Daylight hours for chicks in the first days is 24 hours. In the second month of life, you can limit yourself to 10-hour daylight hours. In the first week, the temperature regime is 28-32 ° C. Second week - 27 ° C. Every next week, the temperature should be lowered by 3 degrees.
2. Feeding... The water in the drinking bowl is changed as it gets dirty. You need to choose only high-quality feed, designed specifically for the smallest chickens. The diet requires vitamins, fish oil. Some poultry farmers feed in doses to prevent overeating. Greens, cottage cheese, milk whey are added to the feed. It is not necessary to moisturize the food too much so that it does not sour.

Diseases of chickens

After hatching, it is important to take into account the conditions of detention in order to prevent various diseases. With improper feeding, chickens may develop vitamin deficiency, food poisoning. If the conditions are far from ideal, then babies can get sick with salmonellosis, typhoid. Broiler chickens often vilify if the salmonella bacillus enters the immature organism of the future chicken. This disease appears very quickly and proceeds rapidly. Highlights in white.

Yellow diarrhea can "speak" of hypothermia, stress, infection. Traditional methods are used for treatment. The room is disinfected.

Bloody diarrhea is the most dangerous symptom. All birds can die from it. This disease is called coccidiosis. For treatment, veterinary drugs and room disinfection are used. Correct and timely care of the brood will allow you to grow healthy and energetic chickens.