Hatching plans

So far this Spring we have successfully hatched 10 quails, 18 hybrid  chickens of one variety or another and 8 Norfolk Black Turkeys. Our hatch rate for the turkeys has been relatively poor this year for reasons we are not sure about. We have another clutch in the incubator. In addition, we have bought in 20 day old broiler chicks.

The incubation period for each poultry group varies: 16-18 days for quails, about 21 days for chickens and 26 days for turkeys. Janet oversees this part of the proceedings. They need close attention in respect of temperature, turning. timing and humidity. 

We hope for the incubated eggs to hatch within a day or two of each other. The newly hatched chicks can remain in the incubator for 48 hours as they have enough nutrient from their egg to see them through. The problem is if you open up the incubator and the humidity level suddenly drops the membrane enclosing an unhatched chick is likely to 'shrink wrap' it and make its survival doubtful. Sometimes we find a half-hatched chick which we will keep in the incubator and hope for the best. This happened over the weekend and a late hatching chick eventually got free of its egg and joined its clutch siblings. It is rather sprightly and a testament to its determination to survive.

Once the poultry are hatched I take over and see them through the stages of their time in the brooder, weaning them off heat and eventually transferring them to their outside house and enclosures. And also dealing with their rapidly growing appetite and need for water. 

We have a turkey that is currentlyy broody so we have left it to its own devices sitting on a few eggs. In the past we have found that once hatched the turkey does not always remain interested in it chicks so we need to be alert for when they hatch so that we can take over parental responsibility if need be.

 

A newly hatched quail