The Incubation and Hatching Files

GRAPHIC PICTURES FIRSTWhy?Because MOST New Hatcher's ASSIST too SOON & too FAST!Below is the result of a BEAUTIFUL Chick that will die.This chick clearly was NOT ready to hatch as her yolk sac has not yet been drawn inside theabdominal cavity, nor have blood vessels receded.I can not express how necessary it is to understand the hatching process! Anxiety at this stage is tremendous for the first timer and they can quickly misinterpret the well being of their chicks and prematurely intervene with disastrous consequences.Understanding The Hatching ProcessBetween the 15th and 16th days, the chick orients itself so that its head is...

Eggtopsy - what went wrong with my hatch? I think everyone at one point has had a hatch that was not 100% successful. And at the end of the day, with the living cheeps in the brooder, you may be left wondering... What happened to the others? What went wrong? When did my chick die? Was it there at all? There's a lot of questions and often you will hear "do an eggtopsy" or someone will say crack the duds open to find out what happened. And you should, but you should have some idea of what you're looking for...

Thinking of purchasing a new incubator? Not sure of which type to purchase? Warning on cheap incubators! Thinking of purchasing a new incubator but not sure on which to go with? Why are there cheap incubators available for around $60 and how do they differ from our quality Brinsea incubators we sell? After hearing of many house fires and near misses with cheap incubators and brooder equipment, here is some advice to consider: Your house and property are the biggest financial investment you will make. Your family is the biggest emotional investment… EVER. It is not worth losing one or...

Incubating Basics (including extra tips on hatching shipped eggs)  Let me preface this resource by saying, I’ve hatched out a lot of shipped eggs. Honestly, more than I would care to remember., and have been breeding poultry for nearly 25 years. Coming from a Island where there are limited bloodlines and availability after a while of keeping chickens, I started wanting something a little different. Generally I fit into the category of the “Don’t tell her it’s unusual, hard to find, or hard to hatch, cause she’ll want it!” … I like left of centre and I love a challenge...

CANDLING EGGS the step by step guide on how to candle your eggs and check fertility Candling eggs is a great way of checking on the progress of your little babies developing inside the eggs. There are many reasons why you should candle your eggs. Lets take a look at how your incubating eggs develop:  Breeders use candling to learn which of their chickens' eggs are fertile and will hatch into baby chicks. Candling can also be used to tell if a fertilized egg has stopped developing. The candling process works by illuminating the interior of an egg so you...