Hatching-Part 1

Chicks hatch from their eggs at about 21 days, below are some tips for the future.

- If chicks hatch dry, the humidity of the incubator used was probably too low however, if they come out exceedingly wet the humidity setting was too high.

-It is also important to let them break out the shell themselves as this is a good indicator of their health, once they start pecking through give them up to 24 hours to hatch.

Brooding is used to describe a chicks first month of life, this is where you move them to a brooder to develop.

- Most experienced keepers will use a waterproof and pest-proof shed with an infrared heat lamp, however for domestic purposes a cardboard box with a 60 watt light-bulb suspended (at approx. 40cm) above could also be used.

- The temperature underneath the lamp should be recorded at around 34 Celsius. If the chicks are too hot they will dehydrate and this can be fatal, a sign of this is droppings sticking to their abdomens. Remove these droppings carefully, check the temperature and adjust according to their behaviour.

- You should closely monitor the chicks behaviour to whether the lamp should be lowered or not e.g. huddling would indicate they are cold.

- The floor of the brooder should be covered in wood-shavings 2-3 inches deep

- At first its good to keep the chicks enclosed in a small area using cardboard 'walls' (no higher then 45cm) so they can get comfortable with their surroundings.

- Using additional bits of cardboard on the floor may also help the chicks find their feet on slightly harder ground.

- Remember too much bright light may be stressful and encourage pecking, a red light is a better choice as if there is any blood it will be seen as black thus not as appealing for peckers.

- The room temperature should be about 25 celcius and be gradually reduced to 16 celcius as they approach about 7 weeks.....To be continued