Blue Valley Exotic Ornamental Bird Farm

 Incubating Suggestions
Please Read Carefully Before Incubating Your Eggs

 INCUBATOR:

   Have your incubator running at least 24 hours before setting your eggs.  In this 24 hours
  regulate the temperature to the setting recommended by the mfg.  Add the water and check
  the temperature again and adjust if necessary

 EGGS:

   Let your shipment of eggs set at a 45 degree angle, at room temperature, for 7 to 12 hours
   before putting them in your incubator.  This gives them time to "settle out" from any jars
   they may have received in shipping.

 INCUBATION:

   When you put the eggs in the incubator, do not count the day you put them in as the first
   day of the incubation period. Start counting with the next day.  This gives the eggs time to
   warm up to the temperaure of the incubator.  We put our eggs, small end down in  our
   cabinet incubator in the flats that have had the very top of the egg seperators cut off to
   allow air to circulate around each egg.  We also cut off the bottom of each slot the eggs
   set in for circulation.  You can purchase plastic egg trays from our catalog to fit the cabinet
   incubators and ones to fit the Hova Bators.  The ones for the Hova Bators come with the
   automatic turner.  If you do not use a tray, lay the eggs on their sides on the wire racks or
   wire on the bottom of the incubator and manually turn 3 times a day.

 CANDLING:

   Candling is using an intense light to view the content of the eggs.  This IS VERY important
   to your hatch sucess. Candle your eggs at 7 days of incubation.  This works best in a very
   dark area.  At this 7 day point in the incubation you will see the blood veins and a pinkish
   appearance.  If the egg is NOT good it will be clear; no blood veins or pinkish appearance.
   TAKE THAT EGG OUT as it will spoil the entire hatach.  These eggs can put off a gas if not
   removed that can kill the maturing chicks in the other eggs around them.  If you are not sure
   about an egg, mark it and candle it again in  a couple days.  Candle all eggs at least once a
   week.  Candle them again on the day you set the off.  ( 3 days before hatch)

 HUMIDITY:

   All incubators need water all during the incubation period.  The amount of water depends on
   the make and size of the incubator.  Most incubators have their own trays or pans.  Some
   have rings molded into them for water.  Add water that is at room temperature as not to
   lower the temperature of your incubator.  The last three days before hatch double the water
   amount.  The extra humidity is needed to soften the shell for the chick to pip out.  Do not use
   water with a high clorine content.  Start each incubation perior with fresh water.  If your
   incubator has a hygrometer, follow the mfg. instructions for controlling humidity.

 HATCHING:

   The last three days of incubation are very important to the hatch of your chicks.  At this time
   double the humidity.  DO NOT turn the eggs these last three days.  If you have an
   automatic turner take the eggs out and lay them flat on the tray or bottom of the incubator
   or stop the turner at level position.  At this point the chick is getting its beak into the air
   pocket to pip out and turning can cause a liquid to close the pip hole and smother the chick.
   This happens more in larger eggs.

 CHICKS:

   CARE- The care of your chicks is important but simple.  They need food, water, heat and a
     box or brooder. 
   FEED- We feed out exotic and ornamental birds chick starter.  We do not recommend
     chicken feed.  Turkey starter is good.  We put the food on a paper towel on the floor of the
     brooder for the first few days with grated hard boiled egg on top of the food. The chicks will
     pick at the egg and get the feed also.  Do not feed ducks medicated feed or water.
   WATER- You can use the quail waterer for quail (cat # 4458).  They are only 1/2 " wide and
     chicks can not get into the water and drown.  Larger water bases can be used for larger
     chicks but I put colored marbles in the base.  The marbles also help the chicks to start
     drinking by  picking at the marbles.  We also use "Poult Pak" ( a vitamin/mineral supplement)
     in the water for the first few weeks. We believe the antioxidants and trace minerals found in
     the "Poult Pak" helps prevent slipped tendens and improves the general health of the chicks
     as they grow.  See catalog insert page 3 for Poult Pak.
   HEAT- A 125 watt heat bulb can be used for heat if a  brooder is not available.Place the bulb       18" above the chicks to one end of a large box.  DO NOT put the food and water directly
     under the  bulb.  The chicks will gather under the bulb if cool and get back away from it if
     too warm.  After the first day or two we switch to a green bulb.  You can paint a regular
     heat bulb with cermeric paint.  This will put off the same amount of heat but dulls the light
     so the birds are more relaxed.  They do not tend to pick or be so flighty.
   BROODER- If you do not have a brooder a large box can be used. (the type a ref. or lawn
     mower comes in).  Cut the box off to 18" high.  Do not put the box where there is a lot of
     movement, such as people walking by, or noise, as chicks are very flighty.  DO NOT put
     newspaper on the bottom of the box as it is too slick for the new chicks to stand on.  They
     need something rough to prevent spraddle leggs. Gunny sacks will work but Drop Pan Paper
     Board # 1628 in our catalog is best.  For larger birds leave part of the wire bottom exposed. 

GROWING BIRDS:

   1-4 weeks old-- This age group we feed Starter.  We also provide heat for them and use
       Poult Pak in the water and keep the box or brooder clean. We use room temperature water.
   5-8 weeks old-- This age group we change to Grower feed.  We continue to have heat
       available if needed. You can use cooler water and always continue to keep the area clean.
   9-16 weeks old-- They can be moved outdoors if shelter is provided.  They need room to
       exercise.  You can switch to finisher feed or maintance feed after 16 weeks.  We stop the
       Poult Pak on the smaller birds but continue on the larger long legged birds.

 CONCLUSION:

   This is a few of the things we have been asked by our customers and hope this may help
   you with your chicks.  If there is something you do not understand or we did not cover,
   give us a call and we will try to help.  Call 785-562-5258 .

 

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