35 Using an egg incubator Temperature in the egg incubator 37.8 °C or 100 °F Humidity 55 to 75 % Incubation The best time to collect eggs for incubation is between February and October. The eggs must be of a normal size and have an intact shell. Retrieve the eggs from the nests and store them at a temperature of 15 to 18 °C before placing them in the incubator. The place where you set up the incubator must be kept at a constant temperature of between 17 and 25 °C, and humidity levels between 55 and 75 %. The incubator should not be exposed to draughts. Switch the incubator on 24 hours before placing the first eggs into it, so that the temperature and humidity can level off. Place the eggs into the incubator no earlier than 24 hours, and no later than 5 days, after they have been laid. You can customise the incubator base to suit the size of the eggs using the dividers. Leave a little space between the eggs so that they can be turned twice a day and air can circulate. The humidity required for the proper functioning of the incubator is ensured by the water tank(s) included. The water level in the tanks must be checked every two days and topped up if necessary. Hatching Incubation period • chicken 21 days • quail 17 days • Muscovy duck 28 days • turkey 30 days Stop turning the eggs (or switch off the motor if the incubator is fitted with an automatic turner) three days before hatching. Remove the dividers and use the incubator‘s base to balance out the empty spaces. This prevents the just-hatched chicks from falling under the base plate or into the water tanks. The first few days The newly hatched chicks should stay in the incubator for 24 hours so that their feathers can dry out. The incubator then serves as a nursery. The chicks must be reared in a heated area of between 18 and 25 °C during the first few months of life. Heat plates or heat lamps are a perfect solution for keeping the chicks at the correct temperature. They must always have plenty of clean water and suitable starter food. Thermal control for the chicks February - October The eggs must be laid in a nest and not on the ground. The egg must be fertilised! too cold too warm the right temperature 17-25 °C 55-75 % °C °C
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