have I missed anything?

[snakeshack]

SO............ the assashens days are numbered (23 i think).
I've borrowed a hoverbator still air incubator and set it up to 101.5degrees f.
got the humidity to 45-50%
arranged a heat lamp and cobbled together a brooder.
eggs from Ebay arriving by next day royal mail special D
bought chick crumbs chick feeder and chick fount.
Even have spare bulb for lamp.
I have hatched hundreds of baby snakes and lizards in the past but its totally different,you don't turn reptile eggs for a start and the humidity levels are 70-90%.
you can even manipulate the sex by changing incubation temperatures?
SO what have I missed ,i've not hatched chooks before?

[Nicos]

What are you using for bedding?

Oh- and camera..deffo a camera!

.....exciting or what eh????

[MaureenHall]

A torch for candling the eggs? oh yes, lots of patience too

[Glutton4...]

A torch for candling the eggs? oh yes, lots of patience too

Patience!!! LOL

[snakeshack]

I will be using hemcore for bedding over a rubber mat,I also have a high intensity led torch for candling cool light and from the pound shop!
have digital camera too for the obligatory cute chick flicks.
i need lots of patience........but I want it now

[its hilly]

i need lots of patience........but I want it now

ROFL..

I'd be inclined to wipe the inci out with milton (or similar) to be on the safe side.
Dont forget to let the eggs settle pointy end down for a day before you put them in
And don't do what I did..get more than one breed and forget to put an identifying mark on the eggs, or write them down..oops. I spent a happy week googling chick pics to work out what was what...DOH Now I mark the eggs and slap little leg rings on as soon as they hatch, its amazing how alike they can be.

[jessmorris]

I've seen big rings for full sized hens - are bantam rings also available from agri stores too, or do you just tighten tne big rings....

[its hilly]

Have a look on ebay Jess. The rings come in different sizes, think I used 6mm for chicks and young bants, 12mm for young CL hens and 18/22mm for my big roos. I used to use the spirals but two of my CL roos outgrew theirs. One of them cut all under his spur, the other had his higher above the spur and it got tight, I was telling my OH I needed him to hold a chook for me when he (Silver) came round the corner with blood pouring down his leg, he'd obviously caught the ring on something. And the spirals are quite tough. Trouble was because it was tight we couldnt spiral it off without cutting his leg more, ended up using very sharp scissors with cardboard inside the ring to protect him. Put me off and I got the clip ones next time.

[jessmorris]

Thankyou , off to ebay then!

[snakeshack]

eggs all set in incubator 6 more arriving tomorrow that I accidentallypurcased today while looking for a cheap deal on patience (sits watching eggs and mumbles incoherantly whilst chewing nails)

[Scarlet]

When did you set the last lot? You might find it difficult adding a second batch of eggs at a later date (remember after posting they need to rest) humidity needs to be increased the last few days of incubation, having egs that have been set on different days may cause you problems.

[snakeshack]

I now have second incubator for hatching which will double as a brooder,mixing the chicks after hatching with 3 days between them shouldent be a problem I would have thought, or should I fire up another vivarium to take the second batch on hatching?

[RichmondHens]

They should all be fine together. Just make sure the second batch are on their feet and moving about before you mix them in. Even at 3 days old chicks can be precocious and may peck at the newly hatched ones, so the younger ones have to be able to move out of range.

[Scarlet]

I now have second incubator for hatching which will double as a brooder,mixing the chicks after hatching with 3 days between them shouldent be a problem I would have thought, or should I fire up another vivarium to take the second batch on hatching?

Are you using a vivarium as a brooder?? If so, make sure you have plenty of ventilaition - I tried using a viv a couple of years ago and the inside was dripping in water. I had to make a little make shift run and leave the sliding glass door open.

[snakeshack]

it's a big viv 4 ft x 2 ft x2ft what temp ,I have set to 35c