Hatching Eggs with an Incubator

There are several important factors to consider when using the Chick Egg Incubator (BE-INCUBAT and LD-INCUBAT) to ensure your success. When the instructions are followed carefully, 25-50% of the eggs will hatch. However, due to many variables beyond our control, succesful hatching is not guaranteed.

The first thing to know is that the quail eggs stay dormant until the incubation process starts. Therefore, it is safe to ship the eggs to you even in below freezing weather. Warmth will not be a issue until you actually start incubating the eggs.

Before you start incubating, read the entire instruction manual that comes with your incubator.

During incubation, keep in mind that eggs are very delicate. They can be ruined by small mistakes such as turning them wrong end up or shaking them. For this reason, the location of your incubator is important. Do not place the incubator

• Near a gas heater: The carbon dioxide from the gas will kill the embryos.
• In a draft: the embryos can develop pneumonia easily, so keep them out of wind.
• Near a heater or in a cold room: too much heat or cold will kill an embryo.
• Where it could be easily bumped or upset by pets or small children.

Closely follow the instructions for setting up the incubator. The placement of the foil will help regulate the temperature, and the aluminum foil heat guard on the wire rack will protect the eggs from the direct heat of the bulb when you place it between the eggs and the bulb.

Before you put your eggs in, be sure to regulate the temperature. The desired temperature is 100 degrees, although anywhere from 98 to 102 degrees is acceptable. Check the temperature of your incubator by placing the included thermometer on the wire rack about one inch from and parallel to the heat shield. Place the dome on the base and wait until the thermometer stops and levels off. If the temperature is slightly high, you can lower it by tilting the bulb up towards the top of the dome and by sliding the foil down towards the bottom of the base. (If you need to, you can remove the foil completely.) If the temperature is too low, tilt the bulb down toward the bottom of the base and slide the foil up higher behind the bulb. (You may also put the extra piece of foil in the base if needed, or place foil over the dome.) Using these techniques, you should be able to keep the temperature at 100 degrees in a 70-74 degree room.

In order for your chicks to hatch and survive, they must have moisture. Don't forget to fill one of the hollow legs of the incubator with water--this is especially important during hatching time. Oxygen is also important, so make sure that the hole in the top of the dome is not blocked in any way.

When you place an egg in the incubator, you must lay the egg with the large end tilted slightly up. The little chick's head is located in the large end of the egg, and if you stand it on its head it will not live.

After your eggs are placed in the incubator, they need to be turned at least twice a day. Pick the egg up very gently and turn it end over end so that the small end is pointing in the opposite direction. (You can make markings on opposite sides to keep track of the turnings.) Three days before the eggs are due to hatch, stop turning them. They should not be disturbed during hatching time! (The eggs that come with the LD-INCUBAT should hatch in 17-18 days.)

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