Hatching pheasants

[dannewhouse]

We have hatched hens, guineafowl etc in the incubator but are struggling with pheasants.

We are running at 37.9 C and 40% humidity.
But we are lifting the humidity from 40 to 50 when we put them down into the hatcher.

This could be our problem (we hope) whilst the pheasants have been in we have probably hatched 3 times so of there 21days which should have been at 40% I bet they've had 9+ of them at 50% humidity.

We think the pheasants are too big, where we have hatched all hens across 2 days, the pheasants are dribbling on over 5.

 

[scottish-lleyn]

Dont adjust the humidity atall here just whatever the ambiant humidity is. Also if you have been opening the incubator alot to remove other hatched chicks this will be causing temp fluctuations also having an impact on hatch times.

 

[suffolksmallholder]

This time of year was the time the older generation of Keepers asked around for folk with broody hens. As an example we've got X 6 broodys right now. They then put pheasant eggs under these hens and left them to it. Ours will sit on a nest of grenades and just growl at you but they are a very traditional bird (Marans) so you may have to be breed specific nowdays.

That's the way I'd go if I was trying to raise pheasant chicks. 21 days for hen. 25 days for pheasant. They'll get there.
SS

 

[dannewhouse]

I don't think broody hens will just cut it, there's 180 eggs a tray and a good few trays in.

Although you may well end up with more at end!!!

I don't think opening it will have much effect as it's open once to drop trays into hatcher then hatcher is opened max 2x per day for the 3 days of hatching.

When you say you do nothing to humidity, literally add 0 water inside incubator?

 

[suffolksmallholder]

OH well. Then I'd suggest simply buying them as poults and go from there. I thought you were just hatching thirty or so. No messing over 100 as it's down to the rearer to keep the live poults in good order without the faff of incubating. https://www.heartofenglandfarms.com/price-list/
Click and collect is the new way to buy!
SS

 

[dannewhouse]

We've a thousand ordered, it was a bit of both, a play to see if we could do it basically.

Always hatched hens, ducks geese etc

Just don't seem to be able to get these buggers just right.

 

[suffolksmallholder]

Perhaps they'll get there in the end? Hope so
I've just had a walk with the lurcher and disturbed Mr cocky and two of his harem having a lovely dust bath in our bonfire heap. What a cloud went up with the three taking off in a hurry! These are permanent residents and we see them all year in and around the place.
SS

 

[scottish-lleyn]

I don't think broody hens will just cut it, there's 180 eggs a tray and a good few trays in.

Although you may well end up with more at end!!!

I don't think opening it will have much effect as it's open once to drop trays into hatcher then hatcher is opened max 2x per day for the 3 days of hatching.

When you say you do nothing to humidity, literally add 0 water inside incubator?

Yes zero water.

 

[dannewhouse]

Yes zero water.

What percentage losses are you roughly getting, from setting to day olds or how do you calculate it?

 

[scottish-lleyn]

We hatched 1400 last year from 2000 eggs so 600 duds. This is our second year and hatched 1100 out 1175 eggs. Dont know if thats good or bad im not an expert have hatched alot of chickens but not pheasants

 

[Wilksy]

I put 10 golden pheasant eggs under a broody hen a couple of years ago six hatched one made it to adulthood

 

[Crowfarmer]

You want pheasant eggs to lose 9% of weight over incubation, we weigh trays and monitor weight loss. typically run setters at 82f wet bulb around 45-50%rh.

On hatching once approx 1/3 have piped I run the hatchers at 90F wet bulb approx 70%rh. At this stage I don't think you can be too wet.

You are probably quite dry on pipping, it's always worth opening the eggs to check fertility, stages the embrio have died at etc

 

[Longlowdog]

Crowfarmer has the right spec's as I remember from my year at Border's college.
Are you storing your eggs at moderate temp's 12-15C and giving them two turns a day before placing in the incubator. Most of my 'keeper friends swear you have to let eggs rest as they would in a brood before setting in the incubator. In a big clutch the oldest egg could be a fortnight older than the most recently laid before the hen sat tight and broodied them. They also say that after transport of any kind they must be allowed to rest.