Pheasant eggs are starting to hatch? Question

[harvey]

Hello all,  just today about an hour ago my pheasant eggs starting hatching.  At least one did.  There is now a small hole in one side of the egg and I can see the chick moving!!  Pretty cool.  How long does it take them to come out once they start?   Should I help them?  How long should I wait from the first egg to the last before I give up hope on some of them?  Thanks.   Harv

[Michael Bush]

I can take as long as 24 to 48 hours for the last one to get out after the first one gets out assuming they were all started (not necessarily layed) at the same time.

[Jerrymac]

I've had chicken eggs hatch for three or four days, and chicks taking over a day to hatch after the first cracks appear.

[Keith13]

what do you plan to do with the pheasants?

[wd]

I sometimes break the rules or guidelines and help those out having a hard time or with shells stuck to them. Incubation temps and humidity can cause problems. I have also taken out the dry and placed in a brooder then allow the stragglers to finish up. Of course for release, one doesn't want them imprinted on humans so it's best to let them do it themselves. Piping to hatched does vary in my experience too. They do make a nice occasional table dish when of age.

[harvey]

I just release them,  There used to be many around here and then they were gone.  I started raising chicks and releasing them and have seen the population increase.  Others in the area have noticed too.  I don't hunt them as there are not enough that hunting wouldn't harm the population.  Two years ago I released 30 birds.  Last year I skipped.  This year I bought 50 eggs to try and then the second week of June I will recieve 50 day old chicks.  So if everything went perfect I could effectively release 100 this year.  I plan on keeping one rooster and three of  four hens to see If I can get the eggs and hatch them for the following year or see if they will sit on them and hatch them themselves.   

[wd]

There's always a percentage that die for one reason or another.  Did you go with ringnecks?

[harvey]

Yup just regular ole ringnecks,  they are the only ones in this area that ever survived.  DNR tried to put saskachawans out as they believed they were more hardy but they all died off either to predators or whatever.  The chinese ringnecks used to be real strong around here but that was back when farmers had fence rows and iragation ditches.  Now the fields are all clean in the fall and there are no fence rows or iragation ditches for the birds to hide in.  The hawks are thick as well as the coyotes and racoons, skunks and what have you.  I am just trying to boost the natural population in this area.  So far over the last few years it has seemed to work.

[wd]

I'm in an Ag area. The growers set aside x amount of acres just for them. Of course hunting them is part of the reason why it's done. Good luck with your venture!


I find them in this terrain around here but they aren't thick. Water is near by
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[harvey]

Well hatching from eggs must not be my thing.  The hatching time has come and gone and I only had nine out of 50 hatch.  I think it was due to me not controlling the humidity well enough but I am not sure.  When I ordered the eggs the guy tried to talk me into just getting day old chicks.  I never was good at listening just always have to find out for myself!

[VolunteerK9]

If your incubator is one of the styrofoam models, thats about par for the course, Ive got a cabinet model now that I really like. If the eggs were shipped, it could have been due to rough handling by the postals service-got the eggs all scrambled before they even got to you. I'm not real sure how true it is, but someone has said since 9/11 that the Postal Service is running packages through xray which would kill the fertility of the eggs.

[harvey]

Not sure what happened,  The incubator I borrowed is one of the styrofoam ones,  Seems to have worked great for my cousin with chicken eggs?  Not sure but it was a cool thing to try.  Now I have tried it and will stick with having day ole chicks delivered. 

[wd]

For what its worth, I've used the Styrofoam circulated air hova bators and had good hatch rates. After they've hatched, it's more about keeping them from killing each and healthy. My local feed store incubates eggs for those who want them with out the hassle. I find it enjoyable when I do it myself. Cabinets are nice. I'd like to say, don't let it eat ya up, it happens, just takes a little practice.

[Michael Bush]

The one time I hatched ringnecks, 100% hatched.  I was stunned.  Never had that kind of yeild with chickens...

[Jerrymac]

Kind of reminds me of a song

Rod Stewart - Some Guys Have All The Luck

[wd]

For me, a hatch rate of 85 to 95 percent is normal providing all conditions are met inducing egg fertility and age of eggs.  Something I do is crack open the eggs that didn't make it to see how far along in development they are. This gives me idea of what went wrong.


How are your chicks doing that made it?





 

[harvey]

only had ten hatch,  out of 58 eggs Those ten are doing well though, in just a few days they have doubled in size.  With the small numbers I won't have to worry about canibilism either.  I guess that is a plus,  Kinda disapointed in hatch rate though.  I did crack a few of the eggs that were left and three out a four were just yolks!  One had a half developed bird in it.