Along with the temperature and humidity range that Craig maintains, the hand turning and setting of the eggs on their side has resulted in hatch rates of better than 90%. The eggs are marked by pencil with the date they were set and a line on the opposite side of the egg so he quickly knows which ones have been turned 180 degrees by hand. When incubating, Craig sets the eggs on their side and turns them twice a day by hand as well as using the auto turner in the incubator. The more water evaporating from the water pan, the higher the humidity level. In other words, water will evaporate more quickly from a large, shallow water pan than from a smaller, deeper water pan-even if both pans contain the same amount of water. The water evaporation is controlled by the surface area of water in the water pan. The humidity level can also be adjusted by the use of a water pan in the incubator. The humidity level can be adjusted by opening or closing the vents on an incubator to allow more or less air to enter and escape. The humidity level can be measured with a hygrometer or through the use of a wet bulb thermometer and a conversion chart. (The humidity required for normal development of the embryo may differ according to your particular climate and geographical location). This converts to a wet bulb temperature of 86-87✯. ![]() I have found through the years that the humidity level in the incubator plays the biggest role in successful artificial incubation of peahen eggs. He has found that the humidity level in the incubator plays the biggest role in successful incubation of peahen eggs. These problems should be fixed before peahen eggs are set in the incubator.Ĭraig Hopkins hatches his peahen eggs in a GQF incubator. If an incubator will not hold a uniform temperature, this can point to a bad switch wafer, heating element, fan motor or door seal. I use an ordinary, household, mercury thermometer for this check. The accuracy of the thermometer in an incubator should be checked against a proven thermometer. This can lead to a lower hatch rate of peahen eggs in the bottom trays. If these are tall, narrow incubators, the temperature at the bottom can be 1-2✯ cooler. Many forced air incubators come with the thermometer placed in the top portion. I use incubators which have air circulation fans in them to help maintain a uniform temperature. The thermostat should be set so that a temperature of 99 to 100☏ is consistent throughout. The temperature should be measured in many locations to ensure that the proper temperature is kept throughout the incubator. Whether the incubator is new or one that has been used for years, the temperature and humidity settings should be checked prior to the beginning of each laying season. Preparation of incubators prior to setting peahen eggs in them is another key to successful incubation. Healthy breeder birds produce healthy, viable peahen eggs -the key to successful incubation. ![]() Housing for the breeder birds should be cleaned out prior to the laying season to reduce the chances of disease and to minimize the disturbance to the birds. Oyster shell should be provided to the birds free choice. The breeder birds should be on a chicken or pheasant layer feed at least a month before the first egg is expected to be laid. There are many products available to make this easy to achieve. Breeder birds should be free of external and internal parasites. Successful incubation of peahen eggs starts before the first egg is even laid. ![]() I have used all methods and have found that artificial incubation best suits my needs in raising peafowl and is the method focused on in this article. These methods have both advantages and disadvantages that should be considered by each individual interested in incubating peahen eggs. ![]() The peahen eggs can be incubated using natural methods, artificial methods or a combination of both. People who raise peafowl have several options to choose from when it comes to the incubation of peahen eggs. Consider the advantages and disadvantages of incubating peahen eggs and discover the joy of raising peachicks, peacocks, and peahens along the way.īy Craig Hopkins – Indiana, United Peafowl Association.
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