Frequently Asked Questions

What do we have to do?
Very little. Once we set up you just sit back and enjoy.
You only have to:
1. Top up the water tray each day.
2.Change the water completely and refill the water tray on the 3rd day. You will find chicks down sitting on top of the water after the hatchings and this will stop the humidity developing. Humidity makes it eaiser for the chicks to hatch.
3.Move the chicks into the brooding box the day after hatching.
4. Change the wood shavings in the viewing box if you want to or if they get wet.
5. Chicks are fine over to be left on their own a weekend.

How do you sex a chicken?
Sexing chickens is a specialist profession.
The genitals are internal so there is no difference in visual appearance between a male and female chick.
Both sexes appear the same until the differing traits become apparent. You will not know for about 8 weeks until the chick moves into the next stage of development being "a pullet" if it is a rooster of a hen.

When are they going to hatch? Are they going to hatch today?
Yes, you should get a chick to hatch today. The chicks are set to hatch 2 or 3 a day, Monday (delivery day) to Friday. Although you need to remember that we can't always "program" Mother Nature.

How long do they take to hatch?
You can hear the peeping noise up to 24hrs before the egg starts to crack. Once you see the small hole the birth can be quick. 20 minutes in some cases but mostly 2-3 hours. Some chicks take as long as 24 hours. Like all labours, they vary.

What's the difference between these eggs and the supermarket eggs? How do you know they're fertilised eggs? Did these eggs come from the supermarket?
A rooster has fertilised these eggs. We know when we candle the eggs and can see the developing embryo. Supermarket eggs have not been fertilised.

What do we do when they first hatch?
There is nothing that you need to do for the chick. In its own time it will dry out, fluff up and become lively. Nature will do it all. You need to do nothing.

When do we move the chicks from the incubator?
Leave chicks in the incubator for approx 24 hours after hatching before moving to the brooding box. Chicks can be moved sooner if they have dried out, fluffed up and become active. ie. they are running around inside the incubator.

When can we hold the chicks after they hatch?
On the 2nd day when the chick has rested and is alert.

What happens if a chicken is deformed?
This is a very unusual occurance. Ring the Chicks R Us support line.

Can you move the incubator once it is set up?
Yes. Set up the area near a power point that you want to move the incubator to. Place eggs in an egg carton, tip out the water, move it to the new place, fill water container and place eggs back in heat. It is not recommended that the incubator be moved more than once.

Why do the hatched chicks peck the other chicks in the incubator?
We don't know. We guess it's the very beginning of the pecking order. We have never had a chick hurt another chick, it just seems a natural part of the first stage of life.

What happens to the chicks when they leave us?
We can assure you that our chicks don't become battery hens or are subjetted to any unethical treatment. We supply our chicks to a baby animal farm that sells a variety of baby animals all over NSW. The 3 breeds of chicks we supply are laying birds, not meat birds.

What are the three breeds of chickens?
We have a variety of 7 different breeds of chickens. In this way a variety of coloured chicks are hatched. (see www.barterandsons.com.au) for all the breeds we have.
 

 
Visit Our Farm!
Buy day old chickens
to Point of Lay Hens.
6 breeds
Freight available -
call 02 962 02 555

barterandsons.com.au

OPEN THIS & EVERY WEEKEND
OPEN 5 Days
Monday Closed
Tuesday 10am –5.30
Wed 11am—5.30
Thurs Closed
Fri 11am—3.30pm
Saturday 9.30– 3.30
Sunday 9.30– 1.00
Public Holidays Closed

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