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Hatch Tracker Help/FAQ

Getting Started

Hatch Tracker is designed to help poultry and bird breeders manage birds, pens, egg sets, hatches, incubators, and breeding records in one place.

The tracker works entirely in your browser and stores your data on your device unless you export a backup file.

Before using the tracker, it is recommended that you:

  • Add your species in the Manage tab
  • Set a unique prefix for each species
  • Add breeds and colours commonly used in your flock
  • Enter your birds before creating breeding pens

Example species prefixes:

  • Chicken = C
  • Duck = D
  • Goose = G
  • Guinea Fowl = GF

Bird IDs are automatically combined with the species prefix to prevent duplicate IDs across different species.

Example:

  • C-0010 = Chicken 0010
  • D-0010 = Duck 0010

This allows the tracker to safely manage birds from multiple species without data conflicts.

Bird IDs and Species Prefixes

Each bird entered into Hatch Tracker is assigned a unique Bird ID.

To prevent conflicts between different species, the tracker automatically adds a species prefix to the front of the Bird ID when the bird is saved.

Example:

  • C-0010 = Chicken 0010
  • D-0010 = Duck 0010
  • G-0010 = Goose 0010

This means different species can safely use the same tag numbers without confusing reports, movement records, pedigrees, or pen tracking.

Species prefixes are managed in the Manage tab.

Important Notes

  • Prefixes should be unique for each species
  • Avoid using the same prefix for multiple species
  • Prefixes can contain more than one letter

Example:

  • Chicken = C
  • Cockatoo = CK
  • Cockatiel = CO

Entering Bird IDs

When adding a bird, enter only the tag or number.

Example:

  • 0010
  • 25
  • 2026-004

The tracker automatically applies the species prefix when saving the bird.

Editing Existing Birds

If a bird’s species is changed later, the Bird ID prefix will also update to match the new species.

Why Prefixes Matter

Species prefixes help prevent:

  • Duplicate Bird IDs
  • Incorrect pen assignments
  • Broken movement history
  • Incorrect pedigree records
  • Report conflicts between species

Without prefixes, a Chicken 0010 and Duck 0010 could be mistaken for the same bird.

Adding Birds

The Birds tab is used to record and manage individual birds within the tracker.

Bird records can include:

  • Bird ID
  • Species
  • Breed
  • Size
  • Sex
  • Colour
  • Hatch or purchase date
  • Sire and dam IDs
  • Notes
  • Current status
  • Pen history

Adding a New Bird

To add a bird:

  1. Open the Birds tab
  2. Enter the bird’s ID or tag number
  3. Select the species
  4. Fill in any optional information
  5. Click Save Bird

The tracker automatically applies the correct species prefix when saving.

Example:

Entering:

  • Species = Chicken
  • Bird ID = 0010

Will save as:

  • C-0010

Required Fields

The following fields are required:

  • Bird ID
  • Species

All other fields are optional and can be edited later.

Sire and Dam IDs

Sire and Dam IDs can be entered manually to help track parentage and pedigrees.

For best results, use the bird’s full prefixed ID.

Example:

  • C-0001
  • D-0025

Bird Status

Birds can be marked as:

  • Active
  • Sold
  • Deceased
  • Culled
  • Pet Home
  • Other inactive statuses

Inactive birds remain stored in the tracker and can still appear in reports and pedigrees if required.

Editing Birds

Existing birds can be edited at any time by clicking the Edit Bird button on the bird card.

Movement History

Each bird stores a movement history showing which pens it has been assigned to over time.

Movement records are automatically updated when:

  • A bird is moved between pens
  • A pen is edited
  • Birds are reassigned to different breeding groups

Searching Birds

The search box can be used to quickly locate birds by:

  • Bird ID
  • Name
  • Breed
  • Colour
  • Parent IDs
  • Notes

Search works with both full prefixed IDs and plain tag numbers.

Creating Pens

The Pens tab is used to organise breeding groups and track which birds are currently housed together.

Pens can contain:

  • Male birds
  • Female birds
  • Species and breed groupings
  • Notes
  • Movement history links

Creating a Pen

To create a pen:

  1. Open the Pens tab
  2. Enter a Pen ID
  3. Select the species
  4. Select the breed
  5. Choose the birds to include
  6. Click Save Pen

Male and Female Selection

Birds are automatically separated into:

  • Male Birds
  • Female Birds

based on the sex recorded on each bird card.

If a bird is listed under the wrong category:

  • Check the bird’s sex in the Birds tab
  • Edit and save the bird record
  • Return to the pen and refresh selections if required

Pen Validation

The tracker automatically checks for common problems including:

  • Duplicate birds within the same pen
  • Invalid Bird IDs
  • Birds assigned to multiple pens
  • Incorrect sex assignments
  • Species mismatches

Pen Movement Tracking

When birds are added to or removed from pens, the tracker automatically records movement history.

This allows breeders to track:

  • Previous breeding groups
  • Pen changes over time
  • Historical pairings
  • Rotation systems
  • Temporary holding pens

Movement history appears on the bird card under:

Movement History

Editing Pens

Existing pens can be edited at any time.

Editing a pen will automatically:

  • Update current pen assignments
  • Close old movement records
  • Create new movement records where required

Deleting Pens

Deleting a pen removes the pen record only.

Bird records and movement history are retained unless manually removed from the tracker.

Pen IDs

Pen IDs can be:

  • Numeric
  • Year-based
  • Named systems

Examples:

  • 001
  • 2026-014
  • TRIO-01
  • GROWOUT-A

Choose a system that matches your breeding setup and is easy to recognise later in reports.

Recording Egg Sets

The Egg Sets tab is used to record eggs placed into incubation and track them through the hatching process.

Each egg set links together:

  • The breeding pen
  • Incubator used
  • Set date
  • Expected hatch dates
  • Candling dates
  • Lockdown dates
  • Hatch results

Creating an Egg Set

To create an egg set:

  1. Open the Egg Sets tab
  2. Enter or confirm the Egg Set ID
  3. Select the breeding pen
  4. Enter the set date
  5. Enter the number of eggs set
  6. Select the incubator
  7. Click Save Egg Set

Automatic Date Calculations

The tracker automatically calculates:

  • Candle date
  • Lockdown date
  • Due date

based on the species incubation period.

Example incubation periods:

  • Chicken = 21 days
  • Duck = 28 days
  • Goose = 28–35 days
  • Quail = 17 days
  • Turkey = 28 days

These values can be adjusted later if required.

Incubation Date Counting Methods

The tracker supports two incubation counting methods:

  • Day after set = Day 1
  • Set day = Day 1

This setting can be changed in the Manage tab.

Different breeders count incubation days differently, so the tracker allows users to choose the system they prefer.

Egg Set IDs

Egg Set IDs are automatically generated using a yearly sequence.

Example:

  • 2026-001
  • 2026-002
  • 2026-003

This helps keep hatch records organised and prevents duplicate batch numbers.

Linked Pen Information

Egg sets are linked to the breeding pen selected at the time of setup.

This allows hatch records and reports to track:

  • Parent groups
  • Pen performance
  • Fertility rates
  • Hatch percentages

Editing Egg Sets

Egg sets can be edited after creation to update:

  • Egg counts
  • Dates
  • Notes
  • Incubator information
  • Hatch outcomes

Hatch Transfer

Once hatching is complete, egg sets can be transferred into the Hatches section to record final hatch results.

This preserves the original incubation records while also tracking hatch performance separately.

Recording Hatches

The Hatches tab is used to record final hatch outcomes and monitor incubation success rates.

Hatch records link together:

  • Egg Set information
  • Pen information
  • Incubator performance
  • Fertility and hatch rates
  • Notes and hatch observations

Creating a Hatch Record

To record a hatch:

  1. Open the Hatches tab
  2. Select the Egg Set
  3. Confirm the hatch date
  4. Enter hatch results
  5. Add any notes if required
  6. Click Save Hatch

Hatch Information Recorded

Hatch records can include:

  • Eggs set
  • Fertile eggs
  • Hatched chicks
  • Clear eggs
  • Early deaths
  • Late deaths
  • Assisted hatches
  • Cull chicks
  • Hatch notes

This information is used in reports and incubator statistics.

Automatic Data Linking

When an Egg Set is selected, the tracker automatically pulls through:

  • Egg Set ID
  • Pen details
  • Species
  • Breed
  • Incubator
  • Due date

This reduces duplicate data entry and helps maintain record accuracy.

Hatch Reports

Hatch records contribute to:

  • Hatch percentage reports
  • Fertility reports
  • Pen performance reports
  • Incubator performance reports

This helps breeders identify:

  • Strong breeding groups
  • Poor fertility
  • Incubator problems
  • Seasonal trends

Archiving Hatch Records

Hatch records can be archived instead of deleted.

Archived records:

  • Remain available for historical reports
  • Are hidden from normal workflow views
  • Can be restored later if required

This prevents accidental loss of breeding history.

Editing Hatch Records

Hatch records can be edited later to correct:

  • Hatch numbers
  • Notes
  • Dates
  • Non-hatch reasons

Future Bird Allocation

Future versions of Hatch Tracker may allow chicks from hatch records to be directly allocated into new bird records, helping complete full breeding lifecycle tracking from parent pen through to offspring management.

Reports

The Reports section provides breeders with an overview of breeding performance, hatch results, and incubator statistics.

Reports are automatically generated using information already entered into:

  • Birds
  • Pens
  • Egg Sets
  • Hatches
  • Incubators

This reduces duplicate data entry and allows the tracker to calculate performance trends over time.

Available Reports

Current reports include:

  • Hatch Results Report
  • Results by Pen
  • Incubator Performance
  • Fertility Tracking
  • Hatch Percentage Tracking
  • Progeny Reports

Additional reports may be added in future updates.

Hatch Results Report

The Hatch Results Report displays:

  • Eggs set
  • Fertile eggs
  • Hatched chicks
  • Hatch percentages
  • Fertility percentages

This helps breeders compare hatch outcomes across different breeding groups and incubators.

Results by Pen

Results by Pen allows breeders to compare breeding pens over time.

This can help identify:

  • Strong breeding combinations
  • Poor fertility
  • Low hatch rates
  • Seasonal performance changes

Incubator Performance

The Incubator Performance report compares hatch results between incubators.

This can help detect:

  • Temperature issues
  • Humidity problems
  • Turning failures
  • Poor-performing incubators

Progeny Reports

Progeny reports allow breeders to track offspring produced by specific birds.

This can help monitor:

  • Breeding success
  • Bloodlines
  • Fertility trends
  • Parent performance

Archived Records in Reports

Archived birds, egg sets, and hatch records may still appear in reports if they are linked to historical breeding data.

This helps preserve long-term breeding records and prevents gaps in statistics.

Future Reporting Features

Planned future reporting improvements may include:

  • Pedigree and lineage reports
  • Growth and weight tracking
  • Sex ratio tracking
  • Movement history reports
  • Breeding season summaries
  • Multi-year statistics
  • Exportable printable reports

Reports will continue to expand as the tracker develops.

File Backup and Restore

Hatch Tracker stores your data locally in your browser unless you manually create backups.

It is strongly recommended that users regularly export backup files to avoid accidental data loss.

Creating a Backup

To create a backup:

  1. Open the Manage tab
  2. Click Export Backup
  3. Save the backup file to your device

Backup files can be stored:

  • On your computer
  • On a USB drive
  • In cloud storage services such as:
    • Google Drive
    • OneDrive
    • Dropbox
    • iCloud

Restoring a Backup

To restore a backup:

  1. Open the Manage tab
  2. Click Import Backup
  3. Select your backup file
  4. Confirm the import

The tracker will restore:

  • Birds
  • Pens
  • Egg Sets
  • Hatch records
  • Incubators
  • Species lists
  • Prefix settings
  • Other saved tracker data

Using Multiple Devices

Users can move their data between devices by exporting and importing backup files.

Example:

  • Export backup from desktop computer
  • Save backup to cloud storage
  • Import backup onto laptop, tablet, or another computer

This allows breeders to continue using the same records across multiple devices.

Important Notes

  • Backup files are not automatically synced between devices
  • Changes made on one device will not appear on another device unless a new backup is exported and imported
  • Importing a backup may overwrite existing data on the current device

Recommended Backup Routine

It is recommended that users:

  • Export backups regularly
  • Keep multiple backup copies
  • Store at least one backup outside the device being used
  • Create a backup before major updates or large data imports

Future Cloud Sync

Future versions of Hatch Tracker may include optional cloud syncing features to allow automatic syncing between devices and shared breeder access.

Trouble Shooting

My birds are not showing in a pen

Check:

  • The bird has been saved correctly
  • The bird species matches the pen species
  • The bird is marked with the correct sex
  • The bird is not already assigned to another active pen

Editing and re-saving the pen may refresh movement records.

The wrong bird is appearing in a pen

Hatch Tracker uses species prefixes to prevent duplicate Bird IDs between species.

Example:

  • C-0010 = Chicken
  • D-0010 = Duck

If birds appear incorrectly:

  • Check species prefixes in the Manage tab
  • Confirm no duplicate prefixes exist
  • Edit and re-save the affected birds or pens if required

My Bird ID changed after saving

This is normal.

The tracker automatically applies the species prefix when a bird is saved.

Example:

Entering:

  • 0010

May save as:

  • C-0010

depending on the selected species.

My reports are incorrect

Check:

  • Hatch numbers entered correctly
  • Fertility numbers entered correctly
  • Pen assignments
  • Archived records
  • Incubator selection
  • Duplicate hatch entries

Editing incorrect records will automatically update reports.

I accidentally archived a record

Archived records can usually be restored by:

  1. Enabling:
    • Show Archived Egg Sets
    • Show Archived Hatch Records
    • Show Inactive Birds
  2. Locating the archived record
  3. Clicking:
    • Restore

My data disappeared after clearing browser history

Hatch Tracker stores data locally in your browser.

Clearing:

  • Browser history
  • Site data
  • Cookies
  • Local storage

may remove tracker data if backups were not created.

Always export regular backups.

The tracker looks different on another device

Screen size, browser settings, and WordPress themes may slightly change how the tracker appears between devices.

For best results, use:

  • Updated browsers
  • Stable internet connection
  • Current version of the tracker

Import backup not working

Check:

  • The backup file was created by Hatch Tracker
  • The file is complete and not corrupted
  • The backup matches the current app version where possible

If problems continue, try restoring the backup on the original device first.

Common Browser Fixes

If the tracker behaves unexpectedly:

  • Refresh the page
  • Hard refresh the browser
  • Clear browser cache
  • Restart the browser
  • Test in an incognito/private window

Still Need Help?

If you continue experiencing problems:

  • Record what happened
  • Take screenshots if possible
  • Note which device and browser you are using
  • Contact support with as much detail as possible

This helps identify bugs and improve future updates.

Support

If you need help with Hatch Tracker, please contact:

support@farmorferals.com.au

When reporting problems, please include:

  • Device type
  • Browser used
  • Screenshots if possible
  • A description of what happened
  • Steps taken before the issue occurred

This helps identify bugs and improve future updates.

Please remember Hatch Tracker is under active development and small updates may occur regularly as new features and breeder feedback are added.