Hatching chicken eggs in an Incubator

It's time to start spring eggs to hatching!

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  Collect Eggs

Safety near Big Metal Brother

We have two laying hens, a Rhode Island Red and a Plymouth Rock, and a wonderful RIR rooster, who have survived the winter, the BD (Bad Dog) and the hungry teenage Hawks.

After counting back on the calendar to assure proper hatching day to coincide with when it will be warm enough to clean out the chicken tractor and turn it into a “chicks only” residence, we began saving up eggs.

According to Patti Lou and Billy our great friends and mentors at  Tall Cotton Farm,  fertilized eggs can be up to a week old before you turn up the heat and begin to incubate. The important thing is to do not refrigerate and keep them covered so they don’t get too dry.

• Set up Incubator

Chris got the incubator out of the shed, checked that it had been cleaned and disinfected before storage and then just to be sure gave it a quick spray down with a mild bleach solution to kill any surviving germs. He set it up in our usual spot,on a chair in a small out or the way hallway. We plugged it in and allowed it to sit and warm up for two days. It is important to have the heat set at 99.5 degrees.

We bought this incubator from a local man who bought it many years ago form Sears to hatch ducks. It is very similar to a model still being sold. The thermometer was missing and we had to look around to find one that would fit. The first year we used a fancy electronic meter that Chris had in the shop, it was not as reliable as this little round gauge we found at the Dollar store! Many people use a electronic fever thermometer that you can find at any drugstore.

The newer 'Baters have a humidity meter. The humidity should be kept around 50%. We keep a little water in the bowl to provide moisture. This needs to be checked daily and refilled as needed. Later when it's near time for the hatch, we replace the water with a wet cloth to prevent the peeps from accidentally drowning.

• Prepare eggs

On February 22 we had 11 eggs - I checked for dirt and wiped them to clean up any little spots. It is important to not wash off the eggs protective coating. Using a pencil, I numbered the eggs in the order they were laid (to track the viability according to age), and I put an X on each one (to help me keep track of the daily turnings.) The newer incubators have auto turners which is handy, because we have to remember to turn 3 times a day. Many backyard chicken keepers prefer this because it does increase your involvement and bonding with the chicks to be. MHM (my help mate) Chris loves this job, just ask him! Well at least it is convenient, since he has to walk past the incubator to get to his home office.

We put down a few paper napkins, being careful not to block the heat flow and arraigned the eggs around the bowl. That night, egg number 12 was brought in from the coup and we had our even dozen!

The dogs came round to sniff and after a few minutes decided it was not yet worth the bother.

 

JUST WAIT!

  

It takes 21 days for the eggs to be ready to hatch. Keep checking in, hatch date around March 16.

FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ON ALL THINGS CHICKEN, TRY

 THE WEB SITE: Backyard Chickens