Hatch Your Own Eggs

[smoothfinish 26]

Hi guys and girls

Im going tell you my best way to hatch a chicken egg/eggs

Iv been using this method for some time now and have a good hatching percentage on all types of breeds.

 

First things first choose your breed which suits your needs and the amount off chickens you want/need. In my experience the amount of eggs you hatch is not the amount of chickens you want for example if you want six hens and you get six fertile eggs only two-hour will hatch if your lucky so just use six as your intended target you will buy ten fertile eggs now im not saying that six will hatch because there is a slim chance that all ten will hatch but everytime iv gone for six chickens i buy ten eggs and normally get between four - six from my ten eggs but my last lot only three chicks hatched and one didn't

survive but that is my worst one todate.

 

Your eggs should hatch withing 21 days give or take a couple from the incubation

before putting your eggs into an incubator make sure a few days before that your temp is sat at 99.5F degrees. I use a digital thermometer which measures humidity aswell in my incubator they can be found on ebay at a cheap price. You want 50% humidity for days 1 to 18, then 70-% for the last 3 days so the shell can absorb water.

 

Draw the letter (M) on one side and (E) on the other using a pencil. (NO LINK PENS)

so that in the Morning you have M pointing down and Evening pointing up Make sure to turn the eggs at least 3 times a day turn an odd number of times a day which is roughly every 8 hours. Failing to do so could deformed your chicks or kill before they even hatch.

You must keep adequate moisture in the incubator at all times. Put a couple of small wet sponges in your incubator this will do nicely for your moisture to keep humidity in there.

 

Some people report good hatching success rates with not turning there eggs I happen to enjoy the personal connection and turn them myself.

Natural fertility is rarely 100% it varys from 45% all the way to 90% with season, condition and type breed. My personal favorites are Black Rocks Red Warrens and Light Sussexs.

 

Fertile eggs cannot be determined before incubating them after 2 to 3 days, light shelled eggs may be candled to see if embryos have developed cracked or damaged eggs usually do not hatch and often develop bad smells remove asap when this is detected.

Iv found over the years persition of the eggs are important of the hatching percentage

a incubating egg/eggs should be sat in a normal position as it would on a flat surface this is with the large end slightly higher than the pointed end so the embryo cant drown as it forms to a chick. Also the temperature a fresh egg takes up the temperature of its surrounding but as development proceeds the embryo generates its own body heat. By hatching time, it has an internal temperature. Chicken eggs should incubate at 99.5F degrees. The embryos are extremely sensitive to overheating if the temperature strays beyond 103F degrees for any length of time, the embryos may be damaged or die also if the temperature

drops more then 30 degrees in a few hours this will dent your success rate

 

 

What to do with your hatched chicks. Do not be in a hurry to take chicks out of the incubator chicks will survive up to 3 days without food or water. The yolk of the egg is drawn through the navel into the stomach of the baby chick before it hatches that provided enough nourishment for the transitional period from the time the bird hatches fluffs out gains its strength and becomes active enough to go out and seek food. Chicks continue to grow and develop in the incubator before they receive food They will instinctively be interested in drops of water each other's toes, and other objects of possible experimentation. Do not assume from these evidences of interest that the chicks are hungry It is simply nature's way of experimentation, exploration and learning of the young. In general chicks are taken from the incubator after 24 hours. No harm is done if they are not taken out for 48 hours after they hatch.

After the 48 hours feed and water must be available at 24 hours a day from the time they leave the incubator do not let feed or water run out! Baby chicks should be fed a dry mash chicks do well on baby chick mash. Solid grains are not suitable for feeding baby chicks and no grit is needed when a mash feed is used. Best source is a poultry shop.

 

One of my biggest mistakes when first hatching was drowning a young chick i used to leave a little cup of water in the box but the few days old chick would jump in the cup and not be able to climb out therefore drowning its self i was told the best way to prevent this was to put 5 to 6 marbles in the dish and fill with water never had the problem since

 

I hope this helps you first timers or who ever is thinking of hatching your own flock

All the best oliver

[darbo 4,776]

good bit of info there i have never used a incubator. a broody bantam does the job for me.Got 2 sitting now fingers crossed success is never guarenteed.

[smoothfinish 26]

Cheers darbo

I only use incubator as my flock very rare go broody i only had 2 last year.

So i thought id post a topic on how to hatch your own eggs as i have not seen any but its up now so hopefully it will help some new comers to the poultry game But i can imagine having a broody trudy to do all the work for you is much easier

[darbo 4,776]

It is easy if things go to plan smoothfinish but sometimes they dont. i have had the odd broody desert the nest, the odd one kill the chicks as they hatch. also last year rats had gnawed through the floor in the shed. i didnt notice under the shavings and they killed the chicks but you live and learn. most times things go to plan.your incubator post was intresting for me as i have never used one. atb.

[Tuzo 251]

Some good advice SF but I reckon hatch rates woud improve if you didnt open the inc to turn eggs and used an auto turner instead......also there are lots of chick drinkers available that are too shallow for them to drown in.

[smoothfinish 26]

Hi tuzo

Just from trying all types of ways to hatch my eggs iv found this is the best and as long as the temp does not drop too fast its fine to get your hand in there every 8 hours and turn them plus its a good feeling when the last 12 hours comes and you see the crack on the shell and ear the chick calling for mum but everyone as there own way thanks for the post

[francolin 449]

what works with one machine might not be as good in another,its all trial and error,still air is dif to fan assisted ect,open the incubator for short period to turn eggs by hand lets temp drop/humidity change but no bird sits and keeps egg temp the same 24/7 .tried shallow drikers with stones in ect,as Tuzo stated plenty cheap chick drinkers out there best to just buy some and they clean easy,a good read sf and some good info atb.

[smoothfinish 26]

Cheers mate. Yes i know there are the drinkers for chicks but i just like the marbles in a bowl trick. It has never let me down yet il take some photos of my incubator and the set up next time i hatch some more. I do have my eye on a 12 maran eggs if i do get them il put a full topic on step by step with the chicks that hatch out of 12 as my last marans came out very well I think i sould get 7-8 hopefully

[rossthedog 76]

Very intresting posts could you post a thread on chhicks. Leaving incubator to independence like. To hear your. Views on brooding ta

[rossthedog 76]

Very intresting posts could you post a thread on chhicks. Leaving incubator to independence like. To hear your. Views on brooding ta

[smoothfinish 26]

Very intresting posts could you post a thread on chhicks. Leaving incubator to independence like. To hear your. Views on brooding ta

Yh buddy shall i post it in this topic? Or start a new topic? As i dont want people to think im babbling on ?? lol

[rossthedog 76]

Start new topic

[burnie69 376]

Drop the humidity to 40% for 1-18 days then up it to 70% for the last 3 days you might find more then 6 out of 10 hatch. Too much humidity and you'll find chicks dead inside the shell. Basically they've grown to big inside the egg and theres not enough room left for em to pip out.

[smoothfinish 26]

Drop the humidity to 40% for 1-18 days then up it to 70% for the last 3 days you might find more then 6 out of 10 hatch. Too much humidity and you'll find chicks dead inside the shell. Basically they've grown to big inside the egg and theres not enough room left for em to pip out.

Hi burnie69

Im not saying your wrong but iv never dropped humiditys under 50% iv always been told 50s are the best thanks for the post mate

[burnie69 376]

Just look at your hatch rate it tells you everything. If I put 12 fertile eggs in I'd as good as expect 9-10 healthy chicks out and some cases 11-12. I've messed with em for years and my best results come at 40% 1st 18 then 70% last 3 days.