Chicken Keeping Secrets

This week we’ll prepare for your chicks to hatch.

If you have more than one setting in the incubator, meaning more than one batch of eggs at different stages in the incubation process, you’ll need to move the eggs on day 17 to another incubator to prepare for them to hatch.

If all your eggs have been incubated for the same amount of time, day 17 is the time to make a few changes.

You will need to carefully place crinoline or cheese cloth under the eggs. Most incubators are equipped with a wire grate, place the crinoline right on top of that or follow any instructions included with your incubator. (more…)

I’m excited; it’s time to set your eggs! In 21 days or so, you’ll have chicks!

Prepare your incubator by heating it to the manufacturer’s recommended temperature and a relative humidity of 58 to 60%. Adjust the vents if necessary.

You’ve been storing eggs selected for this purpose. It’s time to select the freshest, best eggs to set. Because you’ve been marking the date you collected the eggs with pencil, selecting the freshest eggs is obvious. Remember to select medium sized eggs, with no cracks, that are uniform in shape. (more…)

So you’ve chosen your model and you have your incubator. You’ve decided where to locate it and you’ve thoroughly cleaned it. Now is the time to make sure everything is working properly before you set your eggs. You’ll remember from last week that there are two types of incubators; still-air and forced-air.

Each type will require a different temperature. The manufacturers instructions will tell you the correct temperature required for their model. Usually however, a forced-air model requires a temperature around 99-100 degrees and a still-air model requires a temperature around 100-102 degrees to compensate for the layering of temperatures within the unit. Again, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions very carefully so that you’ll have the greatest success. (more…)

This week in our “Basics” series, we’ll talk about chicken egg incubators and what type would work best for you. There are incubators available for sale that will handle whatever needs or future plans you may have. They can handle anywhere from a few eggs up to 75,000. There are kerosene or oil models available but most models are run on electricity. Each model runs a little differently so it is important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully… (more…)

I hope you all had a great week, let’s get started talking about broody hens. The easiest way to hatch eggs is to let your hen sit on them. She keeps them at the perfect temperature and naturally incubates them. When a hen decides that it’s time to start a family, it’s called going broody. (more…)