Breeding Your Own Chicks
Introduction

• Introduction to Breeding Your Own Chicks
• Breeding Stock
• Suitable Eggs for Breeding Your Own Chicks
• Incubators What to Look For in Egg Incubators
• Egg Turning
• Ideal Temperatures for Incubating Eggs
• Humidity for Incubating Eggs
• Candling Eggs
• Pipping & Hatching Eggs
• Optimum Conditions for Incubation and Hatching
• Useful Items for Incubation and Hatching

It does not matter how long one has been keeping and rearing chickens, the moment when a chick emerges from its shell is still a magical one.

A broody hen is Nature’s own incubator and is frequently used to hatch eggs from other birds as well as her own. The problem is that there may not be a broody hen available when you have some eggs to incubate.

A well-designed small incubator is well worth the investment, with the size depending on the number of eggs to be incubated at any one time. This varies from around 12 eggs to 300 so there really is one to cater for every need. The number refers to average hen egg sizes.

An incubator is essentially a box that provides the optimum temperature and humidity requirements. It also needs to ensure that there is sufficient airflow to allow oxygen to be absorbed by the eggs and carbon dioxide dispersed, without excessive cooling. Good insulation with appropriate ventilation is essential, and how this is provided will vary depending on the type of material and the design of the incubator. Materials used include wood and plastic.

There are several factors leading to successful hatchings and it is a good idea to examine them in turn.

Next >>

Copyright © Katie Thear 2005