This add to the hygienic environment into which the chicks are born resulting in healthier chickens from day one. A recent development in egg incubators is the addition of a permanent antibacterial additive that gets added into the plastic that provides maximum protection during the lifetime of the product.However, these incubators tend to be expensive, and may not be worth the investment unless you plan on incubating chicken eggs on a regular basis. You just place the eggs inside and wait 21 days, the incubation period for chicken eggs, till the first chick pips. Which features are most important to you will depend on how much input you want to have in the process of if you want a “set and forget” egg incubator.įully automated egg incubators will take all the stress out of hatching chicken eggs. Egg incubators with turners will save you more time than any other feature. Essentially, if you are only going to hatch one batch from your egg incubator a cheap incubator might do quite nicely but if you are planning on hatching multiple times then consider a more advanced option.Įven a simple egg incubator can usually be purchased with add-ons, like automated egg turners or fans. There is a specific temperature and humidity for hatching chicken eggs and you will have to maintain these yourself, as well as turning the eggs several times a day. But these egg incubators, typically made of Styrofoam, are all manual. There are a few things to consider when choosing an incubator:Ĭheap incubators for hatching eggs are appealing to many people on their first hatch. For tips on successful hatching using an egg incubator, check out our Rules for Hatching Chicken Eggs. This article will help you purchase or build the best chicken egg incubator. Incubating chicken eggs is a rewarding experience, but it does require some special equipment and a little know-how. Perhaps you don’t have a broody hen or a safe space for her to raise her chicks, maybe you want to hatch more eggs than a hen can set on or perhaps you want to involve your children in the experience in a more hands-on way. When it comes down to the moment of actually hatching eggs, the chicks do a beautiful job of it all by themselves.There are many reasons that you might choose to hatch eggs artificially using an egg incubator. You lose humidity when you open the incubator, and this can make it difficult for the chicks to get fully out of the shell. This is especially true when the chicks are hatching. The key to hatching eggs successfully is to leave them alone as much as possible. If you try to “help” by pulling the shell off the chick is very likely to bleed to death. When you see a pip in the shell, be prepared to give the chick up to 24 hours to come out (5-7 hours is the average). Let the Chick Come Out of the Shell on Her Own A lone bird can actually die of loneliness. And remember, chickens are flock animals. If you set fewer eggs a bad hatch is possible and some of the chicks may not make it, or they may all be males. Hatching chicken eggs requires a lot of work. This is for your benefit and that of the chicks. You should use a hygrometer to check it, as levels can vary widely based on the ambient humidity in your home. Maintaining the proper humidity for hatching chicken eggs is critical. Check back in a few hours and the change in position should be obvious. They go very slowly and you may think it is broken. If you have an automatic turner, don’t be surprised if you can’t see it moving. You can draw an X on one side of each egg to help you keep track of which ones you’ve turned.

Many incubators have turning trays, but most homemade incubators for hatching chicken eggs will require hand turning. It is important to stop turning at day 18 so the chicks can position themselves for hatching. If you turn the eggs manually be sure to wash your hands before doing so. If your egg incubator uses forced air keep the temperature at 99.5☏. Throughout the incubation period the eggs should be kept at a still-air temperature of 101.5☏, measured at the top of the egg. If Day 21 passes hold on to your eggs for a few more days just in case they hatch late.

This is true if the eggs were fresh and remained at the proper temperature for hatching chicken eggs throughout the whole period. There are some general rules you should follow when hatching eggs to ensure success. If you have a rooster you can use fertilized eggs from your own flock, or you can find fertile chicken eggs for sale from a neighbor or hatchery. Hatching chicken eggs artificially using an incubator is a rewarding experience.

Chicken egg incubator