OP, how many are you trying to hatch? How big of a hurry are you in?
If you ever get to a point, where you are just trying to replace lost chickens then get a broody breed. Unless I loose all my girls at once, ill never go back to incubators.
I just put 3-4 fake eggs in a box so my silkies can see them. In 1-2 weeks they are sitting on them trying to hatch them.
Then I sneak in at night and move them into a "broody cage" (basically a tractor) and put the real eggs under them. Then I just give food/water once a week, and that's it. No brooders, no worrying about temperature/humidity or keeping them too hot/cold.
Its the lazy mans way to keep chickens.
Until you loose your broody chickens.
NOTE: Silkies are tiny, they can only fit about 5 eggs at one time. Not sure about bigger breeds. I love my tiny fluffy chicken.
If you ever get to a point, where you are just trying to replace lost chickens then get a broody breed. Unless I loose all my girls at once, ill never go back to incubators.
I just put 3-4 fake eggs in a box so my silkies can see them. In 1-2 weeks they are sitting on them trying to hatch them.
Then I sneak in at night and move them into a "broody cage" (basically a tractor) and put the real eggs under them. Then I just give food/water once a week, and that's it. No brooders, no worrying about temperature/humidity or keeping them too hot/cold.
Its the lazy mans way to keep chickens.
Until you loose your broody chickens.
NOTE: Silkies are tiny, they can only fit about 5 eggs at one time. Not sure about bigger breeds. I love my tiny fluffy chicken.
