Eggs for Incubation

[Bribble]

There's a pretty good size flock of chickens at my barn and they lay quite a few eggs (which tend to end up on the table). I decided I wanted to try my hand at hatching some chicks. How do I know if the egg is fertilized? I've read the 'candlestick' method but would it work on eggs that were just laid? Also it's been very cold and wet the last few days (not in the coops) and when I went to collect some eggs today the chickens weren't on them because they were out. Would these eggs still be candidates for incubation? If anybody also has any good references to DIY incubators or hatching without incubators (probably not the most productive or successful way I'm sure) that'd be awesome. Thank you!

 

[Pyxis]

To see if an egg is fertile you either crack it open and check for a blastoderm on the yolk, which looks like a little bullseye, or start incubating, wait a few days, and then candle to check for life. If you have a rooster and have a decent hen to rooster ratio, you can be fairly certain the eggs are fertile.

There are lots of guides for homemade incubators here on BYC if you click on the Articles section at the top, then the Learning Center, and then Incubators and Brooders.

As long as the eggs didn't freeze and aren't older than ten days, they are likely fine for incubating

 

[Bribble]

To see if an egg is fertile you either crack it open and check for a blastoderm on the yolk, which looks like a little bullseye, or start incubating, wait a few days, and then candle to check for life. If you have a rooster and have a decent hen to rooster ratio, you can be fairly certain the eggs are fertile.

There are lots of guides for homemade incubators here on BYC if you click on the Articles section at the top, then the Learning Center, and then Incubators and Brooders.

As long as the eggs didn't freeze and aren't older than ten days, they are likely fine for incubating

Awesome thank you! Not sure what the rooster/hen ratio is, they're not mine (I have permission for this of course). Instead of incubating for a few days, could I let the egg sit out there a and then check? It's getting below zero and I'm not sure how often the chickens actually sit on the eggs, so not quite sure if the eggs would be useable.

 

[lazy gardener]

Below 0*F or C? An egg will be killed if it freezes. If you can get to them before they freeze, you stand a chance of hatching them. But, what will you do with chicks if it's that cold? Brooding chicks in the winter is difficult, and I personally would recommend waiting until spring.

Go to the learning center and read all of "hatching eggs 101" before you consider incubating eggs.

A hen does not have to sit on and egg after it's laid, and letting an egg sit at room temperature will not cause it to start developing.

If you want to build an incubator do a google search for Rush Lane Poultry, how to build an incubator. He has several videos that cover various incubator builds including various types of thermostats.

Please don't try to hatch an egg without having a thorough understanding of the process, having an incubator which will hold the proper temperature, having calibrated thermometers and hygrometer, and most importantly having a plan for all the chicks you hatch, including a realistic plan for the chicks, approximately 60% of which will be cockerels. If you don't manage your incubator well, you run the very real risk of hatching deformed chicks.

 

[Pyxis]

Awesome thank you! Not sure what the rooster/hen ratio is, they're not mine (I have permission for this of course). Instead of incubating for a few days, could I let the egg sit out there a and then check? It's getting below zero and I'm not sure how often the chickens actually sit on the eggs, so not quite sure if the eggs would be useable.

No, that wouldn't work unless a hen is broody - unless an egg is being actively incubated it won't start to develop

Since this will be your first time hatching, this article might help you out: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-beginners-guide-to-incubation.73350/

 

[Bribble]

Sorry ya'll, I meant below 32* F not zero not sure what I was thinking as I typed that. After hatching I plan to keep the chicks inside until they're big enough to go outside. Any chicks I hatch at home will probably just stay at my house outside in a coop (I have an old rabbit cage that would be perfect for a coop). Thank you for the links!

 

[junebuggena]

Eggs do not spontaneously develop, so you must either crack a few to verify fertilization or you need to incubate.
Rabbit cages are too small to use as a coop. Chicks grow very quickly and need a lot more room than people usually take into consideration. A general guideline for space is as follows
Week 1- 1/4 sq ft per chick
Week 2- 1/2 sq ft per chick
Week 3- 1 sq ft per chick
Week 4- 2 sq ft per chick
Week 5- 4 sq ft per chick
Week 6- 8 sq ft per chick
After that, they are ready for adult-type space of at least 4 sq ft of coop and 10 sq ft of run per bird.
For the first few weeks, they need 24-hour access to some sort of heat source. In addition to heat, the brooder must also be large enough to allow for the area away from the heat source to be room temp.